Softball: Costa Mesa tourney features local teams
It’s still very early in the season, but the Costa Mesa Varsity Softball Tournament offers a good challenge to the host Mustangs, Estancia and Corona del Mar right off the bat.
The 23rd annual tournament begins Saturday, with games at the three fields at TeWinkle Park. Competitors in the 10-team tournament are split into two different pools.
Costa Mesa is in Pool A along with University, Los Amigos, Santa Ana and Laguna Beach. The Eagles and Sea Kings are in Pool B, along with defending tournament champion Ocean View, Beckman and Saddleback.
All teams will have two pool-play games Saturday. Costa Mesa plays against Santa Ana at 11 a.m. at TeWinkle Park, and University at 3 p.m.
The Mustangs are coming off one of their most successful seasons in years, as they finished 5-5 in the Orange Coast League and tied for third before losing a tiebreaker game to rival Estancia. The five wins was the most for Mesa in league since 2011.
Fourth-year Coach Heather Orduna guides Costa Mesa, which is led on the field by senior catcher Anessa Farldow and junior shortstop Brenna Alvis. Both are returning Newport-Mesa Dream Team selections.
Estancia opens its tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday, with a game against Ocean View. The Eagles then play Saddleback at 11 a.m.
Eagles Coach Carrie Lester is also in her fourth season and she returns an experienced team after Estancia tied for third in league and won a CIF Southern Section Division 5 wild-card game at Templeton, before falling at Garden Grove in the first round.
Three of Estancia’s four Dream Team selections return from a year ago, led by senior twins and outfielders Maya and Nefertiti Van Den Heever and senior shortstop Felicia Rios.
Corona del Mar, meanwhile, opens its tournament against Beckman at 11 a.m. Saturday. The Sea Kings then play Ocean View at 1 p.m.
CdM comes into the season with a 70-game Pacific Coast League losing streak, but the Sea Kings did win the Battle of the Bay game last season for the first time in eight years. They will miss two-time Newport-Mesa Player of the Year Sydney McKeown, who is now at Ole Miss, but junior Brooke Franson is a returning Dream Team selection and key player for CdM. Franson hit .552 last season, which was second to only McKeown in the area.
Coach Carly Smith, who also is in her fourth season, guides the Sea Kings.
The tournament continues March 12, with the final pool-play game for each team followed by bracket play. The two pool winners will play each other for the title at 5 p.m. on March 12, at TeWinkle Field No. 2.
