Prep softball: Breaking new ground

Barry Faulkner

Coaches and media began studying the CIF Southern Section Division

IV softball playoff pairings as soon as they were released Monday.

But, for the players at Corona del Mar High, passengers on the first

postseason voyage in school history, the playoff road map may as well be

hieroglyphics.

“This is all new to us,” CdM Coach Terry Christiano said. “We’re

excited, but the girls don’t know what to expect. We’re playing Workman,

which I know nothing about. As far as the girls are concerned, we may as

well be playing East Arm Pit, Ohio.”

The Sea Kings (14-10) will visit the City of Industry to square off

against the Montview League champion Lobos (17-3-2) Friday at 3:15 p.m.

Joining the Pacific Coast League runners-up in the Division IV draw

will be Costa Mesa (12-10).

Coach Rick Buonarigo’s Mustangs, who finished third in the PCL, host

Bishop Montgomery in a wild-card game Wednesday at 3:15.

If victorious, Mesa would advance to a first-round date Friday at No.

4-seeded El Segundo (17-6-1).

Costa Mesa is a little more familiar with the postseason routine,

having made the playoffs last year. Mesa, with Buonarigo at the helm,

also enjoyed a string of three straight playoff appearances from 1993-95.

But all four of those playoff experiences ended with an opening defeat.

CdM, on a three-game winning streak, including an 8-2 triumph over

Costa Mesa to earn a split in the intradistrict rivals’ two-game season

series, is led by returning All-Newport-Mesa District performers Alissa

Zoelle, Mijanou Pham, Meaghan Bunney, Amy Tyson, Lauren Loe and Casey

Bunney.

Zoelle, a sophomore, is hitting .528 and is 10-5 in the pitching

circle.

Pham, a senior shortstop, is hitting .420 with 19 runs and eight RBIs,

while Loe, a sophomore, is batting .372 with eight RBIs.

Meaghan Bunney hits cleanup, while Tyson orchestrates the defense from

behind the plate.

Chaminade (16-8-1) is the top seed, followed by No. 2 La Canada

(22-2-1) and No. 3 Morro Bay (22-2).