Highland and Lancaster claim share of GL title

By CRAIG CURRIER
Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor

It was fitting that the only two other schools to win the league during that span each got to celebrate knocking off the two-time defending champion Rebels on Thursday.

With its 7-0 victory over Quartz Hill, Highland earned a share of its first GL title since 2004. And, in beating Palmdale, 9-1, Lancaster won a piece of its first crown since 2005.

"We're excited right now," Eagles coach Krista Humphreys said. "We came through a lot this year, regardless of what people thought we were going to do in the beginning of the season."

Both the Bulldogs (17-7, 12-2) and the Eagles (17-9-1, 12-2) did it with superb pitching, which will be key next week when the Southern Section Division III playoffs start.

Highland freshman Aryn Feickert was once again dominant in the pitcher's circle, throwing her second two-hitter against Quartz Hill this season. After allowing a leadoff single to the Rebels' Shelby Steinkamp, Feickert retired the next 18 batters before Gabby Peru started the seventh inning with a single to center field.

Highland (17-7, 12-2) leadoff hitter Abbie D'Errico singled in the first inning and came around to score on an RBI ground out by Ali Cason to give the Bulldogs an early 1-0 lead.

But they really broke it open in the sixth when freshman Olivia Pace roped a leadoff home run over the fence in center field, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage behind Feickert.

The home run was Pace's second this season and first in Golden League play.

"It just feels different getting this home run in this game," she said.

Highland didn't stop there, though. Later in the inning, Mindy Greenwalt (3-for-4, two RBI) and Lacey Corscadden hit back-to-back, one-out singles and pinch hitter Nicole Becerra brought both around to score on a two-out, two-run single.

The Bulldogs added three more runs in the seventh, highlighted by a two-run single from Greenwalt, who had her first three-hit game of the season and upped her average to .364.

"Mindy is probably one of the hardest working kids we've got," Highland coach Dan Morrow said. "She is super coach-able. You never hear her complain, she just does what we ask her to do."

Jennifer Alestri also had two hits for Highland as she reached base in each of her four plate appearances against Rebels starting pitcher Karissa Hartwig.

"Karissa didn't get rattled," Quartz Hill coach Ben Meyer said. "They were just hitting it where we weren't. Highland played a great game, they had a great season."

For Lancaster, Heather Sandberg earned the complete-game win as she and teammate Heather Black bookended their four years at the school with Golden League championships.

Marissa Urbanski hit a home run and Shawna Wright doubled in the Eagles' 10th straight win.

Both teams are considered co-champs, though Lancaster is awarded the top seed as far as playoffs are concerned because the Eagles beat the Bulldogs twice.

"After that first win over Highland it sort of jump-started everybody," Humphreys said. "When a team isn't playing well, it's easy to start doubting yourself. That was one thing we had to deal with."

ccurrier@avpress.com