Godinez softball team marches on to CIF semifinals with 5-0 victory over Maranatha

Godinez starter Natalie Carlos fires a pitch against Maranatha Thursday (Photos courtesy Harrison Zhang, For OC Sports Zone).

Godinez High’s softball team set the tone early with a solo home run by second baseman Savannah Pola in the bottom of the first inning and went on to defeat Maranatha 5-0 in the quarterfinals of the CIF Division 4 playoffs Thursday.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

Godinez third baseman Airlin Ramirez readies her teammates for the next play.

Godinez players hustle back to the dugout during Thursday's game.

Godinez High's Savannah Pola (No. 10) is congratulated by her sister Keana Pola.

Godinez first baseman Samantha Villanueva takes a swing during Thursday's game.

Natalie Carlos takes a swing for Godinez in Thursday's game.

Sophomore Savannah Pola of Godinez throws the ball during Thursday's game.

Godinez coach Edward Medina encourages catcher Iyari Ramirez as she heads toward first.

First baseaman Samantha Villaneuva hauls in the catch retiring Devyn Netz of Maranatha.

Keana Pola of Godinez applies the tag to a Maranatha base-runner trying to steal second.

Airlin Ramirez of Godinez makes a play at third base during Thursday's game.

Mia Saucedo of Godinez advances a base during Thursday's playoff.

Godinez softball players pose for a picture after Thursday's playoff victory.

The Grizzles (24-4) move on to the semifinals on Tuesday on the road against Culver City. Godinez reached the semifinals two years ago and lost in the second round last season.

“It was just a great team effort today; our pitching was outstanding, it was just a great effort from the coaching staff all the way down,” said Coach Edward Medina. “Everyone contributed.”

Sophomore Savannah Pola and her sister, senior shortstop Keana Pola, had big offensive days for host Godinez. Savannah Pola, the lead-off hitter, was 3 for 4 with three runs scored, two stolen bases and an RBI while Keana Pola, who bats third, was 3 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored.

“They’re amazing; that’s why one (Keana Pola) is going to Nebraska and the other one is going to UCLA (Savannah Pola, who has made a verbal commitment),” Medina said. “We’ve just got a lot of great kids who came to this school and the administration here supported us all the way. And today, the school comes out and supports us.”

Junior Natalie Carlos went the distance in the circle for Godinez allowing just three hits and striking out six. Her teammates supported her with an 8-hit attack.

“Natalie is an outstanding pitcher, Medina said. “We challenged her this week to pitch her game. We knew the pitcher coming in (Devyn Netz) was fantastic. She had already committed to Arizona. She was amazing too. But she gave up the home run and it got to her early and we just started hitting the ball on her and making plays. We don’t depend on one person, we depend on all 14 of us and the staff is just amazing, I’m a very very lucky man.”

Medina figured it could be a very good day when Savannah Pola homered to start the first inning.

“I was just trying to go up there with a good mindset,” Savannah Pola said. “And I was trying to get a good pitch early in the count and I got a full count and I was trying to protect and then I was just on time and it happened.”

In the third inning, Savannah Pola singled and stole second and Keana Pola drove her in with a single to put Godinez ahead 2-0.

In the fifth inning, Savanna Pola singled, stole second and went to third on a throwing error. With one out, Keana Pola doubled to drive in her sister again. Carlos followed with an RBI single to drive in the second run of the inning and put the Grizzlies ahead 3-0.

Godinez got an insurance run in the sixth. Mia Saucedo, who reached on a fielder’s choice and scored on a double by Liana Gonzalez to put the Grizzlies ahead 5-0.

Then Carlos retired Maranatha in order in the seventh much to the delight of a large contingent of Grizzly fans.

“I’m really proud of our team because in the past we would have folded under adversity and a good pitcher so I’m glad that we were able to take advantage when there were runners on base and come through with the clutch hits,” Keana Pola said.

Netz, the Maranatha pitcher, also had two hits.

Maranatha threatened to score in the fourth and sixth innings. In the sixth inning, the visiting team loaded the bases but Carlos struck out Lauren Ramirez to end the threat.

“What’s great about this team is that nobody is above the other,” Medina, the coach, added. “They all just gel together and they’ve all known each other since they were 10 years old. They went to middle school together, elementary school together and now I got lucky and they all came here.”

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