SOFTBALL NOTEBOOK: PRIDE WOUNDED BEFORE NATIONALS.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 Most teams spend their final week before the ASA Asa (ā`sə), in the Bible, king of Judah, son and successor of Abijah. He was a good king, zealous in his extirpation of idols. When Baasha of Israel took Ramah (a few miles N of Jerusalem), Asa bought the help of Benhadad of Damascus and 18-under gold national championships fine-tuning their defense and working other players into the rotation. The 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, Pride will spend their final week healing before leaving for the national championships in Salem, Ore. Three of the team's key players - outfielder Megan Allen (hamstring hamstring /ham·string/ (ham´string) one of the tendons bounding the popliteal space laterally and medially. inner hamstring the tendons of gracilis, sartorius, and two other muscles of the leg. ), utility player Emily Sudik (ankle) and shortstop Ashley Herrera (wrist) - suffered injuries this week that will need to heal before the tournament. ``We won't be limping by the time we get there, but we're definitely limping this weekend,'' Pride manager Steve Calendo said. Allen and Sudik are sitting out this weekend with their injuries, but Herrera is playing with an injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. right wrist. ``It's all black-and-blue, but Ashley's not saying anything about it,'' Calendo said. ``You can tell it's bothering her though.'' The Pride is competing in the Elite Fastpitch Softball Fastpitch softball is a sport played commonly by girls, though male and co-ed fastpitch leagues also exist. The United States fastpitch softball team has won back-to-back-to-back gold medals at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. Association Rush to Gold tournament this weekend at Barber Park in Irvine. Twenty-four teams in the tournament have qualified for the ASA national championship next week and are using the tournament as a tuneup for nationals. The Pride lost Friday morning to the Salinas Salinas, city, United States Salinas (səlē`nəs), city (1990 pop. 108,777), seat of Monterey co., W Calif.; inc. 1874. It is the shipping and processing center of a fertile valley famous for its grain and lettuce. Storm, which features senior pitcher Monica Abbott, who has signed with Tennessee and was CalHiSports Player of the Year this season. ``She's easily the best pitcher we've faced all season,'' Calendo said. Abbott took a perfect game late into the game before Briana Bernardi of Hart broke it up with a double off the wall. --Kontra added:Make that 10 Hart High players on the Pride after senior pitcher Robyn Kontra was added to the team as a pick-up player for nationals. Kontra had been playing for a team called the Spoilerz along with Valencia grad Natalie Mueggler and Hart teammates Jen Whitcomb, Amy Pidancet and Gloria Slakoff. The Spoilerz failed to qualify for nationals and the Elite tournament will be their final games of the summer. Other locals on the Pride: Ashley Herrera (Valencia), Erica Duhart (Hart) Danielle Duhart (Hart), Ashley Calendo (Hart), Emily Sudik (Hart), Megan Allen (Hart), Jessica Bailey (Hart), Erica Owen (Hart), Briana Bernardi (Hart), Brie O'Brien (Saugus) and Kirsten Lindgreen (Saugus). Recently graduated Hart center The Hart Recreation Center is the main athletic center at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was built in 1975 and is home to the Holy Cross Crusaders athletic teams. It is named for the Rev. Francis J. Hart, S.J. fielder Meaghan Flaherty was added to the team last week as a pick-up player from the Spoilerz. --Hamasaki almost added: Glendale pitcher Heather Hamasaki was close to joining the Pride as a pick-up player but decided instead to stay home and spend her final week with her family and friends before starting college. Hamasaki was a Daily News Second Team All-Area selection this season and has signed with Lehigh University Lehigh University, at Bethlehem, Pa.; coeducational; chartered and opened 1866 by Asa Packer. It has undergraduate colleges of arts and science, business and economics, and engineering and applied science, as well as several graduate programs. . CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Ashley Herrera is playing through pain for the Santa Clarita Pride, but two other key players need to heal before nationals. Tina Burch/Staff Photographer |
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