Hamlet Nalbandyan
MONTROSE PARK -- Meredith Cervenka didn't strike out 22 Canyon Country
Canyon High batters like the first time she faced the Cowboys, but the
Crescenta Valley High junior was as dominating as ever Friday.
Cervenka pitched a two-hit shutout as CV rolled to a 3-0 CIF Southern
Section Division II first-round softball victory at Montrose Park.
The junior hurler forced Canyon, the third-place representative from
the Foothill League, to ground out 11 times. Cervenka came into the
contest with 334 strike outs in 180 innings, but she struck out just
three.
"How can you expect someone to strike out 22 when all Canyon was
trying to do was bump the ball to our infield," said CV Coach Dan Berry,
whose team beat Canyon, 1-0, in 14 innings during an earlier meeting this
year in which Cervenka struck out 22.
"They sacrificed strike outs to ground outs."
CV (27-1) will face the winner California, the second-place team from
the Del Rio League, Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. at a site to be determined by
coin flip. California beat Montebello, 10-1, Friday.
CV's defense played near perfect softball. With the exception of one
mishap -- a throwing error in the fourth -- it was the Falcon supporting
class that shined.
"This is a team. Meredith has gotten all the headlines, and deservedly
so, but everyone has performed," Berry said.
The Falcons scored their runs in the second inning. Melanie McCauley
led off with a single to center but was forced out at second on a
comebacker by Ashley Powell.
Mandy Yaeger followed with a single to left. Cervenka then hit a ball
just off the shortstop's glove, but Powell was thrown out at third on a
great play by Cowboy left fielder Justina Kahaku.
With two outs, Berry put in Melissa Snee as a pinch-runner for Yaeger
at second. Annemarie Blodgett walked to load the bases for Ally Webber,
and the senior did not disappoint. Webber hit a grounder over first to
score Snee.
She looked to be safe at first, but the Canyon shortstop tried to get
her out. Her throw got past the first baseman and before the Cowboys knew
it, Cervenka and Blodgett had crossed the plate and Webber was out second
with CV leading, 3-0.
From then on, Cervenka dominated. The two hits Canyon (16-11) got were
infield singles to second that just got past the mound.
BOX SCORE
Canyon 000 000 0 -- 0 2 1
CV 030 000 x -- 3 6 1
Canyon IP R ER H BB K
Henderson 6 3 1 6 2 1
CV IP R ER H BB K
Cervenka 7 0 0 2 0 3
WP-Cervenka (26-1); Henderson (8-8)
