Michelle Tolfa

Steve Virgen

When Michelle Tolfa was in the circle for Corona del Mar High against

Santa Margarita, she was definitely in her element.

Tolfa seemed to be tailor-made for the championship game of the

Garden Grove tournament Saturday. If it’s true that winners are born

in pressure situations and champions are created in the clutch, then

Tolfa is certainly on her way to fulfilling those roles for the Sea

Kings. She seems to be in a league of her own when it comes to

softball.

“I like being the pitcher and I like having all the pressure,”

Tolfa said. “I like that softball is a team sport. I don’t like

playing non-team sports.”

Tolfa delivered when Corona del Mar needed her most against the

Eagles. She tossed a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts and two

walks, leading the Sea Kings to a 2-0 win over Santa Margarita in the

title game.

At the plate, Tolfa also provided a key RBI single, helping Corona

del Mar win its first tournament championship in recent memory.

Fittingly, Tolfa was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

“She’s very tough, very mentally tough,” Corona del Mar Coach

Nichole Thompson said. “She’s a fighter.”

Tolfa, the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, displayed that fight

when she got out of a jam in the sixth inning, protecting the 2-0

lead.

With runners on second and third and two outs, Tolfa pitched two

straight strikes and induced an infield pop-up. She then retired the

side in order in the seventh to end the game.

The victory, and her performance, provided a glimpse of what

Corona del Mar should expect from the pitching sensation.

“She has a bright future in pitching,” said Thompson, a former

U.S. national team member. “She works hard at fixing her mistakes and

making adjustments. She was in control against Santa Margarita.”

Thompson also added Tolfa and senior catcher Sarah Stern have been

calling their own pitches and have had positive results. That was

evident against the Eagles.

Tolfa’s consistency and Stern’s stability helped produce the

victory over Santa Margarita, which excited Corona del Mar. Thompson

said it was the Sea Kings’ biggest win of the season and Tolfa

agreed.

“It felt pretty good,” Tolfa said. “That was against a good team.

It was certainly an accomplishment.”

Winning big games is apparently common for Tolfa, who has been

playing travel ball for the past five years. She helped lead the

14-and-under USA Athletics, who feature players from Southern

California, to victories in the semifinals and final of a 44-team

Thanksgiving tournament in November.

She has acquired a passion for competition while playing for the

USA Athletics, coached by Jim Trott. And with that, Tolfa has set

goals. She wants to continue to strive to win and play throughout her

high school years with the intent of earning a college scholarship.

But first things first. She is trying to help create a winning

softball tradition at Corona del Mar.

She showed that Saturday, as well as the weekend before, when she

recorded her first no-hitter. She fanned 13, striking out the side in

the first, second and fourth innings, while walking two in the Sea

Kings’ 16-0 win over Connelly in the first round of the Garden Grove

tournament April 24.