Villa Park Clinches Century League Softball Title

Sheila Till drove in 2 runs on 2 hits to lead Villa Park High School past Santa Ana, 3-0, Thursday in a Century League softball game at Villa Park.

The victory clinched the league championship, Villa Park’s first in three years and seventh in the school’s history.

Munique Hernandez (10-6) scattered 7 hits and struck out 3 for the win.

Villa Park (14-13 overall, 8-2 in league play) won five consecutive games to end the regular season.

The loss dropped Santa Ana (12-7-1, 5-3-1) into third place behind Canyon.

Villa Park didn’t get a hit off Santa Ana’s Natalie Sanchez (12-5-1) until Steph Wills led off the fourth inning with a single. One out later, Gina Gonzales singled Wills to second.

After Anne Salzman flied to center, Till singled to left, with Wills crawling home after colliding with catcher Louise Lee, who was trying to catch left fielder Patty Romero’s throw.

The Spartans extended their lead to 2-0 in the fifth on an unearned run. After Andrea Jensen lined out to lead off the inning, Linette Dodd singled to left. Hernandez then popped out. Wills hit a ground ball to shortstop Latanya Trotter, who bounced her throw to first base to allow Dodd to reach third and Wills second.

Dodd, who beat out a late throw to third from Saint first baseman Marcia Martinez, tried to score when Martinez’s throw skipped into foul territory past third baseman Maddy Gomez. Gomez recovered the ball quickly, but Lee was unable to handle Gomez’s low throw to the plate and Dodd scored.

Gonzales opened the Villa Park sixth with a single. After Salzman forced Gonzales at second on her sacrifice bunt attempt, Till tripled to right to score Salzman.

Canyon 2, Foothill 1 (9 innings)--Tina French’s bases-loaded single with one out in the ninth gave Canyon (18-8-1, 7-2-1) the lead at Foothill. Sara Roberts (6-3) pitched the final six innings, allowing just two hits, for the victory.