Ranger hitters drown Sharks in 6-0 shutout
By Jesse Phelps

Christina Stoltz powered a two run blast into the nether regions of left field to pace Nordhoff's girls' softball squad in its 6-0 shutout of Frontier League foe Malibu on Friday. Leading 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Nordhoff benefited from a leadoff walk

to Sarah Stoltz, who was then sacrificed to second on a nice bunt from Breanne Lee. That set up the elder Stoltz (Christina) for her two-run bomb.
"It felt good," said Christina of her home run and the league-opening win. "We started off the season good -it was great."

The Rangers got a solid pitching performance from freshman hurler Brenna Lowry, who gave up only four hits, walking three and hitting one batter over seven innings of work in a complete-game victory. Lowry did not record a strikeout, but the defense was solid behind her all day.

Christina Stoltz, a junior, recorded four assists and one put-out from her shortstop position, and Carly Witt recorded three put-outs and two assists at second base. The Rangers committed four errors but none were costly.

"Defensively, we're solid," said head coach Tom Husted. "No doubt about it. I would put my defense up to just about anybody in the county."

Only one Malibu player made it as far as third base all day. That happened in the second inning when Malibu loaded the bases on two singles and a walk with two out. But Lowry enticed Malibu's nine-hole hitter, K.C. Tolentino, into a ground ball which was eaten up by Nordhoff first baseman Alison Weedon.

Weedon walked three times on the day, stealing two bases and scoring a run. Sarah Stoltz effectively set the table from her leadoff spot, walking twice, stealing a base and scoring on her sister's long ball. Christina Stoltz reached base three times and scored twice.

Cleanup hitter Candace Schmidt also contributed on offense with a single, a double, a first-inning RBI and a run scored. Witt had a bunt single and a stolen base as Nordhoff was agressive on the base paths all day.

Lindsay Collier walked twice, including once to force in a run. Maibu's Lisa Marie Kohrs struggled with her control all night against Nordhoff's patient hitters, walking a total of nine batters over six innings.

"The more games we play, the better they're going to get," said Husted.

Knowing this, Husted scheduled Nordhoff to play two more games over the weekend at the Lincoln High School Tournament in Los Angeles. In those games, a 7-0 defeat at the hands of Birmingham and a 5-5 tie with Venice, Lowry and Rachelle Madrid, Nordhoff's other pitcher, threw well. In the Birmingham game, Sarah Stoltz provided a bright spot with a triple.

Nordhoff also got a triple from Taryn Odle in the Venice game. Another extra-base knock came off the bat of Collier, who doubled. Nordhoff put up four runs in the third inning to come all the way back from a five-to-one deficit before the game was finally called due to time constraints.

The Rangers now sit at 4-3-1 on the season and are a perfect 1-0 in league.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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