Los Alamitos captures CIF Division 2 title with thrilling 10-inning victory over JSerra

Los Alamitos is awarded the championship plaque after Friday’s marathon final. (PHOTO: Jake Rhodes, For OC Sports Zone).

By JAKE RHODES

For OC Sports Zone

There is something to be said about competing in a pitcher’s duel. It’s another level when it occurs in a championship game. It elevates even higher than that when the pitchers are required to go 10 innings to decide a winner.

In the top of the 10th inning, a winner was decisively determined, coming from a loud ping and flying softball off the bat of Los Al’s senior first baseman Cienna Kowaleski. Her two-run home run to left center field opened up a game that had been deadlocked for almost three hours. 

Los Alamitos (21-12) secured the Division 2 CIF title with a 3-0 victory over JSerra in 10 innings at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine late Friday night.

The first run of the game in the 10th inning came on a seeing eye infield single from junior center fielder Alivia Magallanes. After a pop up to third base and what looked like another stranded Griffin on the base paths, senior shortstop Kalie Matsuno delivered, smashing a double to left center field, then getting to third base on an errant throw which scored Magallanes to put Los Al up 1-0.

Though the game was 0-0 until the end, there was not a lack of offense. Both teams combined for 18 hits. The stellar pitching and defense is what kept this game scoreless for so long.

The defensive play of the night is what kept this game going into extra innings. Following a single from Lions’ freshman third baseman Ava Van Heerde, senior leadoff hitter and center fielder Brooke Stephens roped a double to deep left center. An aggressive send of Van Heerde created a play at the plate to decide the CIF title.

On the relay, Matsuno fired a laser home from the shallow outfield grass. The throw was a little off target, but the catch and tag made by Los Al’s senior catcher Allysen Pitcox saved the game, marking the final out of the seventh inning.

Los Alamtios freshman left fielder Ryann Velazquez also made an impact defensively. She made two spectacular diving catches, one of which came in the bottom of the ninth inning on a ball that should have easily been an extra base hit for JSerra’s freshman shortstop Melia Munoz.

Los Al freshman pitcher Jaliane Brooks was spectacular. Wiggling her way out of multiple jams, she pitched all 10 innings and punched out five Lions. Brooks was given one of the game balls following the contest. 

Los Alamitos Coach Rob Weil was in awe of his freshman’s performance on the big stage.

“The kid just has ice in her veins,” said Weil. “You never know if she’s winning or losing.”

In the bottom of the first inning, JSerra had the bases loaded with one out. Where other freshmen may have folded in the bright lights, Brooks fought through the adversity to survive the scare, getting a strike out and a foul out to third base to keep the game at 0-0.

Again in the fourth inning, with two on and two out, Brooks made a good pitch to induce a weak groundout to Matsuno to get out of the frame.

In the losing effort, recognition is required for JSerra’s star pitcher, junior Liliana Escobar. She also pitched all 10 innings and had a whopping 16 strikeouts for the Lions. Her pitch mix of speeding up and slowing down the Griffins bats gave them fits for a majority of the game. The Lions dropped to 19-14.

Escobar retired 12 in a row at one point in the later innings. This stretch is where nine of her 15 strikeouts came from. The streak ended in the top of the ninth inning when Los Al Senior third baseman Audrey Hobbs reached on an error. Following a bunt single and a sacrifice bunt, Escobar was able to induce a popup and a strikeout to get out of the jam.

Weil was beyond proud of his team for fighting adversity and making it to the mountain top.

“This is the pinnacle of high school sports. It’s something everybody wants to achieve,” said Weil. “For us to achieve this the way we started the season, it’s a huge accomplishment.”