Sports
Diablos Hold Off Mustangs to Win Share of League Title
Mission Viejo jumps to early lead, then relies on defense to thwart Trabuco Hills, 6-3, and win a share of the Sea View League championship with Tesoro.
Mission Viejo's softball team came up with key defensive plays to thwart Trabuco Hills, 6-3, and capture a share of the South Coast League softball title on Wednesday at Mission Viejo High.
The Diablos finish the season at 5-3 in league and will be co-champions with Tesoro, which defeated El Toro, 5-3 on Tuesday, to also finish 5-3. The Titans will be considered the No. 1 team in terms of CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoff seeding, having won both meetings with the Diablos this season. Trabuco Hills fell into a tie with Laguna Hills, both at 4-4, and the two will play a tie-breaker on Friday to determine the league's third-place finisher and automatic playoff qualifier.
Mission Viejo jumped to a 4-0 lead in the second inning on a rally that started with a one-out double by senior pitcher Amanda Fernandez. After senior first baseman Alison Mckibbon was hit by a pitch, the Diablos strung together three consecutive singles to score four runs. Senior third baseman Nikki Byron and freshman outfielder Ashley Clark-Johnson each had an RBI single. Freshman outfielder Alysha Everett then chopped a single over the pitcher and into center field to drive in two runs.
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“The kids worked hard and they executed today,” Mission Viejo coach Troy Ybarra said.
The Mustangs were able to get a run back in the top of the third after sophomore pitcher Cassidy Gustafson led off with a triple and scored on a bunt by freshman catcher Lauren Hartmon. Gustafson was three for four with an RBI and run scored.
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In the fourth inning the Mustangs cut their deficit to 4-3, on an RBI double by Gustafson and RBI single by Hartmon. But the Diablos answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth to retake a three-run lead. Freshman designated player Shianne Ybarra had an RBI double and junior second baseman Lauren Byrne followed with an RBI single.
The Mustangs had rallies in the sixth and seventh inning, but could not push any more runs across. In the top of the seventh, the Mustangs got one-out singles from junior second baseman Ashlee Cato and senior center fielder Alex Chattleton. After junior shortstop Janelle Gusiff snagged a line drive for the second out, Mustang sophomore outfielder Madison Purnell singled to right field. But Clark-Johnson came up with the ball and threw home to get the runner trying to score for the final out.
The South Coast League was a wild race with the Mustangs winning both games against Tesoro, but losing both meetings with Mission Viejo. The Diablos lost two to Tesoro and just one game separated the top four teams.
“Today we just didn’t have it, left too many base runners on, too many missed opportunities,” Trabuco Hills coach Erin Webber said.