CdM too hot to handle
COSTA MESA — Corona del Mar High senior Lindsey Susolik hit a bomb to deep right-center field Tuesday, missing a home run by a matter of feet.
Two batters later, CdM junior Taryn Maister connected on a two-run homer to left-center.
The two girls play catcher for the Sea Kings. They showed that they can make first-year coach Kiki Muñoz, a second-team All-American catcher at Cal State Fullerton in 2008, proud with their power.
“It’s nerve-wracking being back there [at catcher],” Maister said, smiling, after the game. “It’s like, ‘Kiki’s watching, Kiki’s watching!’”
Muñoz saw some great things from the Sea Kings in their opening game of the La Quinta Aztec Challenge. They poured it on late, overpowering host Costa Mesa, 18-3, in a four-inning game at Costa Mesa High.
The blasts by Susolik and Maister were part of a 12-run fourth inning for CdM (5-4). The Sea Kings brought 16 batters to the plate.
“The girls finally made the adjustment, and I’m glad they did it,” Muñoz said. “The first couple of innings, they were way ahead of the pitcher. We were working on timing, working on just getting the contact. Nothing big, but you get that momentum going and it’s hard to stop, when everyone’s on the boat with you.”
Everyone at CdM appears to be on the boat with Muñoz. The Sea Kings are talented, and they even have depth this year. Susolik, a Newport-Mesa Dream Team catcher last year, played shortstop on Tuesday. CdM is flexible because of the addition of Maister, a transfer from Tarbut V’Torah.
The Sea Kings are also deeper on the mound. Sophomore Mylie Wilson, a transfer from University, got the win against Costa Mesa. She allowed one earned run in four innings, improving to 2-1. But CdM also has senior Delaney Owen, sophomore Amanda Penna and freshman Sydney McKeown as able pitchers as well.
“They all throw a little bit different,” Muñoz said. “It’s nice that we can have two girls maybe throw one game and kind of have a baseball approach. We have a starter and a finisher. I mean, it’s not guaranteed, but we’ve been trying to work it and it’s definitely been working for us.”
Susolik (three for four with four runs batted in) and Maister (two for three with four RBIs) provided much of CdM’s firepower. Owen was three for four with an RBI, and Wilson was two for two with three RBIs.
Senior right fielder Nicolette Stefanello (two for four with four runs scored) and sophomore second baseman Kate Thompson (two for four with three runs scored) also starred offensively for CdM. The Sea Kings were even successful off the bench, as sophomores Annie Sperr and Rachel Schonwit each had RBI singles.
“It feels so amazing,” Susolik said. “In the past years we haven’t been as strong as we are now, and we worked really hard in the off-season. I feel like this just solidifies how hard we’ve worked. When you put effort into it, you get these great results.”
Corona del Mar took advantage of an opportunity in the top of the second inning. With two outs, Penna hit a grounder to shortstop, and the throw pulled the Costa Mesa first baseman off the bag. Penna was originally called out, but CdM appealed the call and she was safe. Wilson scored on the play and Stefanello later scored on a wild pitch, building what was then a 4-2 lead.
It was tough to watch for Mustangs first-year Coach J.P. Hamilton, who watched his team commit six errors while dropping to 0-7. Molly Settles, Nicky Delgado, Alofa Skipps and Nisha Degante had hits for Mesa. Delgado went the distance on the mound for the Mustangs, throwing well before the Sea Kings put together their huge fourth inning.
Hamilton said Delgado, a junior, didn’t come out for softball until right before the season because she was on the basketball team.
“We didn’t actually get started until January, so we’re just way behind,” Hamilton said. “We look really good in practice. When we get to the game, things start to snowball a little bit. We’re just trying to find our identity, where we can kind of stop that and move forward. We seem to have one of those innings about once a game. We just haven’t made it over that hump yet.”
CdM, which graduated no seniors from last year’s team, appears to be clearing that hump this year. The Sea Kings play host to La Quinta in another tournament pool-play game Thursday, and they’ve already beaten the Aztecs, 16-8, last week in the Costa Mesa tournament. If the Sea Kings can beat La Quinta as well as Westminster on Tuesday, they’ll clinch a spot in the championship game March 23.
Pacific Coast League play begins April 3 against Northwood. CdM has not won a league game in four years, and the girls are well aware of that fact.
“I feel like we definitely will win at least one this year,” Susolik said.
Twitter: @mjszabo
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La Quinta Aztec Challenge
Corona del Mar 18, Costa Mesa 3 (four innings)
SCORE BY INNING
CdM 132 (12) – 18 16 2
CMHS 201 0 – 3 4 6
Wilson and Maister; Delgado and Skipps. W – Wilson, 2-1. L – Delgado. 2B – Susolik (CdM), Wilson (CdM). HR – Maister (CdM).
