One for Weinstein and Chaminade, 4-1

Lindsey Weinstein of Chaminade High and Sara Dean of Hart are best friends.

One reason is they have a lot in common. They play softball, they are headed to Division I universities and they are competitive. They play on the Southern California Athletics’ 18-and-under Gold Team in Orange County.

The only time they don’t root for each other’s teams is when they play against each other.

Until Tuesday, Weinstein had never beaten Dean in five meetings of varsity softball. But the Eagles’ 4-1 upset of Hart at Chaminade Middle School gave her temporary teasing rights.

“I’ve played with Sara since I was 9 years old and she’s a great player,” said Weinstein, who will attend Kansas. “She was six of nine last week in the Hart tournament so I was worried she was going to have a big game. It doesn’t matter where you try to pitch her, she always hits it to right field.”

Dean, Hart’s All-Southern Section catcher, had two hits and scored for the Indians after lining a double over Weinstein’s outstretched glove at first base in the fourth.

“I know Lindsey and [pitcher Christina Lupacchini] from travel ball, so there wasn’t anything they did that really surprised me,” said Dean, who is committed to Auburn. “I knew where Christina was going to pitch, but I give her props because she was hitting her spots. We also had a lot of errors and that killed us.”

After a friendly word to Dean at the plate before leading off the first inning, Weinstein doubled and took third on a sacrifice bunt by Shannon Barceloux. Tory Yamaguchi hit a hard ground ball to shortstop that was misplayed by Kristin Lueke--the first of four errors by Hart.

Lupacchini flied out, Erin Malloy singled down the right field line and Shawna Mann’s errant throw rolled out of play, allowing Yamaguchi to score from second.

In the third inning, Yamaguchi’s grounder rolled through Lueke’s legs and Lupacchini doubled to increase the Eagles’ lead to 3-0.

“Whenever you play against a good Division I or Division II team like this, it fires you up,” Weinstein said. “It’s important to score first in any game, but especially in a case like this where you know you’re not going to get too many chances.”

Casey Pickard’s single scored Dean in the fourth and the Indians (4-1) had runners at second and third with two out, but Carly Calderanello flied out.

Lupacchini tripled to score Barceloux and give Chaminade (1-1-1) an insurance run in the sixth.

Lupacchini (1-0-1) allowed four hits, struck out seven and walked four.

“We know Sara, and Sara knows what Lindsey and I are trying to do, too,” Lupacchini said. “It’s a really friendly thing. We don’t try to play to each other’s weaknesses or anything like that. We just go out, play hard and may the best team win.”

Lindsay Kontra (2-1) allowed six hits and struck out two for Hart, top-ranked in The Times’ regional poll.

Hart did not mount a threat in the last three innings. In the seventh, Lorian Jenkins grounded out, Calderanello reached first on an error by shortstop Kelly Musgrove and Shauna Johnson flied to right. Lupacchini struck out Lueke to end the game.

“It’s frustrating when we don’t make the plays we need to make, but that’s softball,” Dean said. “I give them a lot of credit. But we’ll have another chance at them.”