SOUTHERN SECTION SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : 4-A : Heim’s Single Helps Cypress Edge Marina

Almost everyone watching and perhaps some of those playing had probably begun to think about extra innings Tuesday as the Cypress and Marina high school softball teams took a scoreless tie into the seventh inning at Arnold Park in Cypress.

With two of Orange County’s best pitchers--Cypress’ Nicky Luce and Marina’s Christy Larsen--on the mound, everyone watching knew this one could go on for a long time.

And with a spot in the Southern Section 4-A championship game at stake, it seemed likely to.

But with two out in the bottom of the seventh, and the count a ball and two strikes on Heidi Heim, who is the bottom batter in the Cypress order and had struck out twice, the end came suddenly.

Heim stepped to the plate thinking it was “now or never,” even though, with no score and a field equipped with lights, the game could have stretched far into the evening. But she ended it right there, looping a 1-2 pitch into left-center field over the heads of a shallow outfield, scoring Karen Kuypers from second.

Kuypers had reached on an error by Marina second baseman Monica Marrero, advancing to second on a sacrifice.

The run gave Cypress a 1-0 victory and put them in the Southern Section 4-A championship game against Thousand Oaks at 8 p.m. Saturday at Mayfair Park.

Thousand Oaks (23-8) defeated Ocean View, 3-1, in the other semifinal Tuesday.

“I just thought I’d better hit the ball,” Heim said. “I got on top of it, I guess.”

Heim’s hit showed a marked change in strategy for the Centurions (21-8), who had been trying to slap-bunt against Larsen. Before Heim stepped to the plate, Tom Farr, Cypress coach, took off the bunt sign.

“I changed my mind,” Farr said. “The outfield was playing right up to the edge of the grass, and I knew we weren’t going to score on a bunt anyway.”

Heim, who plays third base, has had “four or five” game-winning hits this season, Farr said.

Heim’s hit was only the second allowed in the game by Larsen, the Marina pitcher.

Larsen (13-5) allowed a leadoff single in the first inning, but not another until Heim’s game-winner. She struck out nine and walked two.

Luce (21-5) allowed four hits, striking out five and walking two.

Cypress nearly scored in the first inning. Toni Sauce led off with a single, stole second and went to third on an infield out. Sauce headed home when a wild pitch from Larsen banged into the backstop, but Larsen charged the plate, fielded the ball as it caromed off the wooden backstop and tagged Sauce out at the plate.

Marina three times advanced runners as far as second base, but never seriously threatened.

“When you get (to the final), it’s gravy,” Farr said. “This is the tough one to get through. We had a little break on the error and then had the good hit there at the end.

“I know how Marina feels. They have a great ballclub and Christy Larsen is a great pitcher. It was one heck of a game.”