Flores, West lead locals on all-league team

Senior Josie Flores was named the Pitcher of the Year and junior outfielder Taylor West the MVP of the Orange Coast League by league softball coaches after helping Estancia High win its first league championship in school history.

Three other Eagles (17-8, 8-1 in league) contributing to the success, including making the postseason for the first time in at least 15 years, were named to the first team. Those were senior first baseman Kiele Brown (.400, 29 RBIs, three home runs, four triples), third baseman Lina You (.456, six doubles) and second baseman Taylor Brown (.380, five doubles).

Costa Mesa (11-8, 4-4), which handed cross-town rival Estancia its lone league loss, had four first-team selections. They were junior catcher Emily Pulaski (.561, 29 RBIs, four home runs, eight doubles), freshman pitcher Kira Mitani (9-9, 4.01 earned-run average), senior shortstop Danielle Morton (.493, three homers) and junior third baseman Brienna Ramirez (.362, two homers).

Flores (15-6) led Estancia in practically every pitching category, earned-run average (1.80), strikeouts (94), starts (21) and complete games (18).

The same can be said for West offensively. She hit .573 with 46 RBIs, 10 home runs, seven triples, six doubles and 32 runs scored before the Eagles lost, 3-1, at home to Orange in the first round of CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs.

The second-team picks from Estancia were sophomore shortstop Courtney Ulrich, senior utility player Nicole Amaya, freshman catcher Amy Hartwell and junior left fielder Abby Koff.

Christy Gregory of Costa Mesa also made the second team.

— From staff reports