Photos By Bob Sykes

Lakewood senior Sarah Carrasco impressed her coaches, present and future, yesterday afternoon in the first round of the CIF Playoffs.  Long Beach State’s Kim Sowder was on hand as the shortstop carried Big Red to a 4-1 victory over Santa Fe, delaying for at least a few more days her transition into Black & Gold for next season.

Carrasco got her day started with a solo home run in the first inning and followed it up with a two-run triple in the third.  “She’s a stud,” said Lakewood head coach Andy Miramontes.  “That’s her ninth home run of the season, and she does it when we need it… she’s one of the best people to be in those situations with it on the line.”

While Carrasco drove the runs in, junior pitcher Nicole Warren was limiting the Chiefs from getting a runner to second base before the seventh inning.  Warren worked her confounding change up on the outside part of the plate and had the Santa Fe hitters watching instead of swinging.  She struck out the first batter looking in four of her seven innings pitched, and her complete-game came with just three hits, all singles.

Pinch hitters Kassandra Harris, Nicole Rodgers and Ariel Carrillo came off the bench in the sixth and had great at bats to put runners on before a wild pitch brought in a run.  That four-run cushion was big in the seventh when two of the Chief hits and an error brought in an unearned run.  But on a line drive back up the middle with two on and one out, Warren snagged the ball and doubled up the runner at third to end the game, 4-1.

Lakewood will move onto the second round on Tuesday, and will travel to see Valley View.