Players from the Trinity-PCL game are introduced Wednesday night before the second game of the Orange County Coaches All-Star Classic at Deanna Manning Stadium. (PHOTOS: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
A number of Orange County high school softball standouts capped their memorable careers with strong efforts Wednesday night in the second game of the OC Coaches All-Star Softball Classic at Deanna Manning Stadium.
Players from the Trinity and Pacific Coast Leagues defeated a team of all-stars from the Empire, Freeway, Sea View, Olympic, and Grove leagues 6-2 in the six inning game sponsored by Premier Girls Fastpitch.
To see the slide show, click on the first photo:
The Trinity-PCL team scored three runs in the third inning to break a 2-2 tie and then counted on the pitching of Carson Cruz from University to notch the win.
Cruz pitched three scoreless innings and was also 2 for 2 with a bases loaded single in the second inning.
“Coming out here just hoping to have some fun and get some more at bats and get some more playing time and be with some people who I haven’t played with since rec ball, it was really nice to get to play with a lot of my old teammates from travel too,” said Cruz, who led Uni to the CIF Division 6 title in 2025, the first for the program. “It was a good day.”
In the second inning, Morgan Fitpatrick (Orange Lutheran) doubled and Natalie Keith (Northwood) singled however Fitzpatrick was thrown out at home. Cate Medvitz (Orange Lutheran) walked, Katie Liu (Irvine) was hit by a pitch and Cruz followed with a key single to put the Trinity-PCL team up 2-0.
“Going up there as a slapper, {she thought} just get the ball through the infield, that’s your job,” said Cruz, who has committed to play softball for Babson College in Massachussetts.
Cruz allowed three hits and walked one in three innings and was helped by two double plays. Liliana Escobar, who led JSerra to the CIF Division 1 championship at the same stadium, pitched the first three innings striking out five.
“I knew I had great people behind me, I had such a strong defense, I just wanted to give them the best opportunities so they could make their great plays too,” Cruz said.
In the third inning, Soleil Luna (Fullerton) belted a home run well over the left field fence with one out to cut the lead to 2-1. Luna also singled in the fifth inning and was a pinch-runner a couple other times.
“We were down 2-0, our pitchers were dealing up there, all I could do was have her back, I saw my pitch and I just went for it,” said Luna, who will play for UNLV next season.
Holly Yerkish (Brea Olinda) followed with a double and Elizabeth Nunez (Valencia) had an RBI single to make it 2-2.
But in the bottom of the inning, Peyton Stowasser (Santa Margarita) reached on an error and advanced to second base on a groundout.
Camryn Legeny (Santa Margarita) followed with an RBI single, Carlyn Snyder (Orange Lutheran) had an RBI double and Fitzpatrick, who was 2 for 2, followed with an RBI single to put the Trinity League-PCL up 5-2.
In the fourth inning, Clarissa Stayrook (Santa Margarita) doubled with one out and scored on an RBI single by Liu to make it 6-2.
Besides Liu, players from two 2026 Irvine CIF championship teams who took place in the game included Harper Vandermolen (Irvine), and Marissa Lee and Keith (Northwood).
“It was super fun getting to play with all these girls, I know some of them from travel ball, it was fun getting to play with them in a high school uniform,” said Keith, who led Northwood to the CIF Division 5 championship a couple weeks earlier in the same stadium.
“I’m super excited just for this next chapter (at University of Arizona) in my athletic journey, just going off to college but it’s been super fun playing high school and meeting all these girls. I’m grateful for it.”
The team representing the Empire, Freeway, Sea View, Olympic, and Grove leagues held its own despite having a small roster due to a number of players dropping out because of other commitments.
“I was so proud of the group that we had,” said Coach Dale VanDuyn, who led Whittier Christian to the CIF Division 2 championship. “We only had 10 players, a lot of heart, the shortstop {Luna} I called her my little sparkplug, she played a phenomenal game and hit a home run {her second this season}.
“That was a lot of fun seeing those seniors get together. They didn’t know each other and they still played well. I think we did a really good job.”
Gianna Tuso (Brea Olinda), Emery Diaz (Tustin) and Sadie Mitchell (El Toro) pitched for the Van Duyn’s all-star team.
The Trinity-PCL team had the hitting edge, 10-5.
In the first game North Hills and Crestview leagues battled to a 4-4 tie against the all-stars from the Sunset and South Coast leagues.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
More Stories
Opening game of annual Orange County All-Star Softball Classic ends up in a tie
PHOTOS: Newport Harbor cherishes CIF Regional crown in front of big home crowd
PHOTOS: Huntington Beach takes early lead, wins CIF So Cal Division I regional crown