DAY IN SPORTS: QUARTZ HILL UPSETS TOP-RANKED VALENCIA.

Byline: Daily News

Without its ace, Brieann Huling, things didn't look promising for the Quartz Hill High softball team Thursday as it prepared for Valencia, the top-ranked ream by the Daily News.

Nevertheless, Erica Ricker was up to the challenge, throwing a complete game six-hitter with four strikeouts for visiting Quartz Hill in a 1-0 nonleague upset.

Quartz Hill (10-3), ranked eighth, won in the bottom of the seventh when Sarah Kahn, pinch-running for Rachel Green who had singled, moved to second base on a sacrifice and scored the game-winning run on an errant pickoff attempt.

Ricker's counterpart, Tori Rocco, was equally impressive. She went the distance, giving up just three hits while striking out nine for the Vikings (9-2), who play No. 2 Thousand Oaks today at 2 p.m. in the semifinals of the Hart tournament.

In other prep softball:

--Westlake 1, Thousand Oaks 0: With one out in the top of the seventh, Megan Shie doubled and scored the game-winner on a Megan Ackerman single for Westlake (4-3, 2-2), which handed host Thousand Oaks (5-1, 3-1) its first loss of the season in a Marmonte League game.

--Poly 25, Grant 1: Melissa Tachias went 3 for 5 with a home run and eight RBI, tying a school record, for visiting Poly of Sun Valley (7-8, 1-0) in a Sunset Six League game.

In prep baseball:

--Chatsworth 12, Taft 0: Junior Jason Dominguez struck out seven in a five-inning no-hitter, his first ever, as host Chatsworth won a West Valley League game to extend its winning streak to nine games.

In boys' tennis:

--San Fernando 5, Monroe 2: The No. 2 doubles team of Rudy Cordova and David Sandoval won in straight sets as San Fernando defeated Monroe of North Hills for the first time in more than 20 years in a Valley Mission League match at El Cariso Park.

Local note:

--Coaching change: John Gould, El Camino Real of Woodland Hills boys' basketball coach, was relieved of his duties by the school's administration, according to athletic director David Siedelman.

``The administration felt we needed a full-time teacher instead of a walk-on coach,'' Siedelman explained. ``He was not fired, nor did he resign. We just need a teacher, especially with the enrollment numbers going up next year.''

--Attention prep baseball and softball coaches: The Daily News will be taking statistics every Monday between noon and 5 p.m. Coaches can either fax in the information to [phone], call [phone], or e-mail stats(at)dailynews.com.

PRIME TIME PLAYERS

Prep baseball

--Nick McBurney (Verdugo Hills) 2-2, 2 RBI, 3 runs

--Jason Dominguez (Chatsworth) no-hitter, 7 Ks

Prep softball

--Selana Salazar (San Fernando) 2-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI

--Melissa Tachias (Poly) 3-5, 8 RBI

--Shauna Johnson (L.A. Baptist) 3-3, 2 RBI

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PRIME TIME PLAYERS (see text)