Alemany Conquers Its Nerves

Befitting Wednesday’s Mission League showdown, the Louisville High and Alemany softball teams suffered from big-game jitters.

But Alemany managed to regroup, scoring four runs with two out in the sixth inning to seal an 8-3 victory at the Sylmar Independent Baseball League complex.

The teams combined for eight errors, six by Louisville, and five runs were unearned.

“I thought it would be a low-scoring, tight defensive game,” Alemany Coach Dudley Rooney said. “But both teams came out really up for the game and both teams got generous. That’s what happens when you’re really psyched up.”

The Indians (16-3, 5-0 in league play) have beaten every Mission team once in their quest for a seventh consecutive league title. The Royals (10-7, 2-3) and Chaminade were expected to be Alemany’s primary competition, but both lost to the Indians this week.

Alemany pitcher Kim Diener (16-3), who did not allow a hit after the fourth inning and had 10 strikeouts, said she was glad to see her team come out nervous.

“We don’t want to be too cocky,” Diener said. “We had Chaminade on Monday and we knew that if we won today we’d be in good shape, so we came out a little shaky.”

The Indians overcame deficits of 1-0 and 3-1 with the help of errors in the second and fifth innings by Louisville shortstop Christine Jordt.

Alemany shortstop Amnette Ramirez, who made two outstanding defensive plays in the seventh, hit a bases-loaded single to drive in two runs and give Alemany an 8-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

Jordt led Louisville with two hits and one run batted in. Stefanie Urman pitched a seven-hitter and allowed four earned runs.