CITY SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : San Pedro Gets It Right in 3rd Try for Title

The third time was the charm for Coach Tony Dobra of San Pedro, which defeated Banning, 2-1, in 13 innings to win the City Section 4-A Division girls’ softball championship at Cal State Northridge on Thursday.

San Pedro (20-5) was 0-2 in previous City finals under Dobra in his six years as coach.

Diane Marshall began the winning rally with a single and took third on errors by pitcher Susann McKenna and third baseman Jenny Vargas. Melissa Elgin singled home Marshall.

McKenna (15-5) and San Pedro’s Petrina Martinez (16-5) both pitched all 13 innings. Martinez gave up seven hits and struck out eight, while McKenna (15-5) gave up six hits and struck out six.

San Pedro scored in the fourth inning when Victoria Brucker doubled, stole third and scored on a hit by Kris Jurat

Banning (15-7) forced extra innings in the bottom of the seventh inning when designated hitter Liberty Reyes reached base on an error by Jurat and scored on a double by Rose Amezcua

San Pedro, Pacific League champion, defeated league-rival Banning twice in regular season.

The Pirates defeated El Camino Real, 6-3, in the semifinals. El Camino Real eliminated San Pedro four of the past five years.

Roosevelt 6, South Gate 1--Gloria Sanchez pitched one-hitter to lead the Roughriders past the top-seeded Rams for their first City Section 3-A Division championship since 1988. Sanchez (9-1) struck out two and walked four.

South Gate (12-2), defending 3-A champion, has been in the final eight consecutive years, winning five times. Gricelda Cervantes and Liz Ballesteros both were two for four and scored two runs each for Roosevelt (14-1).

Roosevelt broke a 1-1 tie with a two-run fourth inning. Kathy Aparicio and Ballesteros both singled and later scored on an error by shortstop Claudia Esparza. South Gate (12-2) scored in the third when Glenda Perez walked, took second on a grounder, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error by shortstop Aparicio.