Notre

Freshman pitcher Ainsley Jenkins is a big reason Sherman Oaks Notre Dame has advanced to the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals in softball. In the Knights’ first two playoff victories over Anaheim Canyon and Oaks Christian, she has been called out of the bullpen to pitch exceptionally well in relief.

Next up is a quarterfinal showdown with No. 2-seeded Norco on Wednesday at Encino’s Franklin Fields.

If Jenkins needs any help with writing for school work, she has two parents with distinguished writing backgrounds. Her father, Lee, was a highly regarded reporter at Sports Illustrated before becoming an executive with the Clippers. Her mother, Elizabeth, is a magazine writer.

Notre Dame is expected to face Norco’s top one-two pitching duo of Coral Williams and Peyton May. Jenkins will be available if needed. Mom and Dad are also available to write up a pleasing ending if the Knights pull off the upset.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Lachlan Clark, a senior backup pitcher for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, wanted the ball so badly Friday against No. 1 Norco that he posted video from his Sherman Oaks Little League days, saying, “Bring it on.”

He more than lived up to the hype, throwing a four-hit shutout with seven strikeouts and zero walks in a 4-0 victory that advances the Knights to next Friday’s Southern Section Division 1 baseball quarterfinals. Notre Dame went 2-0 in Pool A. Norco must win Tuesday against Ayala to avoid elimination. The top two finishers in each pool advance.

Clark, who recently committed to Long Beach State, had been waiting for his turn in the spotlight. The last time he got a chance to shine was in the National Classic when he pitched 6⅔ innings against De La Salle and struck out 10. He thrives under pressure. An injury to Beckett Berg has made him the No. 2 pitcher for the rest of the season.

He was supported by Jacob Madrid, Notre Dame’s catcher who hit his 12th home run. After the game, 10 players went with co-coach Tom Dill to grad night at Magic Mountain.

St. John Bosco 4, Sierra Canyon 3: The Braves won their pool to advance to the Division 1 quarterfinals. A passed ball broke a 3-3 tie in the sixth inning. Noah Everly had two RBIs. Troy Sibolboro came through with 3⅔ innings of scoreless relief. Carl McMullan had two hits and two RBIs for Sierra Canyon, which will play in an elimination game Tuesday against Cypress.

La Mirada 9, Temecula Valley 2: Ian Aguayo hit a two-run home run during a six-run fourth inning for La Mirada, which next plays Huntington Beach.

Cypress 8, Oaks Christian 2: Noah Johnson had three hits to propel Cypress into an elimination game against Sierra Canyon on Tuesday. Tate Belfanti struck out eight in four innings.

Harvard-Westlake 6, Huntington Beach 5: Jake Chung escaped a bases loaded situation in the bottom of the sixth to help the Wolverines win Pool B at 2-0. James Tronstein went three for three, hitting his 10th home run. Jake Kim hit a key two-run home run.

Orange Lutheran 9, Corona 6: The Lancers won Pool D, rallying from a 5-2 deficit. Brady Murrietta hit three home runs and finished with six RBIs.

Ayala 7, Maranatha 6: A Jonah Boyd single in the seventh broke a 6-6 tie and kept Ayala alive in the Division 1 playoffs. Elijah Duarte had two hits and two RBIs.

Corona Santiago 8, Etiwanda 4: Troy Randall had two hits and two RBIs, Max Eldridge homered and Charlie Lemons finished with three hits for Santiago, which will play league rival Corona on Tuesday in an elimination game.

Arcadia 3, Simi Valley 2: Matt Manzo had a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh for Arcadia in the Division 3 game. Simi Valley lost a home run after Arcadia protested over a lineup error.

St. Francis 4, Crescenta Valley 2: Danny Izaguirre hit a two-run home run, Jake Smith had three hits and two RBIs and Caysen Sullivan threw a complete game as another Mission League team advanced. All seven entrants have won at least one playoff game.

Palos Verdes 7, Pacifica Christian 1: Franco Correa had four RBIs and Kai Van Scoyoc struck out eight in six innings.

Edison 5, Damien 1: Noah Hunter struck out 11 and gave up two hits.

Agoura 4, Oakwood 0: Donovan Anthony struck out 15 with one walk and Tyler Starling and Colton Mellinger homered for Agoura.

Softball

Cypress 4, Fullerton 2: Chach Stamper threw a five-hitter to help the Centurions upset No. 3-seeded Fullerton in the Division 1 playoffs.

Norco 2, Marina 1: The No. 2-seeded Cougars survived on a walk-off single by Leighton Gray in the seventh. Marina offered its expected tough challenge with pitcher Mia Valbuena. Peyton May and Coral Williams combined for 11 strikeouts for Norco.

As Kelsey Luderer rounded third base and headed home Thursday after hitting a game-tying home run that ignited Sherman Oaks Notre Dame to a 6-3 Division 1 softball playoff win over Anaheim Canyon, she was greeted by every teammate at the plate. They engulfed her in a sea of white, screaming, yelling and patting her head.

Looking on with pride was Brian Luderer, her father and Notre Dame assistant coach. Every moment he’s at a game or practice, it serves as a positive distraction from thinking about the fight his brother, Matt, the athletic director at St. Francis, has been enduring. For more than a year, Matt has been battling an uncureable brain cancer, glioblastoma.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame assistant coach Brian Luderer with his daughter, Kelsey.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

It’s hard for Brian to talk about his brother without crying. “These girls give me what I need,” he said. “They’re like my family. The more we can win, the better for me. I’m proud he’s been fighting his butt off.”

Three weeks ago, Matt suffered a relapse. The many Luderer family members (Brian has four children and Matt has six daughters) have united to keep the faith. And softball is their place for a moment away from life’s challenges.

“This is kind of our happy place, a good place to get away,” Kelsey said.

Haley Maldonado had a three-hit day for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

(Craig Weston / For The Times)

The Knights fell behind 3-0 after Canyon’s Mia Saenz hit a two-run home run and added another run on an error. The hitters started forcing Canyon pitcher Kelsey Perez to work extra hard, producing multiple three-and-two counts. Sophomore Haley Maldonado, who finished with three hits, contributed an RBI double in the second. But it wasn’t until Luderer’s home run to left field in the fourth that the Knights were set free, leading to a three-run inning and a comeback victory.

Brian and Notre Dame head coach Justin Siegel are best friends and former minor league baseball players who turned to softball when they had daughters. Brian has sophomore twins Kelsey and Keira in starring roles. In four years, they’ve built the Knights (22-3) into a Division 1 title contender. Next up is Marmonte League champion Oaks Christian on Saturday.

Every softball win brings a moment of peace to the Luderer family.

Oaks Christian 8, Chaminade 1: Sophia Debs struck out 13 and hit a home run for the Lions.

Murrieta Mesa 10, Valley View 0: Lilly Hauser had three hits and struck out 11 in a six-inning mercy rule win.

La Mirada 4, Los Alamitos 2: Alison Ortega struck out 10 for La Mirada.

JSerra 3, Yucaipa 2: Liliana Escobar struck out nine and walked one for JSerra.

Mater Dei 11, Foothill 3: Danica Lancellotti had a two-run double and finished with three hits for Mater Dei.

The Southern Section will hold its four track and field prelims on Saturday at four high schools, but lots of focus will take place at the Division 3 meet at Yorba Linda.

Servite, with its outstanding sprinters, and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, with sprinters, hurdlers and shotputters, will be trying to qualify their best athletes in preparation to battle it out at the Southern Section championships on May 16 at Moorpark High.

“We’re trying to qualify but also build upon all our races,” Servite coach Brandon Thomas said.

Servite looks finally healthy. Robert Gardner, a sprinter who was hurt all season, ran 10.87 seconds last week in the 100 meters in his comeback race. He’ll be one of four Servite athletes trying to qualify in the 100. Another previously injured athlete, Jaelen Hunter, has also returned and will be in the 400.

Notre Dame’s Brayden Borquez recovered from his spill at the Arcadia Invitational to win the 110 hurdles last week at the Mission League finals. JJ Harel, the defending state champion in the high jump, is also gearing up to score points in the long jump and triple jump.

Outside Yorba Linda, opponents of transgender track athlete AB Hernandez competing for Jurupa Valley are planning to hold a news conference to protest her participation.

Other finals will be held at Trabuco Hills (Division 1), Ontario (Division 2) and Carpinteria (Division 4).

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.