Los Alamitos wins showdown of top-10 teams (video)

Third-ranked Los Alamitos scored six runs in the first two innings and went on to beat No. 6 Esperanza, 7-2, in a Sunset League softball game Thursday at Los Alamitos High.

The Griffins scored four runs on five consecutive singles in the bottom of the first, and they added two runs in the second.

Tennessee Tech-bound Brittney Spalding went 3 for 3 with a double, a run scored and three RBIs, Allison Brown went 2 for 3 with two runs scored, and Jordan Mahoney drove in two runs to lead Los Alamitos' offense.

"We came out and scored four runs right off the bat," first-year Griffins coach Rob Weil said. "But I didn't think that was enough. I really didn't. I think Esperanza is a very good team, very powerful, but we did what we needed to do today."

The Griffins (12-3, 2-0) got a fine pitching performance from sophomore Amanda Sugita, who allowed four hits and one earned run.

"Mandy Sugita pitched a great game for us," Weil said. "I wish we would have played a little bit better defense for her."

The Aztecs (9-6-1, 1-1) picked up an unearned run in the third, and Kelsea Roth belted a line-drove shot over the fence in left-center field in the fourth.

The 0-2 pitch that got away from Sugita was her only mistake. Sugita recorded six strikeouts, including a strikeout of Kristin Scharkey to end the game. Sugita struck out Scharkey, one of the top leadoff hitters in the county, twice in the game.

"This time, we just came out, played our hardest, tried our best and I pitched as best as I could." Sugita said, "And I tried to have fun at the same time."

No. 2 Canyon 5, El Dorado 1:Sophomore Cheyanne Tarango went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs, Heather Koch went 2 for 4 with a run, Briana Gwaltney went 2 for 4 with a double and Kayla Blanco went 2 for 3 with a run as the Comanches (10-5, 1-0) collected 11 hits in their victory over the host Golden Hawks (1-5, 0-1).

Tustin 6, Brea Olinda 5:Gabby Reta, Jennifer Thacker and Margaret Wilkins each had two hits apiece as the Tillers (7-2, 1-0) held off the visiting Ladycats (6-6, 0-1).

In the Sea View League:

No. 8 Trabuco Hills 4, Huntington Beach 0:Kelsi Luttrell went 1 for 3 with a run and two RBIs and Kayla Massey pitched a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts as the Mustangs (10-3, 1-0) blanked the visiting Oilers (4-6, 0-1).

Foothill 4, Woodbridge 0:Anna Avalos recorded a three-hit shutout with one walk and four strikeouts to help the Knights (8-3-1, 1-0) beat the Warriors (4-8, 0-1) at Hillview School.

In the Pacific Coast League:

No. 7 Laguna Hills 14, University 1:Maria Sio went 3 for 3 with two doubles, two runs and five RBIs, Lauren Lastrapes went 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBIs and Kylee Lahners went 2 for 3 with two runs and three RBIs as the Hawks (13-4-1, 1-0) beat the host Trojans (7-5, 0-2) in five innings because of the mercy rule.

In the Orange Coast League:

Costa Mesa 4, Godinez 0:Kiera Mitani tossed a two-hit shutout with 10 strikeouts and she went 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead the Mustangs (10-9, 1-1) past the host Grizzlies (1-8, 0-1).

In nonleague games:

Santa Ana 11, Century 1:Victoria Cardenas went 2 for 4 with six RBIs, including a grand slam in the top of the first, and Natalie Valdez and Nicole Warnick each belted solo shots as the visiting Saints (8-5) beat the Centurions (4-7) in five innings via the mercy rule.

Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com