Cypress’ Louwsma Comes Close to Perfection

Cypress’ Sara Louwsma was one out away from a perfect game when Santa Ana’s Wendi Kralich doubled to left field. However, Louwsma retired the next batter and the Chargers defeated Santa Ana, 4-0, in an Orange Empire Conference softball game Friday at Cypress.

Louwsma improved to 10-2 for host Cypress (25-6-2, 14-3), which scored three runs in the sixth inning. Erica Harding was three for three with a double and a run batted in for Cypress.

In other Orange Empire Conference softball games:

Riverside 6, Orange Coast 3--Tasha Thurman had two hits and an RBI for visiting Orange Coast (15-20). Teammate Renee Snyder tripled in the top of the fourth to drive in a run.

Saddleback 9, Irvine Valley 7--Six hitters had RBIs and eight different players scored in the Gauchos’ nine-run second inning. Nikki Shanafelt had four hits and Tiffany Sanderson had three.

Irvine Valley (3-21, 1-17) got a bases-loaded double from Michelle Bye, and Jesse Hamer had two hits.

Saddleback is 16-13-1.

In Orange Empire Conference men’s golf:

Saddleback 366, Golden West 389, Irvine Valley 390, Palomar 404--Saddleback sophomore Damien Paterson won medalist honors with a round of par 71 at Oak Creek. Saddleback improved to 15-1 in conference.

In Orange Empire Conference men’s swimming:

Saddleback splits two--The Gauchos (5-1) defeated Orange Coast, 177-78, but were edged by Palomar, 105-101, at Saddleback.

Orange Coast’s Geraldo Serretra won the 100 freestyle (48.38) and 200 freestyle (1:46.30) and swam the third leg on the winning 400 freestyle relay team, which finished in 3:23.47.

In Orange Empire Conference women’s swimming:

Golden West wins two--Kirsten Rich, Micha Burden, Deborah Hoyt, Ashley Selleh and Alyson Edoff each won multiple events for host Golden West, which beat Cerritos, 98-17, and Long Beach, 106-22.

Cadenhead wins four--Saddleback’s Jennifer Cadenhead won the 50 butterfly (27.43), the 50 freestyle (24.48) and the 100 individual medley (1:01.07) and anchored the winning 200 medley relay (1:55.57) as Saddleback (6-0) defeated Orange Coast, 176-92, and Palomar, 160-120.