Kennedy Is Added to Streak, 12-0

If the absence of pitcher Beth Silverman was noticed before El Camino Real’s softball game against Kennedy, it was less conspicuous afterward.

Silverman, a junior with a 35-0 career record, is in the midst of a team controversy that began last week. She missed her second straight game Wednesday with the consent of Coach Neils Ludlow.

On the field, her teammates served notice that there is more to the team that has won four straight City championships and owns the longest current winning streak in the state than just Silverman.

Andrea Rochetti and Darci Stehlik had three hits each and Lisa Huffaker made three outstanding plays at third base as El Camino (3-0) rolled to its 58th consecutive victory with a 12-0 win over Kennedy in a nonleague game at El Camino.

Right-hander Jodi Iwafuchi pitched four innings and allowed two hits as she won her second straight start. Freshman Cari Silverman, Beth’s sister, made her varsity debut and pitched three hitless innings in relief.

“I was pleased with the way we performed today,� Ludlow said. “I think the offense did a great job overall and we made the plays on defense.�

Kennedy (2-7) kept El Camino off the scoreboard for the first two innings, but the Conquistadores struck for five runs in the third and seven more in the fourth against right-hander DeAnn Wright. El Camino’s Stacy Trapp highlighted the third inning with a two-run single and came back in the fourth with another run-scoring single.

Huffaker made the defensive play of the game in the sixth on a pop foul off the bat of Debbie Barnard. Huffaker raced toward a 4-foot fence and nearly flipped as she lunged over the barrier. She held on for a one-handed catch that delighted the home crowd.

“We did really well as a team today,� Huffaker said. “Our hitting started up in the third inning and it just continued throughout the game.�

Said Stehlik: “We all pulled together and did whatever is needed to win games.

“If we can get this thing all straightened out,� she said, referring to the Silverman situation, “things will start happening for this team like we want them to.�