Fast Start Lifts Royal, 2-0

The problem with having two top-notch pitchers is having to choose between them. Coach Donna Lee of second-seeded Valencia chose Courtney Baughman to start the Southern Section Division I championship game Friday at Barber Park in Irvine.

But Baughman lasted only three batters, giving up two hits and two runs while being victimized by an error behind her, as fourth-seeded Simi Valley Royal (28-2) went on to win, 2-0.

Baughman (11-1) hadn’t lost a game in two years, but it was sophomore teammate Jordan Taylor (18-3) who got out of the first inning with two strikeouts and a fielder’s choice, as she went on to retire 11 batters in a row. She gave up three hits, and struck out 13 in seven innings.

Royal Coach Bill Dishon chose junior left-hander Jessi Waers to start over junior right-hander Becca Heteniak (16-1), but he used both. Waers (13-1) gave up three hits and struck out seven in five-plus innings. Heteniak turned back a Valencia threat in the sixth and retired the side in the seventh.

Baughman gave up a leadoff single to Andi Ramirez. Kris Lesovsky bunted, but the ball was thrown into left field by first baseman Breanne Javier, which allowed Ramirez to score as Lesovsky took second. Lesovsky scored on Devon Hofland’s RBI single.

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Goleta Dos Pueblos 1, Paramount 0 -- Pitcher Kimi Wong delivered the biggest hit of her career, a line-drive single to center field that brought home Lauren McCaskey and gave the top-seeded Chargers the Division IV championship.

“On that at-bat, I thought about all the different times I could have come through for the team but didn’t,” said Wong (25-5), who retired 15 consecutive batters between two singles in the first and two more in the seventh, the only four Paramount hits.

Wong’s second hit of the game gave her 25 RBIs this season.

Sadie Barton and Viridiana Fraga singled to open the seventh for the Pirates. A sacrifice moved them to second and third, but Sarah Barton’s squeeze bunt was popped to the pitcher. Third baseman Lauren McCaskey scooped up Desiree Figueroa’s grounder to end the game.

The decisive sixth was an anomaly for Paramount (24-7), which committed three errors during the inning after having committed only one previous playoff error. McCaskey, who ended the first with a stellar defensive play, reached on an error on a bunt attempt. Megan Enyeart’s pop foul was dropped before her sinking line drive was mishandled by the left fielder.

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La Habra Whittier Christian 5, Pasadena La Salle 4 -- Senior Trina McGee singled to right-center field to score junior Heather Guy with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Heralds (18-5) the Division VI title, their first.

Guy entered the game as a defensive replacement in the sixth inning, and after two errors put runners on, the No. 9 hitter singled to right-center field to pull Whittier Christian to within one run, 4-3. Carly Goodman singled, as did Amy Schlunegger, which tied the score, 4-4. Then came McGee, who had singled home a run in the third inning.

Losing pitcher Amanda Doeppel (17-6) and Christina Torres had RBI singles for La Salle (21-11).