SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Kennedy Has the Winning Feeling Again

Kennedy softball Coach Sue Hall is used to the winning, but it has been the losing that made her finally appreciate those past successes--and finally the present victories.

The Irish, who struggled early this season, have finally rebounded. They sounded their arrival last week with a victory over Cypress in a critical Empire League game, and punctuated their return Saturday with victories over two quality opponents in pool play of the 13th Woodbridge Classic.

Kennedy beat La Habra in the morning, 4-0, with its best performance of the year, and followed with a 4-3 victory over Laguna Hills to advance to the championship bracket of the tournament, which resumes next Saturday at Harvard Park.

La Habra (10-4) is ranked 10th in Orange County, and Laguna Hills’ only loss in its last six games was to second-ranked Pacifica.

The Irish have won seven in a row after a 2-6 start.

“I think I’ve taken winning for granted,� Hall said. “When we were 2-6, I was jumping for joy when we won; I think God finally did this to me to make me appreciate winning.

“It’s nice to not be considered a powerhouse. It makes you work harder and you appreciate your triumphs. We’re 9-6 and proud to be 9-6.�

Kennedy (21-6-1 last year) has won one Southern Section title and been to the semifinals three other times since 1988, and was No. 4 in The Times’ preseason poll. Then came the horrible start.

“Hitting was our weakness,� said Lisa Pitt, who pitched a two-hitter against La Habra. “We have a lot of young players and we needed to learn to play together. We’re still a little shaky, but we’re getting a lot better.

“It’s a lot less frustrating now.�

Kennedy has had 60 hits and scored 39 runs in its last seven games. Kennedy came back from a 3-2 deficit to beat Laguna Hills.

“That game was important,� Pitt said, “because even if we’re down, or tied, or in a close game, now we know we can come back, we can win.�

Laguna Hills (10-6) took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth inning, but freshman Kelly Bunker tripled to open the bottom of the sixth and scored on Jamie Pietranowicz’s grounder to second. Because of a time limit, the international tie-breaker was used to decide the game in the seventh. Kristy Hensel’s bases-loaded single scored the game-winner.

Another freshman, Adrianna Wilson, had three hits and an RBI. Hensel was also the winning pitcher.

In another Woodbridge game:

Irvine 3, Pacifica 0--Tyree Woodruff tripled twice and scored twice--once on Lindsey Matthews’ squeeze bunt--as Irvine (8-4) upset the second-ranked Mariners (14-2). Lindsey Welch kept Pacifica off-balance until Amy Young came on in the sixth. They allowed only four hits.

In the Canyon tournament:

Calvary Chapel 7, Las Vegas Durango 0--Kerry Pryzocki (5-1) allowed four hits for Calvary Chapel (8-6).

Brea Olinda 8, Simi Valley 7 (8)--Gretchen Thompson capped Brea Olinda’s five-run eighth inning with a single to right field, scoring Nikki Hickin to give the Wildcats an 8-3 lead. Winning pitcher Genevieve Orris helped herself with a two-run homer in the sixth.

El Dorado 5, Murrieta Valley 4 (8)--Nikki Hart’s RBI single in the eighth inning drove in the eventual winning run for El Dorado. Hart also hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and Kelli Tom (7-3) allowed three hits.

Esperanza 4, Dana Hills 2--Chele Schardin and Wendy Harrison hit home runs for Esperanza (7-5).

Norco 9, Dana Hills 3--Shawnie Gordon homered in the seventh inning for Dana Hills (8-7).

Mater Dei 15, Valencia 3 (6, mercy)--Kelsey Kollen had three hits, two stolen bases and two runs for No. 3 Mater Dei. The Monarchs (14-2) also beat Orange, 3-1.

Murrieta Valley 6, Magnolia 3--Chrissy Hartman homered for Magnolia (9-5).

Ocean View 3, Santa Ana Valley 1--Cara Vanderhook homered for No. 5 Ocean View (7-2-1).

Fountain Valley 2, Riverside La Sierra 1--Laurie Gillis homered in the sixth to tie the score, and Lynea Backlund drove in the winning run with an infield single in the seventh for Fountain Valley (10-7).

In the Westminster tournament:

Rosary 4, Westminster 0--Julie Luna pitched a three-hitter in the semifinals. Rosary (12-5) also won a first-round game against West Torrance, 9-1.