Los Alamitos Gains Some Breathing Room With Win

Although Los Alamitos’ 9-4 victory over Fountain Valley Tuesday provided a milestone in the 19-year coaching career of Jami Shannon, more importantly, it kept seventh-ranked Los Alamitos a game ahead of Marina in the Sunset League title race.

The Griffins’ victory was Shannon’s 300th--the most among active Orange County softball coaches at one school--and maintained breathing room going into Thursday’s showdown against Marina at Los Alamitos.

“I knew it would probably happen this season, but I wasn’t thinking about it,” said Shannon (300-158-3).

Los Alamitos’ five-run second began with the first of two triples by Kristi Bissonnette and was capped by Cyndi Tredway’s two-run double off losing pitcher Colleen Burdick. The Griffins scored single runs in the first, third, fourth and sixth innings.

Los Alamitos improved to 17-5, 7-0. Fountain Valley is 10-14, 2-5. Shannon’s milestone victory came against the county’s second-winningest coach, Cary Baker (281-134-2).

Angelina Herrera had three hits, two runs batted in and scored once for Los Alamitos, who also got RBIs from Brook Donberg, Sara Kahler, Dinha Mead and winning pitcher Mandy Rockwell (8-4).

Nikole Rambis’ three-run triple highlighted Fountain Valley’s four-run seventh inning.

In other Sunset League games:

Marina 5, Huntington Beach 0--Heather Hagen (9-2) pitched a one-hitter for Marina (13-8-1, 6-1).

In the Century League:

Foothill 4, Orange 0--Lindsay Fossatti (13-1) pitched a four-hitter for No. 2 Foothill (22-2-1, 7-0). Ali Painter had three hits for Orange (4-16, 0-7).

Canyon 9, Villa Park 0--Meghan Goldstein had three hits and scored three runs for Canyon (16-11-1, 6-1). Veronica Lopez (12-4) gave up one hit over five innings and struck out six for Canyon.

In the Empire League:

Kennedy 1, Cypress 0--Traci Hensel’s one-hitter led No. 8 Kennedy (17-5, 7-0), which scored on Crystal Eubanks’ RBI single.

In the Freeway League:

La Habra 1, Buena Park 0 (10)--Shelley Salas’ single scored Kaysie Thompson. Christina Gibbons (15-6) had a no-hitter through 9 2/3 innings until Buena Park’s Rachel Bayshore singled. Gibbons struck out 13 for La Habra (18-6, 7-0).

Sonora 9, Sunny Hills 1--Jennifer Link’s five hits led second-place Sonora (19-7, 6-1).

In the Garden Grove League:

Pacifica 7, Garden Grove 0--Amanda Freed (14-0) allowed one hit and one walk as No. 1 Pacifica (23-1-1, 10-0) clinched a share of its fifth consecutive league title.

In the Olympic League:

Calvary Chapel 6, Brethren Christian 0--Keri Pryzgocki pitched a one-hitter for No. 10 Calvary Chapel (20-4, 7-0).

Orange Lutheran 2, Ontario Christian 0--Tiffany Johnson (5-2) struck out 15 in a one-hitter as Orange Lutheran (10-9, 4-3) broke a third-place tie.

In the Orange League:

Western 11, Savanna 2--Jennifer Kline’s three hits, three runs and RBI led Western (15-8, 7-0).

In the Pacific Coast League:

Laguna Hills 4, University 1--Leslie Simien’s two hits and two RBIs led Laguna Hills (14-7, 7-0).