Huntington Beach celebrates softball title

For the first time ever, Huntington Beach Girls Softball celebrated

a district championship.

Huntington Beach’s 14-and-under All-Star team racked up five consecutive

victories last week in Garden Grove to capture the Amateur Softball

Association District Championship trophy.

Having finished second at the Walnut Memorial Day Weekend Tournament and

having reached the semifinal round in both the Carlsbad and Los Alamitos

tournaments, Huntington Beach came into the district championships

optimistic and continued its roll with a 7-5 opening-round triumph over

South Huntington Beach. A seven-run sixth inning helped Huntington Beach

overcome its cross-town rival.

In the second round, Huntington Beach disposed of perennial power Orange

Villa Park, with Holly Jackson getting the pitching win, setting up a

showdown with long-time rival Cypress.

“It’s possible to win the championship by winning five straight games,

but this is the key game,” Huntington Beach co-manager Dave Garibaldi

said.

Huntington Beach opened the scoring on Katie Richards’ two-run home run,

then held on for an exciting 2-1 victory. That win put the locals in the

semifinal round against Los Alamitos, which had defeated Huntington Beach

just one week earlier. Aggressive base running, timely hitting, and

flawless defense produced a commanding 4-0 victory.

Nicole LaPier, who pitched the shutout against Los Alamitos, was called

upon again in the division championship game against Mission Hills.

LaPier once again was on her game as she and the Huntington Beach offense

dominated in an 8-0 title-clinching rout.

“The first day of All-Star practice, we said our goal was to win the

district,” co-manager Bill Jackson said. “A lot of hard work has paid off

for a great group of girls.”

The Huntington Beach Girls Softball 14-and-under All-Stars, who travel to

Escondido for the State Championships July 24-26, are also comprised of

Jessica Baxton, Jessica Lupton, Tiffany Chappell, Stacey Yudin, Laurie

Denning, Ellen Garibaldi, Deanna Mauer, Courtney McLoughlan, Molly

Conley, and Amanda Marchegiano.