Sang Lee
OLIVE PARK -- Hart High softball Coach Cathy Giordano knew it would
likely take a big effort to defeat a surging Burroughs squad.
But after Thursday's Foothill League contest at Olive Park, the coach
found out exactly how much was needed -- say 14 innings.
In a game that lasted more than three hours, Hart used an explosive
five-run 14th inning to catapult itself into the thick of the Foothill
League race, defeating Burroughs, 6-1.
Having been carried by the golden arm of pitcher Dani Regan all
season, Burroughs discovered the inevitable truth about the young pitcher
-- she is human after all.
Following a 2-1, 12-inning victory against Valencia on Tuesday, and
two victories in the San Fernando Valley Victory Spring Classic last
weekend, Regan pitched 13 more strong innings against Hart before finally
allowing five runs in the 14th inning.
The same could not be said for the Hart pitching staff, as four
hurlers were used during the course of the marathon, allowing only one
run and six hits.
"It's been a tough week for Dani [Regan]. She's pitched 43 innings in
less than a week. When our team ran out of gas, they started to score and
we couldn't stop the bleeding,' Burroughs Coach Jennifer Gomez said.
"But Dani's been carrying us all season. She's won every game for us
and she's been pitching her heart out."
Regan allowed just one run and six hits before the disastrous last
inning in which she gave up six hits and five runs.
In the extra innings, both teams had their chances to break the
deadlock. Hart had runners on second and third base in both the 11th and
12th innings, but couldn't convert. And Burroughs (13-7, 2-2 in league)
loaded the bases with no outs in the 10th inning, only to hit into a
double play and a ground out.
The win for Hart (14-6, 2-2) places it tied with Burroughs in league.
"Every game from now on is going to be a dogfight. It'll be
interesting to see who's going to be in first place. This game was just
one loss for us. I told [my team] we have to rebound from this loss like
we've rebounded before," Gomez said.
That rebound could take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday when Burroughs takes
on Burbank in a league game at McCambridge Park.
Hart's Jennifer Whitcomb had two hits, two runs batted in, and a
scored a run. Teammate Erin Krallis also had two hits and added a run.
For Burroughs, Kristin Carr's shot into left field during the fourth
inning was the only run batted in for the team, as she knocked in Ryanne
Hodgins.
BOX SCORE
Hart 001 000 000 000 05 -- 6 12 2
Burroughs 000 100 000 000 00 -- 1 6 3
Hart IP R ER H BB K
Bailey 7 1 1 5 1 6
Calendo 0 0 0 0 1 0
Tognetti 2.1 0 0 1 3 0
Kontra 4.2 0 0 0 0 4
Totals 14 1 1 6 5 10 Burroughs IP R ER H BB K
Regan 14 6 6 12 2 8
WP-Kontra (3-2). LP-Reagan (13-5). 3B: H-Krallis, Duhart, Mann.
B-Carr. 2B: H-Whitcomb. SB: H-Allen, Mann 2, Flarherty.
