Kennedy Brings Its ‘A’ Game to Beat Marina

Host Kennedy, ranked third in Orange County, beat No. 5 Marina, 2-1, Thursday in a nonleague softball game that Fighting Irish Coach Sue Hall called “the best game our team has played in 16 years.”

Kennedy had only six hits but hit the ball solidly all day, and its defense produced two double plays, caught two Marina runners stealing and turned several potential hits into outs.

“Our first 10 batters hit the ball hard, and our defense was playing with precision today,” Hall said.

The Irish (8-2) took a 2-0 lead in the second when Melissa Casteneda, who had doubled, scored on an error and Andrea Ruiz came home on Tiffany Tucker’s single.

Kennedy pitcher Pam Young, who didn’t give up a hit in the first three innings, was sent to the bench in the bottom of the third after being called for unsportsmanlike conduct because she ran into Marina catcher Lacey Unkovich at the plate. Young was trying to score from second on Lorraine Geiger’s single.

With No. 1 pitcher Michelle Turner out with the flu, Hall turned to Shantae Fernandez to start the fourth inning. Fernandez, pitching in only her second varsity game, struggled in the inning, giving up two walks, a wild pitch and two hits, including a successful squeeze bunt from Bree Boyer.

But a double play with the bases loaded ended the Viking threat, and Fernandez (2-0) gave up one hit the rest of the way.

Ramona Garcia (5-3) gave up two unearned runs and picked up the loss for Marina (6-3).