Foothill, which advanced to the Monday’s game with a 17-7 victory against Crescenta Valley on Wednesday, held an 8-2 lead entering the top of the sixth inning before holding off a late Tujunga surge.
“I thought our team played as well as it could,” Foothill co-Manager Tyson Howard said. “Tujunga can hit the ball harder than us, but, if we can stop that, then we have a chance.
“For us, it’s got to be about pitching and fielding.”
Miranda Diaz, Alex Howard and Alley Johnson combined to limit Tujunga to three hits.
Tujunga, which posted a 13-4 win against Foothill on July 1 at Montrose Park, hit several balls hard that Foothill converted into outs.
However, Tujunga doomed itself by issuing a whopping 15 walks that Foothill parlayed into four runs.
Tujunga Manager Andy DiMuno said his team appeared sluggish following the extended holiday weekend.
“It just took us a long time to get started,” DiMuno said. “It turned out to be one inning too late for us.
“At least we will be out there again [today]. I expect Foothill to battle again.”
After Tujunga took a 1-0 lead in the first, Foothill knotted the game at 1 on a fielder’s choice. Then Foothill scored three runs in the third, highlighted by a run-scoring single by Danielle Fabian to make it 4-1.
Foothill scored four runs in the fifth, capped by bases-loaded walks to Diaz and Rebecca Legapsi.
Howard said he expected Tujunga to make a late comeback bid.
“There’s no quit in Tujunga,” said Howard, whose team hit into a pair of double plays. “They are the kind of team that can get you in trouble.
“I expect another tough game [tonight]. Both teams are so close.”
Foothill catcher Cailen Rodriguez finished with two hits. She had a triple to begin the third and added a single in the fourth. Outfielder Olivia Homan had the other hit for Foothill, a single in the third that brought in a run.
