Softball: Spartans Take Care of Rams, Ready for San Marino

The La Cañada softball team scored three runs in the fifth inning Wednesday (one of which via solo home run from Anna Edwards) and took down Temple City 4-1 on the road. With the win, the Spartans improve to 4-0 in Rio Hondo League play and enjoy a game and a half lead in the standings.

“Any time you come out with a win over Temple City, it’s huge,” Spartans head coach KC Mathews said. “I don’t care what sport you play then against or what day of the week you do it. This is a ball club that is tough to beat. They have some sticks in their lineup, (Jenny) Pegg kept us off balance at times at the plate. We came through when we needed to.”

All but one player managed to reach base for the Spartans, who combined for seven hits against Pegg. Megan Seipler and Shirley Drange each went 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Drange also had an RBI. Edwards went 1-for-3 with the solo bomb.

“Any time we can beat Temple City at their place is amazing,” Edwards said. “Our girls came through big with some solid defensive plays. We always know they come out ready to play, but we said otherwise.”

The Rams got on the board first, when Jessica Lociano got on base with a leadoff double in the second inning. Ciara Schnyder brought her in with an ensuing double. The inning could have been worse for the Spartans, but Catherine Horner picked off Schnyder while she was caught in a rundown, which cleared the bases.

La Cañada then tied it in the top of the third with a sacrifice fly from Horner to plate Drange.

All was quiet until the fifth, when Edwards awoke the La Cañada offense with her solo shot that cleared the right field fence. Seipler followed with a single, and then back-to-back doubles by Drange and Stephanie Bathke brought in the final two runs for La Cañada.

Temple City had its chance to make a comeback in the seventh inning. With one out, Lociano hit a triple up the right field gap, and then scored on a throwing error out of right field. Lauren O’Leary wasn’t fazed though, earning the final two outs on six pitches to pick up the win.

O’Leary threw a complete game, striking out eight and allowing just three hits.

The win for the Spartans sets up an all-important home matchup with San Marino and pitching sensation Michelle Floyd on Friday at 7 p.m. The Titans come in to the matchup ranked seventh in Division 5 and second in the Rio Hondo League standings. A Spartans win would open the gap in the standings and put them one step closer to earn the league title.

“We have been preparing all season for Floyd,” Edwards said. “We are all so excited to finally see her on Friday and I think that this team we have will be ready for what is coming.”

“Floyd is very talented,” Mathews said. “All it takes against her is not letting balls go by and putting anything in play. That’s what it might come down to.”