SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS: PLAYOFF HOPES DASHED : FOOTHILL LEAGUE TEAMS GO QUICKLY.Byline: Patrick Hipes Daily News Staff Writer A rub of the eyes and a pinch pinch, n a small amount of chewing tobacco (snuff) an individual takes to use the substance for its desired effect. A “pinch” is called a quid in Britain. on the arm to determine if one is awake. Can it be the Foothill League's 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' teams are all on vacation so soon? It takes the smallest of mistakes to turn a run through the Southern Section Division II playoffs into standing around wondering what to do with new-found free time. Ask Saugus coach Ron Hilton, whose team failed to capitalize on Cap´i`tal`ize on` v. t. 1. To turn (an opportunity) to one's advantage; to take advantage of (a situation); to profit from; as, to capitalize on an opponent's mistakes s>. numerous opportunities in a 4-3 first-round loss to Rio Mesa. ``Most of the time it's not who wins, it's who makes the mistake and loses it,'' he said. Hart found that out the hard way Tuesday. The Indians (21-7) fell prey to a hot pitcher in Quartz quartz, one of the commonest of all rock-forming minerals and one of the most important constituents of the earth's crust. Chemically, it is silicon dioxide, SiO2. Hill's Jodie Cox and, as importantly, lost the game on a quirky quirk n. 1. A peculiarity of behavior; an idiosyncrasy: "Every man had his own quirks and twists" Harriet Beecher Stowe. 2. play. It happened in the third inning in·ning n. 1. a. Baseball One of nine divisions or periods of a regulation game, in which each team has a turn at bat as limited by three outs. b. innings (used with a sing. , when the Rebels' Kellie Cox doubled off Hart pitcher Amanda Fortune, who was recently named the Foothill League Player of the Year. The next batter, Penny Wood, bunted in front of the plate. Fortune fielded the ball and attempted to throw Wood out at first. Instead, the ball hit Wood and caromed into the outfield. No Indians player was in position to retrieve it, allowing Cox to score the game-winner. ``That probably never happened to us,'' Hart coach Al Weil said. ``It was a mental mistake.'' Said Hilton, when told of the way Hart fell: ``That's a tough way to lose.'' So, with no teams remaining in the playoffs - Valencia lost to second-seeded Righetti in Friday's first round - does it signal a decline in the level of play in the Foothill League? Yes - and no - says Hilton. ``I'd have to say it's down a little bit,'' he said. ``But the league's been dominant for a long time, so it kind of rolls around. I guess we're entitled en·ti·tle tr.v. en·ti·tled, en·ti·tling, en·ti·tles 1. To give a name or title to. 2. To furnish with a right or claim to something: to an off year.'' It was the first time in 10 years the Centurions (16-10) failed to advance past the first round in the postseason, and only the second time in 12 years the team failed to win 20 games. And they did it the hard way Friday against Rio Mesa, failing to score despite loading the bases in three consecutive innings INNINGS, estates. Lands gained from the sea by draining. Cunn. L. Dict. h. t.; Law of Sewers, 31. . ``Really though, it's hard to fault Hart, which played against a good team and Golden League champion in Quartz Hill,'' Hilton continued. ``Or Valencia, who had to play Righetti.'' Hart's record is equally impressive. In Weil's 14 years, the Years, The the seven decades of Eleanor Pargiter’s life. [Br. Lit.: Benét, 1109] See : Time Indians have never failed to win over 20 games. ``You could look at our showing and say it doesn't help our league,'' Weil said. ``We tried to carry the banner.'' For the most part, none of the playoff play·off also play-off n. Sports 1. A final game or series of games played to break a tie. 2. A series of games played to determine a championship. Noun 1. coaches are concerned that success in league play didn't translate into postseason joy. Hart and Saugus play tough nonleague schedules to prepare, and Hart and Valencia played in the late-season Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. tournament to ready themselves for the Southern Section. In addition, said Weil, the league is traditionally strong anyway. ``Valencia's getting better,'' he said. ``Burroughs is hot and cold, and Burbank has a new coach and is doing some good things.'' Valencia, which made its first postseason appearance in its short three-year history, should also help the level of the league. The Vikings (16-12) beat North Torrance in a wild-card game last Wednesday before losing to Righetti. ``We're here, we've arrived and we're going to stay,'' 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. said. ``But it will take a while for kids to realize that, `Hey, we don't have to go to Hart to win a championship.' '' This year, no team in the Foothill League will have that opportunity. It just doesn't mean the end of the world. IN AND OUT Tracing the small steps of the Foothill League in the Southern Section Division II playoffs: Hart (21-7): League champ beat West Torrance 3-0 in first round; lost 1-0 to Quartz Hill in second round. Valencia (16-12): In first playoff appearance, beat North Torrance 3-0 in wild-card game; lost 3-0 at No. 2 seed Righetti. Saugus: After reaching section semis in '97, lost 4-3 to Rio Mesa in first round. CAPTION(S): 2 Photos, Box PHOTO (1-2) The Hart High softball team had the hitting in, left to right above, Megan Patrick, Kellie Nordhagen, Becky Bowen and Casey Pickard; and the pitching in Amanda Fortune, below, but not much luck in the Southern Section playoffs. Terri Thuente/Daily News Hans Gutknecht/Daily News BOX: IN AND OUT (See text) |
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