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SOFTBALL BEAT : BACK ON TOP.


Byline: Compiled by Vincent Bonsignore

One of this year's pleasant surprises is Kennedy High, which is 9-1 under first-year coach Barbara Rodrigue and plays Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969.  on Saturday in the rain-delayed final of the Simi Valley tournament.

The Cougars have historically been one of the top teams in the City Section, although they slumped last year after the loss of pitcher Sandra Durazo, now at San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay.  State.

A year later, Kennedy is back among the elite, riding the arm of Patty Del Real and an improved defense.

The key is an experienced infield, including second baseman second baseman
n. Baseball
The infielder who is positioned near and to the first-base side of second base.

Noun 1. second baseman - (baseball) the person who plays second base
second sacker
 Cynthia Barraza, catcher Angie Dela Cerda, 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
 Monique Acedo, first baseman Tina Garcia and shortstop Marlene Aguirre.

Their play has boosted Del Real's confidence. She has allowed just one earned run earned run
n. Baseball
A run scored without the aid of an error, used in computing earned run averages.

Noun 1. earned run - a run that was not scored as the result of an error by the other team
, striking out 61 and walking six through 10 games.

``It's definitely helped (Del Real),'' Rodrigue said. ``The whole infield has been awesome. The errors are way down from last year.''

Rodrigue, who played 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'  at Nevada Reno, is enjoying her first year with the Cougars.

``I'm a little bit surprised with how well we've played, but only because I'm not from around here and I didn't know (about Kennedy's history),'' Rodrigue said.

Offensively, Kristin Cookson (.455), Briana Mathiesen (.435) and Dela Cerda (.423) are enjoying solid years.

Future star

Paraclete freshman Sara Gonzales is emerging as one of the area's top pitchers. Gonzales' record (4-3) doesn't reflect how well she's pitched, especially since she's faced premier pitchers Jodie Cox (Quartz Hill), Maureen LeCocq (Chaminade) and Nicole Rawson (Highland) already this season.

Not that Gonzales was intimidated in·tim·i·date  
tr.v. in·tim·i·dat·ed, in·tim·i·dat·ing, in·tim·i·dates
1. To make timid; fill with fear.

2. To coerce or inhibit by or as if by threats.
 against any of them. She's played on travel teams in Orange County, where she's faced some of the best young players in the state.

``That's really prepared me for what I've seen so far (in high school),'' Gonzales said.

Paraclete lost 1-0 to Chaminade, but Gonzales showed savvy and determination, battling out of three jams despite not having her best stuff. She hadn't worked with her private pitching coach for four weeks prior to facing LeCocq, and it showed. Her fastball, normally in the 61 mph range, was a listless (programming) listless - In functional programming, a property of a function which allows it to be combined with other functions in a way that eliminates intermediate data structures, especially lists.  53.

Panthers climbing

Newbury Park is in first place in the tough Marmonte League The Marmonte League is a high school sports league primarily made up of schools from Ventura County. The Marmonte Leauge is part of the CIF Southern Section. Click here to view the league schedule. , combining a potent offense with a quality defense and solid pitching.

The Panthers have no apparent weakness. Pitchers Katie Stokx (7-0, 0.15 ERA) and Alyson Blum (4-1) are an effective twosome, while Oli Keohohou (.567), Stokx (.391) and Cindy Muran (.333) power the offense.

Waste of time

The crazy weather isn't doing any favors for Camarillo. The Scorpions lost three games to rainouts at the Righetti tournament this week, denying them an opportunity to face some of the best teams in the state.

It's critical that Camarillo take advantage of any matchup against quality teams after moving from the powerful Marmonte League to the much weaker Pacific View league this year.

The Scorpions are expected to dominate teams in the Pacific View, and though that looks great in the record book, it does nothing to help them prepare for the playoffs in May.

``Those are the games we need to play to be ready for what we'll see in a month-and-a-half,'' said Camarillo coach Miki Mangan. ``We've got to see that type of pitching.''

Camarillo lost 2-0 to Foothill in the one game it did play at Righetti, dropping the game on a hit and an error.

The Scorpions will be without Meredith Nevard, one of its starting pitchers Noun 1. starting pitcher - (baseball) a pitcher who starts in a baseball game
baseball, baseball game - a ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players; teams take turns at bat trying to score runs; "he played baseball in high school";
, until the last week of April. Nevard, the twin sister of Kathryn, the Scorpions' other pitcher, had surgery to remove benign cysts from her stomach last week.

DAILY NEWS TOP 10

(Records through Monday)

Team Record

1. Newbury Park 11-1

Getting contributions throughout lineup.

2. Quartz Hill 14-1

Dominated High Desert tournament.

3. Camarillo 9-2

Down to just one Nevard for a while.

4. Hart 5-1

Indians keep winning.

5. Simi Valley 9-0

Still undefeated. . . .

6. Chaminade 4-5-1

Win over Westlake was big.

7. Westlake 8-2

Both losses were to quality teams.

8. Crescenta Valley The Crescenta Valley is a small inland valley in Los Angeles County, California. Its name derives from its crescent-like shape, with the convex portion facing roughly northeast and the concave portion southwest.   7-4

Back in action next week.

9. Highland 9-4

Young infield matured quickly.

10. El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
  • There is an El Camino Real in California; see: El Camino Real (California).
  9-2

ECR ECR Efficient Consumer Response
ECR European Congress of Radiology
ECR Electron Cyclotron Resonance
ECR El Camino Real (Kings Highway; California)
ECR Electronic Cash Register
ECR East Coast Radio (South Africa) 
 is good. Some things never change.
COPYRIGHT 1999 Daily News
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 1999, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

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Title Annotation:SPORTS
Publication:Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Date:Apr 8, 1999
Words:699
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