Upland Knocks Off Top-Seeded Foothill

LAKEWOOD — On a night when Foothill needed its hallmark defense the most, it wasn’t there.

Upland, in the Southern Section Division I final for the third consecutive year, took advantage of top-seeded Foothill’s uncharacteristic defensive performance to win, 3-1, in front of about 2,500 Saturday at Mayfair Park.

Foothill (29-3-1) was ranked second in the National Fastpitch Coaches Assn. poll, but didn’t play like it.

“They put the pressure on us,” Foothill Coach Joe Gonzalez said. “Three errors and two mental errors--that’s tough. This is the finals. You just can’t make mistakes like that.”

Foothill last won a section title in 1992. Gonzales said that was the last time his team made three errors in a game--and that night, it didn’t hurt.

No one felt worse than third baseman Jenny Beltran.

“I didn’t do my job,” said Beltran, a senior. “I didn’t make the plays and they capitalized on my errors.”

Upland (29-5) seized the game in the bottom of the fifth. Two of Upland’s three hits were sandwiched between Beltran’s attempt to force Rachel Williams at second base on a sacrifice bunt.

It loaded the bases. It was the second time Beltran had tried and failed to cut down the Highlanders’ fastest runner on a sacrifice attempt.

“The catcher [Cheri Nierman] made the call,” Beltran said. “I looked and I thought I had her, too.”

Though it would have been the first out, it was the one Foothill needed to get out of the inning without allowing a run.

Pitcher Lauren Schwendimann (14-2) was replaced by Lindsay Fossatti, who made her first playoff appearance. Jamie Canfield’s hard grounder at Beltran went off her glove for an error, enabling Williams to score. After Beltran forced two runners at home plate on ground balls, Fossatti threw a wild pitch and Canfield scored.

With the 3-1 lead, Sarah Farnworth (29-4) retired the next six batters in order. She gave up five hits and struck out six. Her string of innings without giving up an earned run ended at 184 when Foothill scored in the first inning.

Lauren Bauer had a bunt single, and then stole second base. Rosie Gustavson walked, and Jaime Clark, who had 32 RBIs this season, bunted them to second and third. Cleanup hitter Fossatti, after fouling off a pitch on a squeeze play, singled to center field. Bauer scored, but Gustavson was out at the plate on Williams’ throw.

“That was the turning point,” Upland Coach Ed Ulloa said.

Upland responded in the bottom of the first. Farnworth singled. After a walk and sacrifice bunt, Farnworth scored on sister Jamie Farnworth’s squeeze.