Southern Section Softball : Ford Pitches Hart to 4-0 Victory Over Warren

Samantha Ford’s strong pitching performance highlighted the first round of the Southern Section softball playoffs, which got under way Thursday for the 4-A, 1-A and Small Schools Divisions.

The 3-A and 2-A Divisions play today.

UCLA-bound Ford, out most of the season with tendinitis, returned to the form that made her an All-Southern Section pitcher her first three years, allowing just two hits and striking out 10 as Foothill League champion Hart of Newhall defeated Warren of Downey (12-10), 4-0, in a first-round 4-A game at Hart.

The Indians (20-4) will next play Righetti of Santa Maria (22-5), which defeated Simi Valley, 2-0.

Other 4-A action saw each of the top-seeded teams win by a shutout, including No. 1 Ocean View of Huntington Beach (28-0). The Seahawks managed just four hits, but Jackie Oakley pitched her sixth no-hitter of the year for a 2-0 victory over El Modena of Orange (13-9) at Ocean View. Oakley is now 27-0.

In the 1-A, Olympic League third place finisher Brethren of Paramount upset Alpha League champion Village Christian of Sun Valley, 1-0, in nine innings at Village Christian. Junior Marney Rush went the distance, pitching her third no-hitter of the year for the Warriors (14-8), who now advance to face No. 1 seed Cabrillo of Lompoc, which had a first round bye.

In other 1-A action, El Segundo’s Tremain Pahlke pitched a perfect game as the Eagles (19-5) routed LA Lutheran of Burbank, 13-0, at El Segundo.

Defending Small Schools champion Woodcrest Christian of Riverside (19-3) opened its title defense with a 9-0 whitewash of Yucca Valley (13-6) at Woodcrest. Senior Jodi Miller fired her fifth no-hitter of the year while striking out 10 and facing just one batter over the minimum.