First published in the Feb. 24 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
The La Cañada High School varsity softball team has been on a roll to open the season after registering back-to-back victories.
The Spartans recently routed visiting La Salle College Preparatory of Pasadena, 17-1, in a nonleague game on Tuesday afternoon.
La Cañada showed no mercy — until the mercy rule went into effect to end the game in the middle of the fifth inning — collecting 16 hits as a team and batting around twice in the first two innings.
The Spartans, who moved to 2-0 overall on the young season, scored 14 of their 17 runs in the first two innings while starting pitcher Nicole Wong cruised to an easy victory.
“It was good to see our bats get going early in the season like this,” LCHS head coach Travis Lovejoy said.
Wong made her best Shohei Ohtani impression by pitching three shutout innings with seven strikeouts allowing only one hit. She was efficient, needing only 38 pitches to retire 10 batters while tossing a first-pitch strike to eight of them. Meanwhile, at the plate she finished 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored.
“Nicole did a great job today both on the mound and at the plate, and that’s what I expect from a senior captain,” Travis Lovejoy said.
After already collecting an RBI double in her first at-bat, freshman right fielder Abigail Milton blasted a two-run home run over the centerfield fence to make it a 12-0 game in the second inning.
“I was trying to look for an outside pitch but thank God it was right down the middle, and it was a little slower, so that made it easy to drive it up the middle,” Milton said. “I was excited. It’s not my first home run, but I was so excited for my first one over the fence in high school.”
Sophomore first baseman Elle Leckrone made a significant impact while batting out of the No. 3 spot. She finished a perfect 4-for-4, including a double, a team-high five RBIs and two runs scored.
Junior center fielder Kyra Davis collected three singles, three RBIs and two runs in three at-bats, while sophomore right-handed pitcher Kayla Salley registered an RBI double and a run scored in her lone at-bat. She relieved Wong in the fourth inning and finished the game by pitching two innings with one strikeout while allowing one run on five hits.
Senior left fielder Kylie Sever and sophomore outfielder Emma Seely each collected a hit, an RBI and a run scored in their lone at-bats, the latter’s hit being a double. Sophomore third baseman Mia Salardino tallied a hit and two runs scored, while senior shortstop Amy Lyman finished 1-for-3 with a run scored.
Junior second baseman Riley Breckheimer notched a stolen base after reaching on an error and scored a run. Sophomore catcher Ashley Lovejoy reached base twice on a walk and a hit by pitch, leading to her scoring twice.
“We’re looking forward to having a good season,” Travis Lovejoy said. “It’s nice to start 2-0 and we know games are going to get a little more challenging as we go forward, so we hope to be ready.”
SPARTANS 7, VILLAGE CHRISTIAN 0
La Cañada earned an opening-day shutout victory at Sun Valley Village Christian as Leckrone pitched a complete game with 12 strikeouts while allowing only two hits and two walks. She helped herself at the plate, finishing 1-for-4 with a two-run home run.
Lyman had a fine afternoon by collecting two hits, two stolen bases and two RBIs, while junior utility player Sydney Zoltzman finished 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Wong and Ashley Lovejoy each notched a hit while scoring two and one runs, respectively, while the former added two stolen bases. Milton scored two runs and stole two bases while Salardino stole a base and scored once.
