Recent history has shown La Cañada High’s softball program to be the class of the Rio Hondo League, and this year’s squad is looking to continue the trend of dominance.
With a consistent effort on offense and a solid outing in the pitcher’s circle by Bentley Lebrecque, the Spartans easily outclassed visiting Monrovia, 9-3, on Monday in Rio Hondo League matchup.
“I liked the way the girls played hard all the way through the game,” La Cañada coach Travis Lovejoy said. “They didn’t get comfortable with an early lead, so they kept putting runs up through the game – start to finish. From the top of the lineup to the bottom of the lineup, we got production.”
La Cañada has now won 20 straight games against Monrovia dating back to 2015. This includes a 3-2 victory earlier this season at the Wildcats’ home field.
“This gives us two against Monrovia, which is really important in league, to be able to get at least two of three against the teams we play,” Lovejoy said.
The Spartans put up a pair of runs in each of the first two innings to go ahead early, before doubling the advantage with a four-spot in the bottom of the fourth to take a commanding 8-0 lead before Monrovia got on the board.
After Wildcat starting pitcher Angelica Oseguera struck out LC’s leadoff batter, the next three Spartans reached base. Kyra Davis hit the first pitch she saw into center field for a single. This brought up Elle Leckrone, who then blasted a 3-0 offering deep into right-center field, clearing the fence for a home run and a quick 2-0 advantage.
“I was just trying to stay patient and look for something outside, because that is all they threw me the game before,” Leckrone said. “So I was looking for the outside pitch and they gave it to me, so I took it.”
Grace Rocco then drew a walk but was stranded on base as Oseguera struck out the next two batters.
After a scoreless top of the second inning, LC’s Ava Perry led off the bottom of the frame by drawing a walk. Two batters later, Aubrey Wurm hit an infield single to put runners at the corners. Then, with Ashley Lovejoy at the plate, Wurm stole second base and, soon after, Perry scored from third on a wild pitch. Now with two outs, Kyra Davis drove in the second run of the inning with a single to center field that plated Wurm.
The 4-0 lead for the hosts held until the bottom of the fourth inning, when the Spartans doubled it. After Oseguera recorded one out, the next five Spartans reached base. Wurm got it started with a single into left field. Lovejoy followed drawing a walk before Davis dropped a single into right field.
This brought up Leckrone, who was intentionally walked in the second inning, with the bases loaded and nowhere to put her. The junior promptly stroked a single. Her hit drove home Wurm and Lovejoy, and her bluff of advancing to second drew a throw to the bag, allowing Davis to score. Leckrone advanced to second on a wild pitch with Rocco at bat before she drove Leckrone home with a single. Rocco was tagged out trying to stretch it into a double, and the next batter popped out.
Lebrecque went the distance for La Cañada in the circle and held the visitors scoreless through the first five innings. With two outs in the sixth inning, the sophomore gave up a homerun over the left-center field fence to snap the shutout bid.
La Cañada got the run back in the bottom of the inning when Davis got an RBI on a groundout that scored Wurm, who had led off the inning with a triple slapped to left field.
The sophomore pitcher also yielded two runs to the Wildcats in the top of the seventh before nailing down the victory with her fourth strikeout of the game to end the contest.
“When you have a sophomore pitcher and you have her throw seven innings, it’s a long outing for her,” Lovejoy said. “Our other pitcher, her back was a little tight, so we knew we needed to ride Bentley through the whole game and she did a great job.”
Lebrecque pitched out of a jam in the first inning. After giving up a double to the Monrovia leadoff batter and another two-bagger with two outs that put runners at second and third, she induced a line out to escape trouble and remain unscathed.
“A positive mindset always helps throughout the game because if one person gets down on themselves, it can affect the rest of the team, especially me, being the pitcher in the center of the field,” Lebrecque said. “I think it’s important to stay positive and know you can get out [of a jam] with the help of your teammates.”
First published in the March 30 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
