HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: SAUGUS STANDOUT DOES IT ALL IN WIN SENIOR PITCHES THREE-HITTER, GETS WINNING HIT SAUGUS 3, VALENCIA 2.Byline: Ramona Shelburne Ramona Shelburne is an American sports journalist currently writing for the Los Angeles Daily News. Shelburne was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She attended El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California where she was a class valedictorian. Staff Writer VALENCIA - Saugus High's Ashley Arnett has waited three years for her turn in the spotlight. As a freshman, she pitched for the junior varsity junior varsity n. Abbr. JV A high-school or college team that competes in interschool sports on the level below varsity. Noun 1. . She watched more than she played as a sophomore and as a junior spent more time in left field than in the pitcher's circle. Arnett finally is getting her chance to shine this year, and she's making the most of it. On Tuesday, Arnett pitched a three-hitter, and her two-run double in the third inning proved decisive in a 3-2 victory over host Valencia in a pivotal Foothill League softball game. The loss snapped Valencia's 11-game winning streak Noun 1. winning streak - a streak of wins streak, run - an unbroken series of events; "had a streak of bad luck"; "Nicklaus had a run of birdies" and dropped the Vikings (17-2, 4-1) into a first-place tie with Saugus (15-3, 4-1) in the league standings. Valencia was ranked No. 1 by the Daily News, No. 1 in California by Cal-Hi Sports and No. 7 in the nation by USA Today USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. . ``Coming into Kyla (Sullivan's) shoes this year, I felt like I had something to prove to everyone,'' Arnett said of Sullivan, a Daily News All-Area first-team selection as Saugus' ace last season. ``I've tried to take more of a leadership role this year.'' Entering Tuesday's game, Arnett was hitting just .200 (8 for 40) with three RBI RBI abbr. Baseball runs batted in Noun 1. rbi - a run that is the result of the batter's performance; "he had more than 100 rbi last season" run batted in . But her double to left field in the third inning brought home Tiffany Huff and Toccoa Kohovec, snapping a 1-1 tie and giving the Centurions control. The Vikings cut Saugus' lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. Torrie Anderson doubled with one out, Jessica Spigner was hit by a pitch, and Nicole Matson walked to load the bases. Kristen Aidem brought home Anderson with a chopper over Arnett's head for an infield single, and the bases were still loaded. Arnett (15-3) worked out of the jam by getting Alyssa Ishibashi to groundout ground·out n. Baseball A play in which a batter is put out at first base after hitting a ground ball to an infielder. to third baseman third baseman n. Baseball The infielder stationed near third base. Noun 1. third baseman - (baseball) the person who plays third base third sacker Alex Cueva. Saugus left fielder Bridget Hammer ended the game in spectacular fashion, robbing Mallory DiFatta with a diving catch down the left-field line in the bottom of the seventh. Saugus took a 1-0 lead when Sarah Hooper singled home Huff from second base in the top of the first. Valencia tied the score in the bottom of the inning Noun 1. bottom of the inning - the second half of an inning; while the home team is at bat bottom inning, frame - (baseball) one of nine divisions of play during which each team has a turn at bat when Aidem reached on an error, advanced to second on Ishibashi's sacrifice bunt and scored on Whitney Lowe's chopper to first base. Ramona Shelburne, (818) 713-3617 ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Valencia's Kristen Aidem slides home safely under the tag of Saugus catcher Tiffany Huff in the first inning. The run wasn't enough for the top-ranked Vikings, who were upset. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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