Softball: Edwards Celebrates Birthday With 2 HRs in LCHS Win

It’s no secret that when a team faces La Cañada’s Lauren O’Leary, easy runs will be few and far between. 

O’Leary entered Wednesday’s game against Temple City fresh off two consecutive shutouts over Monrovia and South Pasadena (she even flirted with a perfect game against the Tigers), and she hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a game all season. 

Against such a formidable pitcher, a one-run deficit could be the game. A five-run hole right out of the gate? A team has little chance at a comeback. That’s exactly what happened to the Rams on Wednesday as Anna Edwards crushed two home runs in the first two innings to propel the Spartans to a five-run lead after two innings en route to a 6-0 win.

“I think our girls were up for (the game),” La Cañada coach KC Mathews said. “Lauren had a great first inning in the circle, and then to start off a game like we did is a good start.

“We all know Anna Edwards is capable of hitting like that, so good to see that swing on the ball today.”

Edwards led off the bottom of the first, and on her first swing she lined a pitch from Temple City junior Jessica Loicano over the centerfield fence for a solo home run. Then with Kayla McCue on first, Spartans catcher Catherine Horner crushed a two-run shot that looked nearly identical to Edwards’ blast.

Those two homers gave the Spartans a 3-0 lead, and with O’Leary on the mound, no one would have blamed them if they took the rest of the day off at the plate.

But Edwards wasn’t done. In the second inning she struck again, this time against Temple City sophomore Jenny Pegg, who relieved Loicano at the start of the second. With two outs and a runner on first, Edwards drove the ball high and deep to right field. Temple City’s Kristin Hudak did her best to chase down the shot, but she soon ran out of space in the outfield and crashed through the fence as the ball landed a few feet behind her for a two-run homer.

Edwards added two more singles to end the game 4-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Not a bad way to celebrate your 18^th birthday.

“It felt very good to go out there and play a good game on my birthday,” said Edwards after having a chance to take a few bites out of a postgame cake. “That ball (in the first inning), I think that’s the solidest I hit the ball all day. And after that I just felt really in the groove.”

O’Leary was in her own dominant rhythm on the mound, failing to allow a hit through the first six innings and proving yet again that she’s capable of shouldering the load while the Spartans (6-3, 3-0 in the Rio Hondo League) await  

“With Lauren (Cox) being down right now the burden’s gone on her,” Mathews said. “She’s stepped up, and we expected it. And she expected it, and (she) had another great performance today.”

The Rams (8-4, 1-1) only had two players reach base before the seventh inning (via a walk and an error), as O’Leary struck out five batters during that span and seemed to get stronger after the Spartans built their early lead. 

“She’s good,” Temple City coach Bob Ellingsworth said. “When she get’s the lead, she’s very good.”

The Rams avoided a no-hitter in the seventh when Hudak singled on a play in which the Spartans failed to cover first base. Two batters later, Loicano smacked a ball to right field for the Rams’ second and final hit of the game.

O’Leary has now thrown three straight shutouts and hasn’t given up a run since a March 15 loss to West Ranch.

“She’s been great, without her there’s no La Cañada,” Edwards said.