Hamlet Nalbandyan
ARCADIA -- The defense for the Hoover High softball team had saved
pitcher Cori Herbert several times Tuesday against Arcadia with great
plays.
But as fate would have it, it was a defensive breakdown that cost the
Tornadoes the game, as they fell, 1-0, to the Apaches in 10 innings in a
Pacific League game at Arcadia.
With a runner on second base and one out in the bottom of the 10th,
Erin Bohanus hit a hard shot to third base, but the third baseman
couldn't come up with the play cleanly and Bohanus reached base on the
error. After a ground out put runners on second and third, Ashley Cling
hit a slow chopper to deep short for the winning run, scoring Linda
Vallejo.
"It seems that all the games between us go extra innings," Arcadia
Coach John Nowa said. "They had their chances to win and we had ours. It
was a great game."
The Tornadoes (5-7, 0-1 in league) committed three errors in the
contest, but their defense was impressive. "Our defense was great. The
whole infield did a nice job. It was our hitting that was the problem,"
Hoover Coach Kirt Kohlmeier said. "We couldn't hit our way out of a paper
bag. You can't win if you can't hit."
Hoover had just four hits in the game, and only one in the last six
innings -- a leadoff single in the top of the 10th inning that was
followed by three consecutive strike outs.
The Tornadoes had their first hit in the third inning -- a leadoff
single by Linda Martinez, who went two for four -- but Hoover followed
that with back-to-back strike outs and a ground out to the pitcher.
In the fourth, Herbert had a one-out single and Evelyn Crowder
followed with a single off the pitcher, but the Tornadoes couldn't take
advantage as two consecutive ground outs ended the inning.
Arcadia (7-8, 1-0) was not using its No. 1 pitcher, as sophomore
Lindsay Park blew out her knee before the season started and is gone for
the season.
But Julie Brewster (6-5) has done a nice job so far, and it was no
different Tuesday. Brewster struck out 12 in the 10 innings.
The sixth inning for both teams was a golden opportunity to score
runs. In the top of the inning, Daisy Barcena opened with a walk and
Christine Martinez layed down a sacrifice bunt and reached base when the
throw at first got away. Barcena and Christine Martinez ended up on
second on third.
Herbert was then walked to load the bases with no outs, but Crowder
reached base on a fielder's choice to short as Barcena was gunned down at
