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.”