Regan throws gem to shut out Burbank

Jim Riggio

McCAMBRIDGE PARK -- Eight years of playing travel and high school

softball has consumed a big part of Burroughs pitcher Dani Regan’s

life.

So much so that the senior has decided to seek life after softball

following the season.

Regan probably thought she ended her career in style Thursday

night, as she pitched a three-hit shutout in Burroughs’ 7-0 victory

against Burbank in a Foothill League finale at McCambridge Park.

“I didn’t play to the best of my abilities tonight, but my team

supported me,” Regan said.

Regan plans to attend Glendale Community College next year, but

said she has no interest in continuing her softball career.

The loss gave Burroughs (16-9, 6-4 in league) a fourth-place

finish in the Foothill League. However, the team received good news

Friday when the Indians were informed they will wind up in third

place because Saugus will be forced to forfeit games for using an

ineligible player.

“The kids don’t want the year to end,” Burroughs Coach Jennifer

Gomez said. “This is a special group that likes playing together.”

The Indians gave Regan a huge lead before she even walked onto the

field, as the Indians scored four times in the top of the first

inning, paced by Lisa Dennis’ two-run double that scored Val Rico and

Sara Budrick.

“It was great to have a cushion behind me. In the past, we haven’t

had that consistency,” Regan said. “I seemed very collective out

there, because I knew our team could handle anything.”

But consistency at the plate is what Burroughs did against Burbank

(5-17, 1-9).

“This is one of our best games offensively,” Gomez said of her

team, which pounded out 13 hits. “The last week or so, we’ve been

hitting the ball strong. We’ve been playing well of late, and I felt

our bats would come out aggressive.”

Burbank struggled at the plate, but got a fine performance from

Emily Hom, who had a single and a double to right field.

Catcher Kristin Talamantes, who has signed with Mercer University,

had the only other hit for the Bulldogs.

Burroughs’ lead-off hitter Ryanne Hodgins, who has signed with the

University of New Mexico, had three hits and reached base in all five

of her plate appearances.

“Good pitching and a good lead-off batter are irreplaceable, and

we’ve been fortunate to have both of those,” Gomez said of Hodgins

and Regan.

Burbank Coach Ken Schafer praised Burroughs for outplaying his

team.

“Burroughs came out fired up,” Schafer said. “It didn’t start off

good for us. You can’t make the mistakes we made in this game. One or

two mistakes can turn the game around.”

However, the Bulldog coach remains optimistic about the future of

the program.

“We’ve got a young team,” Schafer said. “There is a lot of a

talent. We won a league game this season and the seniors hadn’t won a

league game since they were sophomores. I just want to see these kids

to continue improving.”