Playoff Roundup : Top-Seeded Teams Upset in Softball Tournament

Three of the top four-seeded teams were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the San Diego Section softball championships Tuesday afternoon.

The biggest upset occurred when San Marcos, the second-place team in the Avocado League, defeated top-seeded Hilltop, 1-0, in 13 innings.

Alisa Thomas allowed just one hit and retired 20 straight batters from the 7th to 13th inning. Thomas walked a batter with two out in the 13th. Thomas allowed only a sixth-inning single.

San Marcos, which had nine hits, scored the winning run in the top of the 13th when Kenda Leffler scored on a two-out single by Shanelle Cranney.

“We’ve been hitting the ball extremely well,” said Len Gann, San Marcos coach.

San Marcos plays Castle Park in the semifinals Thursday at 7 p.m. at Kit Carson Park in Escondido.

In other 2-A quarterfinal games:

University of San Diego High School 3, San Pasqual 1--Freshman Vicki Vechinski (10-1) went the distance as USDHS (16-7) upset second-seeded San Pasqual (21-4). Shannon Sexton was 2 for 4 with an RBI and Julie Eggleton was 2 for 4 with an RBI for USDHS.

Christian 2, Marian 1--Christian was the only seeded team to win in the quarterfinals. It earned a rematch against USDHS behind the four-hit pitching of Amy Dawson.

Castle Park 5, University City 0--Christina Murguia hit a 3-run homer and Dawn Wood threw a 1-hitter for her 14th shutout of the season as Castle Park won at fourth-seeded University City (16-3). Margaret Mekus was 2 for 3 with the game-winning RBI for Castle Park (19-9), which scored its runs in the fifth inning.

3-A Division

Madison 2, El Capitan 0--Debbie Corbett pitched a 1-hitter and struck out 14 to lead top-seeded Madison (27-2) at home. June Andrews and Christy Serritella came through with RBI ground outs in the fifth inning to snap a scoreless tie. El Capitan finished 15-8.

Fallbrook 2, Patrick Henry 0--Tori Spiekerman struck out 12 and scored once to lead Fallbrook (20-4) at home. Terri Pearson was 3 for 4 with an RBI for Fallbrook. Patrick Henry finished 21-7.

Monte Vista 4, Southwest 0--Melissa Rodriguez struck out 12 and threw a 1-hitter. Monte Vista (18-5) scored its runs in the seventh. Southwest finished 10-7.

Grossmont 6, Chula Vista 0--Brenna Hancock allowed one hit to lead third-seeded Grossmont (20-6) at home. Grossmont scored its runs in the first inning. Sandra Mueller was 2 for 4 with both hits coming in the first.

BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

Top-seeded Poway and second-seeded San Dieguito will meet in the final Friday at 7 p.m. at the University of San Diego High School after winning semifinal matches Tuesday in the first section championships. The teams split their two league matches.

Dave Delaney had 18 kills, including 13 in the final two games, as Poway defeated Mt. Carmel, 15-12, 16-14, 10-15, 15-11. Blake Hunnicutt led all players with 20 kills for Mt. Carmel.

Stace Lougeay had 18 kills to lead San Dieguito to a 15-12, 15-4, 16-14 victory over Torrey Pines.

BOYS’ TENNIS

3-A Division

Helix, which finished second in the Grossmont League’s large-schools division, beat visiting Mira Mesa, 7-0, to advance to the second round of the San Diego Section playoffs. Eighth-seeded Helix plays at second-seeded Torrey Pines today.

In other 3-A first-round matches: Bonita Vista defeated Vista, 6-1, and Serra defeated El Capitan, 5-2.