Softball : Laguna Hills’ Melendrez Throws Third Shutout in Row, Defeats El Toro

Margo Melendrez threw her third consecutive shutout as Laguna Hills High School defeated El Toro, 1-0, Friday in the semifinals of the Laguna Hills softball tournament at Alicia Park in Mission Viejo.

Melendrez (5-0) allowed just 3 hits and struck out 6 in handing El Toro its first loss of the season. Carolyn Langfield drove in Laguna Hills’ only run in the second inning with an RBI single.

Paige Lauby (3-1) threw a three-hitter for El Toro (7-1). She struck out nine.

Laguna Hills will face Capistrano Valley in the championship game today at noon at Alicia Park.

In the Canyon tournament:

Fountain Valley 12, El Modena 0--Rea Rice pitched a one-hitter and hit a pair of three-run home runs to lead Fountain Valley in a first-round game at Paralta Park in Anaheim. Fountain Valley also took advantage of five El Modena errors. Fountain Valley advances to play Garden Grove tonight at Paralta at 7:30.

Garden Grove 4, Savanna 1--Stephanie Smith gave up 4 hits and had 7 strikeouts for Garden Grove. Michelle Cash had two singles and Heather Smith had a single and an RBI for Garden Grove, which scored three runs in the sixth.

Huntington Beach 1, Newberry Park 0 (11 innings)--Sosha Kyle singled to score Jennifer Martin in the top of the 11th at Paralta. Pam Fogg pitched a 3-hitter, struck out 6 and had no walks.

Canyon 4, Esperanza 0--Sara Roberts threw a one-hitter for Canyon at Paralta. Krissy Kyriazis had 4 hits, including 2 triples, and scored 2 runs for Canyon, which plays Huntington Beach today at 6 p.m.

Magnolia 2, Sunny Hills 0--Heather Louwsma walked, Janette Onitiveros singled and both later scored on passed balls in the fourth inning for Magnolia (2-3). Lori Harrigan pitched a 2-hitter and had 14 strikeouts for Magnolia.

Marina 3, Villa Park 2--Wilma Parchen pitched a 5-hitter and had 7 strikeouts for Marina. Marina scored runs in the third, fourth and fifth and Villa Park scored twice in the seventh.

In the Sea View League:

Estancia 12, Newport Harbor 3--Melody Wojtkiewicz had 3 hits, including a 3-run home run in the fifth, and 4 RBIs for host Estancia (2-1, 1-0). Kelly Wylie had 2 hits, including a double, and 3 RBIs also for Estancia. Ann Graham (1-1) got the victory.

In the Cypress tournament:

Los Alamitos 4, Edison 3--Los Alamitos scored four runs in the fourth inning to pull away from Edison (5-2) in the fifth-place semifinal game at Oak Knoll Park in Cypress.

In the Academy League:

Cal Lutheran 12, Liberty Christian 8--Renee Humann went 3 for 3 and Ellen Deloye drove in 2 runs to lead Cal Lutheran (1-0, 1-0) at Pepper Tree Park in Tustin. Sharon Crouch went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs for Liberty Christian (5-3, 0-1).

In a nonleague game:

St. Margaret’s 39, Van Horn 8--Allison Bedford went 4 for 7 with 5 runs scored and 6 RBIs to lead St. Margaret’s (3-3) at Van Horn in Riverside. St. Margaret’s had 28 hits. Wendy Tacquard went 2 for 3 with a home run and 4 RBIs and Katie Ruh went 3 for 4 with 5 RBIs. The game was called after five innings because of the mercy rule.