ANAHEIM — Four of the top eight teams in Calhisports.com’s state softball rankings were victims of early-round upsets at the Michelle Carew Classic.
Huntington Beach (No. 8) dropped its opener, and more shakeups happened after Garden Pacifica Pacifica (No. 1), Orange Lutheran (No. 5) and Los Alamitos (No. 7) all lost their second game at the prestigious tournament. Norco (No. 3) could have joined that group, but the Cougars erased a 4-1 deficit and rallied for a 7-4 victory over Gahr in its opening-round game. And Norco never let go of the momentum.
A two-run single by senior center fielder Kaley Cook with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning lifted the Cougars to 4-2 win over El Modena in what turned out to be 1 of 2 championship games Friday night at Peralta Canyon Park. Rain washed out the final day of the tournament, so co-champs were declared. Mountain View St. Francis (No. 2 in the state) also avoided upsets to claim a share of the title.
After the win over Gahr, Norco continued to advance with victories over Great Oak (10-2 in five innings) and Sheldon of Eugene, Oregon (5-1).
Norco (16-3) returned only four starters from a squad that advanced to last season’s CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship game. This year’s roster is comprised of four seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and nine freshmen. With so many new faces in the program, Cougars coach Rick Robinson expected some mixed results early, but the highs certainly have outweighed the lows at this point of the season. Norco also reached the final of the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions and have opened Big VIII League play with four consecutive wins.
“It has been working pretty well,” Robinson said about the mix of veterans and youngsters. “We’re seeing a real team effort out there.”
Norco’s returning starters also are the top four hitters in the lineup: junior left fielder Tamryn Shorter; Cook; junior right fielder Dakota Potter; and senior shortstop Maddy Aguilera. The quarter went a combined 23 for 48 with 13 runs and 14 RBIs at the Carew Classic. Shorter was selected the tournament’s Most Valuable Player after going 8 for 13 at the plate. Cook also received all-tournament honors.
The third all-tournament selection was freshman pitcher Coral Williams, who picked up two wins and a save while posting a 1.02 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings. Williams worked out of multiple jams against El Modena, and both of the runs she allowed were unearned.
“The only thing I could do is stay calm and trust my teammates,” Williams said. “I knew that if I kept working, we’d came out on top.”
El Modena’s leadoff batter reached base in each of the first five innings, but the Vanguards stranded seven runners on the base paths.
“It’s surprising to see that kind of composure from a freshman,” Robinson said of Williams. “But it’s starting to be routine for her.”
El Modena pitcher Sara Pinedo retired the first two batters in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Ashley Duran, Sasha Pham and Shorter all singled to load the bases. Cook made it four straight singles when she lined a 1-1 pitch to center to bring home the decisive runs.
“I felt pretty confident up there,” Cook said of her final at-bat. “(Pinedo) was keeping the ball down, so that’s where I was looking.”
Norco previously won the outright championship at the Michelle Carew Classic in 2009, 2011, 2017 and 2019. It’s the fifth Carew Classic title for Robinson, who also guided Centennial to the championship in 1995.
CHINO HILLS DELIVERS DEFENSIVE GEM
Chino Hills dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker to Marina via the international tiebreaker on Wednesday, but the Huskies bounced back with consecutive victories over Sheldon, Gahr and Fullerton. Chino Hills (9-8) also delivered the defensive play of this year’s tournament in that game against Sheldon.
The Huskies were clinging to 2-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, but Sheldon had the bases loaded with no outs. Kaylee Waller lined out to left fielder Sophia Tice, who fired the ball to the plate and threw out the runner attempting to tag up and score the tying run. Catcher Emma Hoffmeyer then completed a triple play when she popped up and threw out a runner trying to advance to second base on the throw home.
Lianna Ferrera knocked in six runs for the Huskies during the tournament. Laci Trevino went 2-1 in the pitcher’s circle, did not allowed an earned run in 18 innings of work and recorded 21 strikeouts.
OTHER INLAND HIGHLIGHTS
— Vista Murrieta had an impressive showing despite walking away with a 1-3 record. The Broncos (8-7) pulled off one of the upsets by beating Orange Lutheran 5-1. Laura Kersey (five innings) and Vanessa Hawks (two innings) combined on a six-hitter. Vista Murrieta’s losses to Rio Mesa, Canyon and Mission Viejo were by a combined four runs. Nadia Rountree homered in the 6-4 loss to Canyon and finished the tournament with four RBIs.
— Roosevelt gave Saint Francis a battle in the second round before falling 2-0. Priscilla Llamas went the distance inside the circle for the Mustangs (8-8), scattering seven hits while striking out four. Llamas and Katie Ruffer both homered in the first-round victory over Las Vegas Centennial. Jasmine Chavez allowed two earned run and struck out 19 in her 12 innings of work.
— Like Roosevelt, Beaumont also went 1-2 at this year’s tournament, but Cambria Salmon registered 34 strikeouts in 17 innings to finish among the tournament’s strikeout leaders. Salmon tossed a two-hitter with 16 strikeouts in a 2-0 win over Santiago.
