Corona del Mar overwhelmed by T-Wolves
Steve Virgen
Even though the Corona del Mar High softball team was shut out and
used as a steppingstone for Pacific Coast League champion Northwood,
the Sea Kings took solace that they received a second chance
Wednesday. CdM lost to the Timberwolves, 6-0, but the Sea Kings
remained in a tie for third place in the PCL because Calvary Chapel
lost to Tesoro, 5-1.
CdM will face Calvary to decide third place today at 3:15 at a
neutral site to be determined this morning. The winner will gain the
league’s final guaranteed berth into the CIF Southern Section
Division IV playoffs.
The Sea Kings (9-10, 5-5 in league) defeated Calvary Chapel, 6-0,
April 24, and the Eagles (7-14, 5-5) answered back with a 12-5
victory at CdM Monday.
“I’m excited,” CdM co-coach Ed Mejia said after hearing Calvary
Chapel had lost. “We’re going to get them. They owe us because they
beat us on our field. But we have a second chance and we get to prove
ourselves. It’s a big sigh of relief for me. We have a chance to
create our own destiny. I know the girls will be excited.”
The Sea Kings could have earned third place with a victory over
Northwood, but the Timberwolves (20-4, 10-0) also had a lot riding on
the game. Northwood was seeking to close out its fourth straight
undefeated season in league. The T-Wolves did so led by senior
pitcher Allison Lewis, who threw a one-hitter that came with 12
strikeouts and no walks.
CdM senior Alissa Zoelle, who plays on the same club team as
Lewis, broke up the Northwood pitcher’s no-hitter, leading off the
top of the seventh and final inning with a double.
Lewis, as well as Northwood seniors Teresa Leyden, Amanda Garza,
Melissa Ota and Kimiko Ferrante played in their final regular-season
home game. The quintet has been with the varsity team since its
inaugural season and helped lead the Timberwolves to four straight
PCL titles. Leyden, Garza and Ota also play on the same club team,
the Irvine Sting, as Zoelle. Blair Ota, the Sting’s head coach, and
assistant Jim Knapp were at the game.
Zoelle, who usually plays first base with the Irvine Sting,
pitched for CdM Wednesday. The CdM senior bound for Fresno State
scattered six hits and struggled in the third inning when the
Timberwolves scored four runs, after Amanda Smith’s grand slam.
Before Smith’s grand slam, Mejia came out of the dugout to contest
an umpire’s call at third base, after CdM junior Kianna Jaye fielded
a ground ball. She ran to tag third base for the force, but the base
umpire said the Northwood runner was safe. That loaded the bases and
prompted Mejia to come out.
“I didn’t understand,” Mejia said. “They told me if I argued again
I would be out. I don’t get it. But right from the start, the umpires
put us down. They took away the corners from my pitcher and
[Northwood] was getting all the calls.”
CdM nearly defeated Northwood April 29, when the Timberwolves won,
2-0, in 10 innings. Lewis, who will play at Chapman next year,
allowed nine hits in that game, and had the bases loaded in the top
of the ninth. But she allowed only four runners on base Wednesday.
Senior Amy Tyson reached on an error in the first inning. She
stole second and advanced to third after a throwing error. In the
sixth inning, sophomore Heather Lohrman reached on a error after her
well-placed bunt caused problems for Lewis. Senior Melanie Cole also
put the ball in play and induced an error to get on base. But they
were both left stranded.
*--*
Pacific Coast League
Northwood 6, CdM 0
Score by Innings
CdM 000 000 0 -- 0 1 3
N’wood 104 100 x -- 6 6 4
Zoelle and Tyson, Stern (4); Lewis and M.
Ota. W -- Lewis, 19-3. L -- Zoelle, 8-8. 2B
-- Zoelle (CdM). 3B -- E. Ota (N). HR --
Smith (N)
*--*
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