SOFTBALL: SOMETHING'S UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD VALENCIA CLAIMS BRAGGING RIGHTS AFTER KNOCKING OFF HART FOR THE SECOND TIME VALENCIA 4, HART 2.Byline: Gerry Gittelson Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Perhaps Valencia High's supposed neighborhood softball softball, variant of baseball played with a larger ball on a smaller field. Invented (1888) in Chicago as an indoor game, it was at various times called indoor baseball, mush ball, playground ball, kitten ball, and, because it was also played by women, ladies' rivalry with Hart of Newhall isn't such a rivalry after all. The host Vikings defeated Hart 4-2 Thursday for their second consecutive victory over the Indians this season and fourth over two seasons. ``I think now we're no longer threatened by the whole Hart mystique mys·tique n. An aura of heightened value, interest, or meaning surrounding something, arising from attitudes and beliefs that impute special power or mystery to it: the cowboy mystique; the mystique of existentialism. ,'' said Valencia shortstop Ashley Herrera, who was 2 for 3 and scored a run. ``It's just a lot of fun because we know every person on that team. It's all about bragging rights.'' Valencia coach Donna Lee Donna Lee is a bebop jazz standard itself based on the chord changes of the traditional jazz standard "(Back Home Again in) Indiana".[1] It is named after the now-obscure bassist Donna Lee. noticed her team had a bounce in its step, and she knew the girls would be ready to play. ``They really get up for this game. They were out for blood today,'' Lee said. ``I told them after the game they can be friends with Hart. But they're not friends during the game. It was a big win and we love it.'' Valencia (19-4-2, 5-1) is in first place in the Foothill League, two games in front of Hart (15-9, 3-3) with four remaining. ``We're in great position. We're in the driver's seat driv·er's seat n. A position of control or authority. ,'' Herrera said. ``With them two games behind In sports, the phrase games behind, often abbreviated as GB in tables, is a common way to reflect the gap between a leading team and another team in a sports league, conference, or division. us, that's a real confidence builder.'' Sophomore left-hander Christina Ross (12-2) came on in relief and held Hart hitless over the final 3 1/3 innings for the win. With Valencia ahead 3-0, Ross replaced Tori Rocco with one out in the fourth and runners on first and third. Her first pitch was wild, allowing Erica Duhart to score. But Ross struck out Gloria Slakoff, then Valencia catcher Jaisa Creps picked off Nicole Delfino at third to end the rally. Ross is 19-3 over two seasons. She defeated Hart 3-1 on April 9. Her emergence gives Valencia two of the region's most dominating pitchers. ``Tori wasn't as sharp as usual and Christina did a great job,'' Lee said. ``We're lucky to have both pitchers who give teams two different looks. Tori has a nasty screwball screw·ball n. 1. Baseball A pitched ball that curves in the direction opposite to that of a normal curve ball. 2. Slang An eccentric, impulsively whimsical, or irrational person. adj. and Christina has a great changeup change·up n. Baseball A pitch intended to look like a fastball, which actually approaches the plate at a slow speed, thereby causing the batter to swing prematurely. [Alteration of change-of-pace.] .'' Two errors followed by pinch-hitter Breana Bernardi's sacrifice fly closed the gap to 4-2 in the seventh. But with Erika Owen on second, Ross got pinch-hitter Cassandra Neilson on a grounder to short for the final out. ``I think we were pressing a little bit today,'' Delfino said. ``We've seen a lot of tough teams lately and maybe we slacked off a little today.'' Valencia scored a run in the first when Creps singled to right to drive in Whitney Lowe, on board with an infield single. Two innings later, Lowe and Herrera opened with base hits to chase Robyn Kontra (4-3). Reliever Lindsay Tognetti was greeted by Creps, whose 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 double scored Lowe. Two batters later, Herrera scored from third when Delfino mishandled a throw from first baseman Slakoff to make the score 3-1. Creps (2 for 3, two RBI) scored Valencia's final run when she came home on Laval's fifth-inning single. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Ashley Herrera (1) of Valencia scores around Nicole Delfino of Hart in softball showdown Thursday in Valencia. Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer |
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