Softball: Spartans Host Katella Thursday in Quarterfinals

There are so many different ways the La Canada softball team can beat an opponent, that prepping for the top-ranked Spartans is almost an overwhelming task for a high school club.

In the first round, senior twirler Laruen O’Leary pitched a perfect game as the Spartans rolled through Ramona Catholic. In Tuesday’s second round win over Hemet, senior Anna Edwards slugged two home runs in a 3-for-4 performance. O’Leary wasn’t too shabby either, tossing her sixth-straight shutout while allowing only one hit and walk in seven innings.

Next up for the Spartans is a home date with ninth-ranked Katella of the Orange League in Thursday’s quarterfinal round. The Knights (20-7) present the Spartans toughest foe to date in the playoffs -- they average 9.2 runs per game and have scored at least 11 runs in four of their past five games. But if the Spartans hit and pitch like they have all year, it’s hard to see them slipping against Katella.

“It’s almost unfair,” Spartans coach KC Mathews said. “(O’Leary’s) been doing it for so long for us that and it is almost unfair. That’s what Lauren O’Leary does. She throws strikes. She doesn’t walk anyone. She’s tough to hit.”

O’Leary has logged 14 scoreless innings in two playoff starts, giving up just one hit and one walk while fanning 20. But strikeouts should be at a minimum Thursday as the Knights boast a .408 team batting average and have only struck out a total of 38 times in 27 games this year.

The Knights knack for putting the ball in play will put the onus on the Spartans defense to come up big in the field. 

“We started off a little rough this year (defensively) but our defense has been playing very well,” Mathews said. “I don’t see any reason for that to change.  I think that’s part of our pitcher’s success. They have a lot of confidence in the girls behind them.”

Katella isn’t the only squad, however, with a potent battery. Edwards has a 12-game hitting streak in which she’s totaled 13 extra-base hits and five home runs. Edwards leads the Spartans in batting (.482), homers (11) and doubles (nine), but Mathews is quick to point out that the La Canada is not a one-woman offense.

“Anna is an extremely talented player and has done a great job offensively and defensively for four years now,” Mathews said. “She’s definitely a big part of our offense, but our lineup as a whole has done a great job 1-9 all year long.”

For much of the season junior Catherine Horner was the Spartans top hitter (her average currently sits at .442), and they’ve had a number of different girls come up with clutch hits against tough competition.

“Spectactular year for us," Mathews said of Horner. "I think at the end of the regular season she actually had a slightly higher batting average than Anna did."

Junior Jessica Ogden had a game-winning hit against Thousand Oaks early in the season, and senior Shirley Drange hit a key home run in a win over Hart.

“This team is not just Anna Edwards offensively,” Mathews said. “The rest of the girls has done a great job and that’s why we’re in the position we’re in.”