Spring Sports : SOFTBALL

With solid pitching, Palos Verdes Peninsula allowed only 31 runs and finished with a record of 23-5 last season. This year, the Panthers (14-8) are winning with offense. The team has a .290 batting average and has scored 115 runs. The leading hitters are Kristin Dierker, with a .400 average and 23 runs batted in, and Kristina Mortaloni, .350 and 20 runs scored. “We won a lot of 1-0 and 2-1 games last year,” Coach Tim Hall said. “This year, our offense has carried us.” . . . Santa Barbara San Marcos (17-4) has one of the area’s most talented batteries. Jenny Hehnke has seven shutouts and is 16-3 with an earned-run average of 0.84. The senior is also hitting .477 with 12 RBIs. Junior catcher Stefanie Christoferson is batting .387 with 16 RBIs. . . . Temecula Linfield is shooting for its third consecutive Southern Section Division VI title. Janelle Gonzales, the 1995 division player of the year, leads the Lions (17-5) with nine victories and a 0.50 ERA. Sophomore outfielder Jenny Pahl (.433 average, 16 runs, 35 stolen bases) and shortstop Lisa Honeycutt (.305, 13 RBIs) spark an offense that has outscored its opponents, 98-38. . . . San Pedro’s winning streak in the Southern Pacific Conference ended at 47 games in a 1-0 loss to Wilmington Banning on April 23. Ninette Martinez had 13 strikeouts to help the Pilots break an 11-game losing streak to San Pedro. . . . Center fielder Kasi Ruhle of Santa Barbara is hitting .360 with 15 RBIs, including five triples.