HB All-Stars win district crown

For the first time ever, Huntington Beach Girls Softball celebrated

a district championship.

Huntington Beach’s 14-and-under All-Star team racked up five

consecutive victories last week in Garden Grove to capture the Amateur

Softball Association District Championship trophy.

Having finished second at the Walnut Memorial Day Weekend Tournament

and having reached the semifinal round in both the Carlsbad and Los

Alamitos tournaments, Huntington Beach came into the district

championships optimistic and continued its roll with a 7-5 opening-round

triumph over South Huntington Beach. A seven-run sixth inning helped

Huntington Beach overcome its cross-town rival.

In the second round, Huntington Beach disposed of perennial power

Orange Villa Park, with Holly Jackson getting the pitching win, setting

up a showdown with long-time rival Cypress.

“It’s possible to win the championship by winning five straight games,

but this is the key game,” Huntington Beach co-manager Dave Garibaldi

said.

Huntington Beach opened the scoring on Katie Richards’ two-run home

run, then held on for an exciting 2-1 victory. That win put the locals in

the semifinal round against Los Alamitos, which had defeated Huntington

Beach just one week earlier. Aggressive base running, timely hitting, and

flawless defense produced a commanding 4-0 victory.

Nicole LaPier, who pitched the shutout against Los Alamitos, was

called upon again in the division championship game against Mission

Hills. LaPier once again was on her game as she and the Huntington Beach

offense dominated in an 8-0 title-clinching rout.

“The first day of All-Star practice, we said our goal was to win the

district,” co-manager Bill Jackson said. “A lot of hard work has paid off

for a great group of girls.”

The Huntington Beach Girls Softball 14-and-under All-Stars, who travel

to Escondido for the State Championships July 24-26, are also comprised

of Jessica Baxton, Jessica Lupton, Tiffany Chappell, Stacey Yudin, Laurie

Denning, Ellen Garibaldi, Deanna Mauer, Courtney McLoughlan, Molly

Conley, and Amanda Marchegiano.