La Reina’s Victory Is Sweet Deal : Softball: Regents beat Ontario Christian, 2-1, in Division V semifinal.
THOUSAND OAKS — It hasn’t been all wine and roses this season for the La Reina High softball team.
On Tuesday, it was ice water and strawberries.
Pitcher Jennifer Baltruzak got the water, drenched by a pair of furtive teammates toting a cooler after La Reina’s 2-1 victory over Ontario Christian in a Southern Section Division V semifinal at Cal Lutheran.
From there, it was strawberries all around--thanks to a parent who provided the Regents with bunches of berries to celebrate the team’s first trip to the final in three years.
La Reina (24-5), which posted section titles in 1991 and ‘92, will play Cerritos Valley Christian, a 2-0 winner over Fillmore, for the championship Saturday at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.
“This feels so good,†said Baltruzak, her hair dripping. “I saw them out of the corner of my eye and all of a sudden there’s water on my head.â€
Baltruzak (18-4) doused Ontario Christian with her rise ball. She allowed four hits and struck out 10. Baltruzak also had a single and a double in two at-bats, and scored the game’s first run in the first inning.
Ontario Christian (17-5) rallied to tie it in the third, 1-1, on Alicia Koning’s run-scoring double. But Baltruzak ended the rally by striking out Melissa Thayer with Koning at second.
In the seventh, Baltruzak struck out the side in order.
“I’ve been losing some speed lately,†Baltruzak said. “I think I was getting some of it back today. It made a lot of difference.â€
La Reina scored the winning run in the fifth, when Sarah Heiler singled to drive home Katie Russell from third.
The Regents collected six hits off Thayer and stranded four baserunners.
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