Southern Section Softball : Division I Final

Upland vs. Foothill

When--7:30 tonight

Where--Lakewood Mayfair Park

Upland (28-5)--The unseeded Highlanders, champions of the Baseline League, are making their third consecutive finals appearance. The Highlanders won the Division III title in 1995. Utah-bound pitcher Sarah Farnworth (28-4, 0.24 earned-run average, 308 strikeouts) hasn’t allowed an earned run in the last 184 innings. She is also a dangerous hitter (.371, 23 runs, 21 runs batted in). Freshman shortstop Jamie Farnworth (.322, 17 stolen bases) is Sarah’s sister, and Utah-bound catcher Stacy Farnworth is a cousin. Upland outscored playoff opponents, 16-2, including a 14-inning, 1-0 victory over Moreno Valley Valley View in the second round.

Foothill (29-2-1)--The top-seeded Knights, ranked second nationally by National Fastpitch Coaches Assn., are coming off a 1-0 victory over defending Division I champion Mater Dei, scoring with two outs in the seventh inning. The Century League champions have won 14 in a row and outscored playoff opponents, 24-1. The offense is led by Arizona-bound outfielder Lauren Bauer (.490, 43 runs, 39 stolen bases), Miami of Ohio-bound third baseman Jenny Beltran (.414), first baseman Lindsay Fossatti (.358, 21 runs, 30 RBIs) and shortstop Jaime Clark (.484, 39 runs, 32 RBIs). Lauren Schwendimann is 14-1 with a 0.39 ERA, and Fossatti is 15-1 with a 0.73 ERA.

Key to the game--Foothill opened its season with a doubleheader victory over Upland, 3-0 and 5-1. Both teams are better now. If Farnworth continues to perform without making mistakes, the Knights would be happy to take the chance that their offense will outscore Upland’s.

Division III Final

Glendora St. Lucy’s vs. Pacifica

When--4:30 today

Where--Lakewood Mayfair Park

St. Lucy’s (25-7)--The Regents, second to Division I finalist Upland in the Baseline League, reached the title game by scoring twice in the seventh inning to beat third-seeded Kennedy, 3-2. Four future Division I college players are in the lineup: pitcher Kristina Gandara (Texas A&M;, 17-3, 0.43 ERA, 123 strikeouts), shortstop Angel Braden (Minnesota, .410, 18 RBIs), second baseman Kate Otto (DePaul) and third baseman Kyla Hattabaugh (Northwestern). But the talent doesn’t stop with the seniors because St. Lucy’s has junior first baseman/pitcher Shannon Walsh (.384, 26 RBIs; 8-5, 0.78 ERA), and sophomore outfielder Libby Ramos (.404). They outscored playoff opponents, 21-8.

Pacifica (29-1-1)--After losing in the semifinals three years ago and the quarterfinals the past two years--all in Division I--the Mariners finally reach their first title game. They boast one of the nation’s top pitchers in junior Amanda Freed (19-0, 0.25 ERA, 235 strikeouts), whose five perfect games this season (two in the playoffs) match a section record. She also bats .375 with 16 RBIs. Another prime reason Pacifica is ranked No. 1 nationally by the National Fastpitch Coaches Assn. is Arizona-bound senior third baseman Toni Mascarenas (.404, 20 RBIs), who can also pitch (9-1, 0.36 ERA). They are complemented by catcher Toria Auelua (.333) and center fielder Tiffany Wallace (.329). Their 15-game winning streak involves a couple of close calls in the playoffs, including a 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Canyon in nine innings that required a rally in the bottom of the seventh. The Garden Grove League champions have outscored four playoff opponents, 11-1.

Key to the game--Pacifica’s journey to the final has been tougher than expected, but St. Lucy’s almost certainly must produce its first shutout of the playoffs to beat Freed.