Northwood celebrates first CIF championship with decisive victory over Grace

Northwood Timberwolves celebrate after winning the CIF crown Saturday. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Northwood’s first trip to the CIF softball finals turned out to be a very special one.

The Timberwolves broke open a close game with eight runs in the fifth inning and rolled to an 11-1 victory over Grace in the CIF Division 5 championship game Saturday morning at Deanna Manning Stadium.

Second seeded Northwood (15-7-1) banged out 11 hits in support of starting pitcher Oliva Chen, who went the distance, allowing two hits and striking out three.

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“It was our typical fashion,” said Northwood’s first-year coach Maddy Grimm. “We put up eight runs in the one inning so our bats came alive and {Olivia} held it down wonderfully in the circle. It’s always helpful when the other team is only putting up one run and I think our defense stayed sound.

“I told the girls in the beginning as long as we hit and play clean defense, we can come out as champions. I think they came in with a really good mindset. I told them these are bonus games that they earned throughout the season. Just relax, play softball. It could feel like a bigger stage. There may have been a little bit of anxiousness when we were down the one run, for myself included but I think we settled down pretty well.”

Northwood was led by shortstop Natalie Keith, who scored three runs, had an RBI double and fielded her position flawlessly.

“It was super fun, it was close at the beginning and we were ready for a good match-up but then we kind of broke it open in that one inning,” said Keith. “We started getting comfortable and it was easy going from there.”

It was a memorable way to end the career for Keith, who was also on Northwood’s CIF flag football championship her junior year.

“I just think it’s important to talk about Northwood athletics,” said Keith, who is headed to University of Arizona on a softball scholarship. “I think they’re on the rise and having two championships promotes women’s sports and I love it.”

Catcher Marissa Lee and left fielder Jessie Wendt were also on the flag football championship team.

Grace (15-10-1) took an early 1-0 lead in the third inning. Hayley Barstad singled, was sacrificed to second base by Isabella Coca and scored on an RBI single by Grace Maguire.

But Northwood moved ahead 2-1 with two runs in the fourth inning. Skyler Bajorek singled and Keith doubled to right center field. When the center fielder bobbled the ball Bajorek scored and Keith went to third base. Keith got an RBI.

“I was just looking for a good pitch to hit and drive it into the gap and string along some base hits, I wasn’t really trying to do too much. I just wanted to get a rally started and that’s what happened,” Keith said.

With two outs, Chen was hit by a pitch and Kiana Park singled to drive in Keith to put the Timberwolves ahead 2-1.

Then Northwood batted around in the fifth inning, scoring eight runs. Katerinna Rizos, who struck out in her first two at bats, had the big hit, a booming bases clearing double.

“I was just thinking simple base hit because I needed to redeem myself after my last two at bats,” Rizos said. “So fun fact, my coach always tells me to sing a song before I’m up to bat. So she told me, ‘Kat, make sure and sing your song.'”

Rizos sang a song by Olivia Rodrigo and the plan worked.

“When I go up to bat, I’m singing my song and that first pitch was just perfect and I hit a nice line drive to score everyone,” she said. “It’s a great feeling, I love that everyone came out to watch and support us.”

Chen also had an RBI double in the inning and left fielder Kaylee Jones had her second bunt single of the game in the inning and also had a two-run double later in the inning, going 3 for 3 with two RBI.

Northwood added another run in the sixth inning. Keith walked and Rizos was hit by a pitch. Wendt drove in Keith with a sacrifice fly.

Then Chen finished strong in the circle, retiring the last six batters of the game.

“I was just trying my best to throw strikes,” said Chen, a freshman. “Our team did a really great job stringing hits together. I tried to contribute my part by pitching strikes and spinning the heck out of the ball in the zone.

“This is a great group of girls, I’m very happy I got to be with them this year. I’m very happy I got to experience it and we made the most of it and I’m glad we did.”

Grimm said before the game that Northwood decided to opt out of the CIF So Cal Regional tournament, but the Timberwolves were able were proud they were able to end up as CIF champions in their first final in school history.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com