Strike zone a sore subject for Lakewood Firecrackers in PGF exit

Before the tournament got underway, many a coach emphasized the importance of staving off the loser’s bracket for as long as possible.

The primary point that they were making was that life in the loser’s bracket makes for long days.

After dropping their first game on Wednesday morning, the Lakewood Firecrackers were hopeful that they were in store for one of those marathon adventures.

It would have taken four victories on Thursday for Lakewood to make it to the 18U Platinum final of the Premier Girls Fastpitch Nationals. Like many clubs with local connections before them, the Firecrackers faced a heartbreaking conclusion to their season.

The Cal Thunder scored the tying and winning runs on bases-loaded walks in the bottom of the sixth, as the Lakewood Firecrackers were defeated, 7-6, at Fountain Valley Sports Park.

Nothing seemed to go right for Lakewood FC in the sixth. They were set down in order in the top half of the inning. Taylor Tetone led off the Thunder half of the frame with a double off of Alex Loomis (Edison High).

With the tying run in scoring position, the Firecrackers opted to bring in Holly Stoner, who had thrown a complete-game shutout with nine strikeouts in the first game of the day. After a sacrifice bunt, she induced two ground balls, but both went for infield singles.

The runner at third failed to advance on either play, bringing up Megan Jones with the bases full. She wound up walking on a close full-count pitch on the inside part of the plate.

Mikayla Rubin was the next to bat with the score tied. Stoner locked in, delivering several tough pitches that were spoiled. Rubin walked on the 11th pitch of the at-bat. The fastball was called outside, sparking outrage from the entire Lakewood FC coaching staff.

Firecrackers coach Ben Pasco was ejected for arguing balls and strikes. His assistants waited until after the game to give vivid demonstrations of their interpretation of the strike zone.

“Obviously, I’m not very happy about it,” catcher and Fountain Valley alum Madeline Domingo said. “The blue’s call, he says and it goes, so there is nothing that we can do about it, but Holly was hitting her spots.

“We were doing everything that we can. There is nothing more that you can ask from her.”

Stoner spoke on the difference between being prepared to come into the game as a starter and the limited warm-up pitches that she had before coming in as a reliever.

“It was tough,” she said. “I ran out to warm up, but we didn’t have enough time, so I just went straight in. I could trust my defense, but calls didn’t go our way, and there is nothing that we can do about it.”

The odds for the Firecrackers to continue playing softball into Thursday afternoon appeared to be high following a big first inning. Isela Casillas, Alana Alvarez, and Karrington Houshmandzadeh all got hits in front of a grand slam by Kourtney Ponce. Lakewood FC had a 5-0 lead before taking the field.

“I was fortunate enough to get a good pitch to hit and take care of what I needed to do,” Ponce said. “I knew that it was going to be a long game. It was the first inning, and you have to play a full seven like it’s a 0-0 ballgame the whole time.”

Aly Manhart recorded just two outs as the Lakewood FC starter. Marina’s Julia Carreon recorded the last out of the first. She pitched a scoreless second, but a bases-loaded triple by Jocelyn Baldon tied the game, 5-5, in the third.

Lakewood FC retook the lead, 6-5, in the fourth. Anna Carreon led off the inning with a ground-rule double, and a two-out single by Alvarez broke the tie.

The first game between Lakewood FC and the Monarchs featured a handful of locals. Domingo (University of Pacific) opposed her former Barons teammates in the Sheppard sisters, Delaney and JJ. Huntington Beach outfielder Chance Burden (Oregon State) and Corona del Mar shortstop Brooke Franson (Manhattanville College) were also on the Firecrackers, who won the game, 6-0.

Casillas had three hits, and Anna Carreon went two for three with an RBI against the Monarchs.

“These girls are such an amazing group of athletes, personalities, and whole-hearted people,” Domingo said of her time with Lakewood FC. “I’m so happy to call each of them my teammate and my friend. Being on this team has probably been the best year of travel ball that I have ever had.”

Andrew.Turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner