It’s a Replay for Rights to No. 1

SOUTH GATE — It certainly didn’t have the feel of a close game, but Granada Hills High made it one, putting together a seventh-inning rally against defending City Section 4-A Division champion El Camino Real Tuesday in a semifinal game at South Gate Park.

El Camino Real right-hander Ashley Redlin allowed just one hit and only two base runners through six innings, but surrendered three hits and a run in the seventh before the Conquistadores escaped with a 2-1 victory on a heads-up defensive play by first baseman Morgan Smith and third baseman Vanessa Laguire.

The Conquistadores, winners of eight of the past 12 City 4-A titles, will face top-seeded Kennedy in a championship game next Tuesday at 5 at UCLA. Kennedy defeated Carson, 4-0, behind Sandra Durazo’s no-hitter. El Camino Real defeated Kennedy, 6-0, in last year’s final.

Trailing, 2-0, Granada Hills (13-9) bunched three of its four hits in the seventh inning, but took itself out of the inning--and the game--when pinch-runner Angelica Vega was thrown out at third trying to advance two bases on an infield base hit by Amy Matthews.

“I didn’t send [Vega],” said Granada Hills Coach Carolyn Gunny, who was upset with the player whom she brought up from junior varsity for the playoffs. “I haven’t even talked to her about it yet.”

With runners at first and third and two out, Matthews hit a chopper up the middle that was fielded on the right side of the bag by shortstop Cara Blumfield. Blumfield’s throw appeared to beat Matthews, but the umpire ruled safe and Pauline Bolyard scored.

Meanwhile, Vega, running for Patty Del Real, who singled, rounded second and headed for third.

Without hesitation, Smith, a sophomore, fired to third and Laguire applied the tag to a sliding Vega for the third out.

The Conquistadores (18-3), who defeated Granada Hills, 9-4, in a Northwest Valley Conference game earlier this season, had eight hits, including three for extra bases, but never enjoyed a big offensive inning.

Kennedy 4, Carson 0--Durazo’s no-hitter featured 15 strikeouts and no walks and the Golden Cougars (21-4) advanced to the final for the second consecutive year.

The only Carson runner to reach base against Durazo (21-4) was Lorena Romero, the first batter of the game. Romero got aboard on a throwing error by third baseman Louann Avila, but Durazo retired the next 21 batters.

“I threw pretty well today, and I think throwing so good today is going to give me a lot of confidence for the final game,” Durazo said.

Durazo took the 6-0 loss to El Camino Real in the 1996 final.

“It’s going to be a rematch,” she said, “and it’s going to be fun to play them again.”