H.B. softball caps winning season

A long journey through a successful season was capped last weekend by the Huntington Beach Girls’ Softball 14-and-Under team, which placed 17th at the Western National Amateur Softball Assn. Girls Fast Pitch Tournament in Aurora, Colo.

Huntington went 5-2 in the tournament to finish 17th among 57 teams. A pair of no-hitters, a shutout, a potent offense and a win over a Texas state championship team highlighted Huntington’s tournament experience.

Huntington began the season by winning the West Garden Grove and Brea tournaments, then won the District tournament to qualify for the State tournament.

At the State tournament, Huntington finished fifth in its division to qualify for the Western National tournament.

The squad became the first 14-and-under team in Huntington Beach girls’ softball history to win a district tournament and compete at both the state and national tournaments.

At the national event, Huntington defeated Tulsa, Okla., 10-6, Texas state champion, Wharton, 4-3 and Sugarland, Texas, 18-1. Its three-game winning streak was ended by eventual division champion Castro Valley, 1-0.

The pitching of Amanda Horowitz and a solid defense allowed Huntington to give Castro Valley its toughest game of the tournament.

That loss set Huntington into the second-chance bracket and the team responded by routing Yuma, Ariz., 12-0, and shading San Lorenzo, 7-6, in a pair of elimination contests. Huntington’s tournament run came to an end in a 9-1 loss to Northridge.

During the tournament, Huntington players came up with several outstanding performances.

Randi Heidenriech hit two home runs, including the game-winner against Wharton. She batted above .400 for the tournament. Chelsea Breitweiser led the team in batting with a .434 average and Jacqueline Kent pitched a no-hit shutout against Yuma and combined with Horowitz for another no-hitter against Sugarland.

Huntington concluded its season with a record of 26-5, the five losses coming against teams that finished first, second, third, seventh and 10th in the nation.

The team, which will be honored by the Huntington Beach City Council at the Aug. 21 council meeting, features Charlene Courtney, Allison Dufault, Amanda Horowitz, Meghan White, Chelsea Breitweiser, Jessica Garcia, Randi Heidenriech, Jacqueline Kent, Kylee Lappin, Lana Rutkin, Amanda Nicholaou, Taylor Gould, Manager Brian White and coaches Ron Kent and Steve Gould.