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Alsup, Garces silence Tehachapi in D-III semi
| Wednesday, May 21 2008 11:11 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 21 2008 11:36 PM
Despite the distraction of her impending high school graduation ceremony later in the evening, Garces' pitcher Shelby Alsup never lost focus in Wednesday's Central Section Division III softball semifinal against visiting Tehachapi.
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Shelby Alsup of Garces pitched a shutout against Tehachapi Wednesday.
Tehachapi pitcher Kelsey Kapitzke, left, and catcher Ashley Carter have a little fun on the mound during a timeout Wednesday against Garces.
Garces players Amanda Barker, left, and pitcher Shelby Alsup celebrate Wednesday after defeating Tehachapi in a Central Section Division III semifinal.
Garces High's Celina Morales, left, and teammate Sarah Krecklow, right, hug after defeating Tehachapi 2-0 Wednesday.
Concentrating solely on her performance in the circle, Alsup allowed just four hits and struck out eight as the top-seed Rams beat the Warriors 2-0 to advance to Friday's title game.
"I was trying to keep that (graduation) out of my mind; save it for later," Alsup said. "I knew that all I had to think about is what's between the lines."
The Rams (29-5-1) scored one run in the fifth and one in the sixth before holding off a late Tehachapi (16-8) rally. Garces will host Kerman for the title Friday.
"We didn't hit the ball like we should," Garces coach Mike D'Amato said.
"We've been struggling with the bats the last couple of games. But Shelby's been throwing the ball really well. She's been keeping us in games. And our defense has been playing very well behind her. We just have to get our sticks working before Friday."
Amanda Barker put the Rams up 1-0 in the fifth with a triple into the right field corner. Outfielder Brittany St. John tried to throw Barker out on her way to third but the ball sailed over the head of third baseman Tara Steinbach.
"It was outside and I just went with it and drove it the other way," Barker said.
Kayla Gardner gave the Rams some breathing room with a towering home run down the left field line to lead off the sixth.
"I've seen her hit high fly balls over the fence before," D'Amato said. "She got a hold of it. She just turned on that thing."
The wind, which had been blowing hard from right to left the entire game, seemed to suddenly stop when Gardner made contact.
A similarly hit ball by Tehachapi pitcher Kelsey Kapitzke in the fourth was blown just foul by the wind.
"It's a game of inches," said Tehachapi coach Tracy Goodell. "Garces is my least favorite to lose to but we did ourselves real proud. We're not a little hill team anymore. We were in the finals last year."