Softball: Eagles drop one

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - First-year Estancia coach Jenny Hart summed up

Monday’s 16-1 nonleague loss to Kaiser High of Fontana.

“We really need to work on making all the basic outs on defense,” the

former Loyola Marymount standout said. “That’s the biggest thing I feel

this group needs to work on. We just need to fine-tune the little parts

of the game and we’ll be fine.”

The Eagles (1-5) were their own worst enemy. Six errors on defense led to

12 unearned runs for the first-year Cats of Kaiser.

Ten of those 12 charity runs came in a luckless fifth inning, where two

errors, two hit batsmen, three walks and three hits turned a 6-1 game

into a blowout.

Junior Alisha Tanielu managed to get the Eagles’ lone hit in the

ballgame, a two-out bloop double to right, scoring Lauren Cassity, who

reached safely on a dropped third strike by the Kaiser catcher.

Cassity had the defensive gem of the game in center field with a diving

snag of a line drive by Belinda Rodarte, ending the fourth inning.

“She has tremendous speed out there,” Hart said. “That’s why she’s our

leadoff hitter and center fielder because of her speed and natural

ability.”

Cats’ pitcher Natalie Alcala went the distance, striking out five, while

facing only 17 batters.

“We managed to make some contact against her, but we just couldn’t get

the ball into the holes,” Hart said.

Left fielder Jenea Gudvagen also was a force in the outfield, making

numerous catches off of Kaiser line drives.

Amber Jackson went 2 for 4, including a grand slam, four runs scored and

four RBIs. Alcala reached base all four times, scoring three runs.

The Eagles will take on Saddleback today at 3:15 p.m.

NONLEAGUE

Kaiser 16, Estancia 1

Kaiser 201 13(10) - 16 7 0

Estancia 000 010 - 1 1 6 Alcala and Garcia; Wyman, Friel (5), Wyman (5) and Acosta. W - Alcala,

4-0. L - Wyman, 1-3. 2B - Tanielu (E). 3B - Chavez (K). HR - Jackson (K).