INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I covered the CIF-SS Division 2 semifinal softball game between Rancho Cucamonga Etiwanda and Redlands for the Riverside Press-Enterprise on Tuesday, June 2, 2009 and came away thinking about how much I detest 1-0 softball games.

Usually, a runner gets on base, is sacrificed to second, steals third and scores on a fielder’s choice or a sac fly. That’s pretty much the game. The pitchers, locked in a duel, take turns going 1-2-3 through the other team’s batting order and the game ends without so much as an extra base hit.

Total snooze-fest.

It wasn’t too terribly different on Tuesday — the lone difference being an extra base hit that actually scored a run.

Etiwanda freshman Katelyn Rentschler doubled home senior Elizabeth Santana (who had singled and been sacrificed to second) in the fourth inning, and junior Natalee Pulver pitched seven shutout innings as the Eagles edged the visiting Terriers 1-0 in front of 100 or so parents and friends.

Senior Kim Bruins pitched well for Redlands, just not well enough. Her scoreless innings streak was snapped at 46 with Etiwanda’s run in the fourth on Tuesday.

“I’d still take her over any other pitcher in the Inland Empire,” said Redlands head coach Brandon Ford, who spent 20-plus minutes with his out-going seniors following the loss. “She’s a real competitor who deserved better from her senior season.”

As it was, the game was the first ever CIF semifinal in which Redlands has played.

“These senior girls have set the standard by which all other players will be measured at Redlands,” Ford said.

Conversely, Etiwanda survives to face Vista Murrieta in the title game.

“I’m so excited,” said Pulver, who pitched out of a jam in the fifth inning. “All the hard work has paid off. All the drills and the running on Fridays and the Fall ball. We’ve really come together as a team.”

POST SCRIPT:

I saw good friend and former colleague Pete Marshall at the game. He was covering the “action” for the LANG set and we were able to chat and chuckle while waiting for coaches and as we walked to our cars. Most notebly, he railed against having to cover the lousy three — that is, CIF track and field, swimming and wrestling — while the rest of the prep sports writers at The Sun/Daily Bulletin sit on their thumbs. I’m paraphrasing here but you get the point. I reminded Pete, as if he didn’t already know, that he’s now the No. 1 preps guy for Inland LANG and that he should relish the opportunity to get to so many quality events. He then gave me that sweet, sweet Marshall Law grin and said, and I quote: “Then what the f*ck is T.J. doing?”