Playoffs

The Lionettes clinched second place and a Western Division playoff berth by winning 3 out of 4 games at season end against the first place San Jose Sunbirds. The playoffs, a best 3 out of 5 games, began in San Jose with the winner playing the Eastern Division playoff winner for the first World Series title.

The following are excerpts from newspaper articles about the playoffs.

Benedetto Hurls Playoff Opener

Cathy Benedetto draws the starting assignment against San Jose Thursday night when the Santa Ana Lionettes open the Western Division playoffs of the Women’s Professional Softball League. Benedetto led the Lionettes this year with a 38-21 record, including a key 3-1 victory over San Jose on Monday which clinched second place in the final standings.

San Jose, which finished with a 10-game lead in the West, will host the first two games of the best of five series on Thursday and Friday. The Lionettes will host the third, and the fourth and fifth games, if necessary, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday in the Santa Ana Bowl. All the games will go nine innings, the games at the Bowl will start at 7 p.m. Tickets for the games at the Bowl are now being sold with reserve tickets for all three games priced at $13.50. Money will be refunded for any game not played.

“We’re starting Benedetto to give her the extra game if necessary,” said Carol Spanks, player-manager for the Lionettes. The pitching rule, which prohibits a pitcher from throwing in two consecutive games, will remain in effect during the playoffs. Spanks will start the Friday game.

The Lionettes won three out of four games over the weekend against San Jose, when they were fighting San Diego and Arizona for second place and the playoff berth. “I’m sure they (the Sunbirds) would have played with more determination if the games meant anything to them,” said Spanks. “But we played good ball in San Jose. We won the games we had to win.”

The Western Division playoff winner will advance to a seven-game World Series against the winner in the East. Connecticut, which finished with the best record in the league, will play Chicago in that series.

Santa Ana Bows in 18 innings

Brenda Gamblin, hitless in her first seven at bats, singled to right with two outs in the 18^th inning to score Cyndi Lillock to give San Jose a 1-0 win over the Santa Ana Lionettes Thursday night.

The two teams collide again tonight in the second game of the best-of-five western divisional playoff of the women’s pro softball league. The series will resume in Santa Ana Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Santa Ana Bowl.

Cathy Benedetto (38-22) suffered the loss after allowing only eight hits in the marathon contest. Bonnie Johnson (26-8) was the victor.

Lionettes Beaten, Tonight in Doubt

San Jose’s Brenda Gamblin doubled, singled and drove in two runs Friday night as the Sunbirds beat Santa Ana’s Lionettes in the Women’s Professional Softball League Western Division Playoffs.

The Sunbirds can earn a three-game sweep in the best of five series tonight with a win at the Santa Ana Bowl. But rain may force a postponement of the game. With the current storm expected to drop four inches of rain on the Southland over the next day, the game may be rained out. A decision to play will be made this morning at 9:30 a.m. at the Lionettes offices.

Gamblin, who drove in the winning run Thursday in a 1-0 decision, doubled home Diane Kalliam in the first inning, then singled in the fifth to score Cyndi Lillock with the winning run.

The only Lionettes run came in the ninth inning. With one out, Debbie Allen singled to center. After an out Penny Higdon singled to move Allen to second. Carol Spanks followed with the third single of the inning to bring home Allen. But centerfielder Kalliam was able to throw behind Higdon at second to get the third out and the victory.

Lionettes Eliminated

San Jose, thanks to an unearned run in the first inning, defeated the Santa Ana Lionettes, 1-0, to win the Western Division playoff series in three straight games.

Diane Kalliam led off the contest by reaching first on an error, a wild pitch, passed ball and wild pitch allowed her to score what proved to be the only run of the game.

Cathy Benedetto, who did not allow a hit for the first five innings, was the hard-luck loser. She ended the game with a five-hitter, striking out nine and not allowing a walk.

Bonnie Johnson, who threw a four-hit shutout, was the victor. She struck out four and walked two.

To read news articles about the 1976 playoffs, see below.