WILMINGTON - It was supposed to be a battle for sole possession of first place in the Crosstown League.

At least that's what it appeared to be.

Well it turned out to be just another ho-hum affair for reigning two-time CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division III champion Port Of Los Angeles High softball.

Facing off against rival Harbor Teacher Prep of Wilmington in a battle between two teams with 6-0 league records was cause for belief to be a classic duel, but it was same old POLA as they knocked out the host Monarchs, 25-0 in five innings at Los Angeles Harbor College in front of a well-attended audience.

And to think nearly a year ago, these two battled it out for the City Section Small Schools title a year ago at UCLA.

The Polar Bears flexed their collective muscles for 19 hits, and three particular players had stellar hitting performances.

Sophomore third baseman Savana Ramirez went 4-for-4 with two doubles, a towering triple and 5 RBIs, with her triple nearly clearing the left field fence by three feet and four inches with a towering boom during a ten-run fifth inning barrage. Junior first baseman Allison Bayer went 4-for-6 with a double and 6 RBIs, scoring four times.

Junior shortstop Kelsea Short went 3-for-4 with 5 RBIs and five runs scored for POLA (16-7 overall, 7-0 league), who were also paced by sophomore pitcher Nicolle Miranda's one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts. Miranda only surrendered a two-out single in the bottom of the third inning to sophomore Morgan Turner, but the Monarchs (8-9, 6-1) weren't able to mount much else.

Junior center fielder Sarah Maldonado went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, sophomore second baseman Rosemary Garcia went 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and a run scored, while sophomore Adriana Vargas belted a pinch-hit RBI-triple in the fifth inning.

This was POLA's second win over Harbor Teacher Prep this season, following up the Polar Bears' 9-0 win in the season opener for both teams at the Redondo Tournament back on February 23.

POLA and Harbor Teacher Prep will go at it again on Wednesday at the San Pedro Girls Softball Association Field.