The Los Alamitos softball team has struggled as of late, dropping five straight games. However, the team finally snapped that losing skid on Thursday, April 18, defeating visiting Huntington Beach High with an 8-3 victory – which marked its first in Sunset League play – in front of a small crowd at Los Alamitos High.
“We play in a very tough league,” Los Alamitos Coach Rob Weil said. “We had all been struggling, struggling as team, but we all stepped up – stepped up as a team.”
The Griffins (13-10, 1-3), the defending league champs, received an outstanding performance from freshman pitcher Jade Loe, who threw a complete game and walked only one batter – an impressive stat considering the Griffins pitching staff’s control issues this year. She also allowed 10 hits while striking out two.
“She had great control,” Griffins catcher Rachel Sellers said. “All of her pitches were working except her drop ball. She threw a great curve, change and screwball.”
The Griffins found themselves in a 2-2 tie thanks to an RBI single from Sellers and an RBI double from Bionca Trejo. Then, in the bottom of the fifth, and with two outs, they took the lead when Erika Crissman, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI, scored on Mattie Scheele’s single. Scheele would finish the game 3-for-4 with three RBI.
In the top of the sixth, the Griffins continued to pound away, notching five more runs. Jenna Holcomb slapped a running single to plate one run. She would then score on a first and third steal situation, which resulted in the opposing catcher throwing the ball into centerfield. Megan Geer, who went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and a run scored, also swatted an RBI triple to the opposite field and Scheele knocked in another run.
The Griffins have struggled, in part, due to health issues. In fact, several starters sat due to their injuries while others played in pain. The disabled list included power hitter Tiana Bonde, shortstop Infinity Laufou, and junior Nicole Denehy.
Denehy, who was recently hit in the mouth with the ball, which loosened several teeth, did not receive medical clearance to play against Huntington Beach. However, she’s expected to return soon.
After the game the team collectively started chanting the following: “Rachel! Rachel! Rachel” They were showing support for Sellers, who had been asked by her boyfriend, Seth Slater, to go to prom during and after the game. Slater asked her by placing a sign over the fence during the game. He also wooed her with flowers.
Sellers accepted her boyfriend’s invitation.
“Of course I told him yes,” she said.
