Softball

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan LANCASTER -- The Foothill-Tujunga majors softball all-stars might have lost the battle, but it definitely didn't lose the war. After losing to Temple City Wednesday night to force a Little League Section 1 Tournament final game on Thursday, the District 16 champs responded with fire and defeated the District 18 title holders, 21-3, at Parkview Little League in Lancaster. The game was called after four innings due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Defeating West Hills, 5-2, last Sunday, the Crescenta Sports Association 14 and Under Softball Team won its second tournament championship of the season. The CSA team broke the game open in the bottom of the sixth inning. With the score tied, 2-2, three straight singles were hit by Brigitte Marlatijalian, Amber Insalaco and Sofie Munoz. Samantha Yzaguirre then came to the plate and stroked a triple to drive in three runs and give the title to the CSA team. CSA pitcher Megan Martin kept the opposing bats in line and got good defensive play from Breanna Klein, Natalie Honda and Mahaeli Portilla.

The CV girls' varsity softball team defeated host Arcadia, 4-1, on May 12 to capture its eighth Pacific League Championship in a row. Heading into the CIF playoffs this week, the Falcons improved to 19-7 overall and finished 9-1 in league CV will host Culver City today (Friday) at 3:15 p.m. in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs. The contest was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning when the Falcons scored two runs to move into a 2-0 lead.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan At least for the moment, Ciri Bryan is not playing for the La Canada High School softball team, Spartan Coach Brock Turner said. Turner offered no other details on the circumstances surrounding Bryan's departure from the team, and declined to say whether she'll play again this season. "All I can say is she currently is not playing," Turner said of his two-sport star and 2003 News-Press All-Area first-team selection. "That's all I can say. I wish I could say more, but it's not in my control."

Covina Northview was thumped not once, but twice, by the Crescenta Valley girls' varsity softball team in the Charter Oak Tournament. CV stomped the Vikings, 12-1, on Monday and erased them, 12-2, last Saturday. The Falcons, who improved to 12-5 overall and remained 2-0 in the Pacific League, played Glendale on Tuesday and Glendale Hoover yesterday (Thursday) in league games, but results were not available at press time. The Falcons will not play again until April 25 when they will travel to Arcadia for a 3:15 p.m. league contest.

A special fundraising event, in conjunction with the annual Annemarie Polizzotto Scholarship, will be held by the Crescenta Valley High girls' softball team tomorrow (Saturday). The event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. at La Crescenta Church of Religious Science at 4845 Dunsmore Ave., La Crescenta. The scholarship has been created in memory of Polizzotto, a member of the CVHS junior varsity softball team, who was hit and killed by an automobile last July 23 in San Bernardino while attending her younger sister's Little League tournament.

The 16th annual "Tourney by the Sea", a national qualifier girls fast pitch softball tournament, will be held June 4-6, at Camino Real Park in Ventura. The tournament, will attract some of the best travel teams from California and throughout the Western States region. The divisions are 14 and under, 16 and under, and 18 and under, and teams could qualify for the USSSA World Series this summer. The limit is 16 teams per division to enter. Tournament host Cal Surf Softball Club 16u, a premier travel team based in Ventura County, is ASA, USSSA, AFA, and Triple Crown registered.

The Crescenta Valley girls' varsity softball team outplayed visiting Glendale, 4-1, on Tuesday to remain undefeated in Pacific League action. The Falcons upped their overall record to 12-5 and their league mark to 3-0. They will visit Calabasas on Saturday for a nonleague doubleheader at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. CV will also travel to Arcadia next Tuesday and to Pasadena next Thursday for 3:15 p.m. league contests. In the Glendale game, CV scored first in the bottom of the first inning.

It took nine innings, but the Crescenta Valley girls' varsity softball team defeated host Canyon Country Canyon, 5-2, in a nonleague game on March 24. The Falcons upped their overall record to 4-3. They participated in the Loara Tournament last Friday and Saturday and traveled to Muir on Tuesday and to Glendale yesterday (Thursday) for league games. Results were not available at press time. CV will continue playing in the Loara Tournament next Friday and Saturday. Falcons' starter Lauren Strangis hurled a complete game and allowed only one earned run. Her record improved to 3-3. The CV offense was led by Sydney Vermillion who got three hits and scored two runs.