Mesa wins first league crown

Costa Mesa High scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to

pull away and defeat Golden West League visitor Saddleback, 4-2,

Wednesday and claim the program’s first league championship.

A loss could have dropped the Mustangs (17-10, 9-3 in league) into

a three-way tie with Saddleback and Westminster, but a booming single

off the fence by Oregon-bound senior shortstop Ann Marie Topps scored

Jennifer Jordan all the way from first to break a 2-2 tie in the

fifth.

Mesa added an insurance run in the sixth, when Uyen Mai reached on

a dropped third strike, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, stole

third and scored on an error.

Junior Jane-E Yamamoto was also key for the Mustangs. She came on

in relief with the bases loaded and one out in the first and allowed

only one run to score. Yamamoto did not give up an earned run in 6

2/3 innings and surrendered just three hits to improve to 6-3.

The final out sparked an emotional celebration, Mesa Coach Rick

Buonarigo said.

“The girls dog-piled in the middle of the pitching circle,” he

said. “We’ve come close to a league title, finishing second twice.

But this is the first time we’ve won it.”

The Mustangs are almost assured of a home game in the first round

of the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs, for which pairings

will be announced Monday.

Saddleback finished 7-5 in league.

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Golden West League

Costa Mesa 4, Saddleback 2

Score by Innings

S’back 100 010 0 -- 2 4 4

Mesa 002 011 x -- 4 5 2

Fernandez and Ramirez; Butler, Yamamoto (1)

and Miller. W -- Yamamoto, 6-3. L --

Fernandez. 2B -- Ramirez (S), Miller (CM)

*--*