Long Beach Blanks Santa Ana For State Title:
All-American pitcher Nina Distefano throws her fourth shutout of the championships, lifting the Vikings to their second state crown.

Long Beach pitcher Nina Distefano was in a familiar spot, Sunday afternoon at Fresno State's Bulldog Diamond.

Just one year ago--almost to the day--Distefano and her top-seeded Vikings needed one victory on the season's final day to win a state championship.

But, Palomar College would upset Long Beach twice with Distefano on the mound, to complete a two-game Sunday sweep from the loser's bracket, and with it, a state title.

Same place. Different opponent and different outcome this time.

Distefano led Long Beach to a 3-0 victory over Santa Ana, on Mother's Day, to win the 2001 Hyundai-California Community College Softball Championships in Fresno.

The right-hander limited a strong Santa Ana lineup to just two hits, striking out five along the way.

Distefano (24-3) earned Most Valuable Pitcher honors with her fourth shutout of the championship and, more importantly, gave Long Beach its second state title.

The Vikings opened the scoring in the second inning when Sha Oliver's double down the left field line scored Monique Palacios. Becky Schueller followed suit with an RBI-single to plate Oliver, giving the Vikings a 2-0 lead.

That was all Distefano needed, as the All-American sophomore kept the Dons off-balance and let her teammates play solid defense behind her.

Palacios, who led a tournament players with a .583 on-base percentage, went 2 for 3 and drove in the game's final run in the third.

Long Beach shortstop Ana Velazquez earned the state championship's Golden Glove Award, while teammates Palacios (2B), Oliver (LF), Julie Jaime (DP) and Tara Drinkwater (C) were voted to the all-tournament team.

Santa Ana players earning awards were: Ana Velazquez (Most Valuable Player, SS), Sharmaine Kendrick (Best Hitter, C), Marie Caballero (P), Wendi Kralich (1B), Inez Vasquez (CF) and Jessica Pena (LF).

WP: Nina Distefano (24-3)
LP: Marie Caballero (15-5)
RBI: Sha Oliver, Becky Schueller, Monique Palacios
2B: Oliver
LOB: SA (5), LBC (9)
Umpires: Chris Drumm (HP), Sandy Leak (1B), Jim Kane (3B)
Time: 2:09

Game 13
Santa Ana 3, Sacramento 1

Santa Ana advanced to the state's championship game with a 3-1 win over Sacramento in the losers' bracket.

The Dons scored all three of its runs (all unearned) in the second inning.

The Panthers committed six of their team-high 17 tournament errors in the game, but still managed to stay close.

Sacramento put two runners on in the seventh inning, but failed to score.