PHOTOS: Top-seeded Irvine falls behind early and loses to Liberty in CIF finals

Irvine players cheer on their teammates during the championship game. (Photos: John Luciano, For OC Sports Zone).

Irvine High School’s softball players made history by advancing to the CIF softball finals for the first time in 30 years.

But Liberty from Winchester dashed the Vaqueros title hopes Friday.

Liberty struck for three runs in the first inning and went on to capture a 5-2 victory for the first softball title in school history in the CIF Division 5 championship Friday at Deanna Manning Stadium. The team competed as a free-lance program last year and qualified for the playoffs for the first time.

It was Irvine’s first appearance in the finals since 1993 when the Vaqueros lost to Laguna Hills 5-4 in the Division III championship game. Irvine’s last CIF title came in 1991 when Irvine defeated Foothill 1-0 in the 4A title game. Lisa Baker, who coached Irvine in that game, was on hand for the final Friday cheering for the Vaqueros.

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

Designated hitter Haley Kitzerow belted a 3-run home run in the first inning off Irvine starting pitcher Hyli DeLosSantos capitalizing on an Irvine error and drove in all five runs for the Bisons (22-3). Starting pitcher Janessa Guigliano went the distance, allowing only four hits and striking out seven to get the win.

DeLosSantos came in with an ERA under one in the playoffs and four wins.

“Their one kid mashed the ball,” said Irvine Coach Jim Knapp. “I think it was an outside drop, we maybe got too much of the plate. She got a hold of it and did what she was supposed to do and the second time up, we tried to sneak one in on here and I don’t know if we had it in enough. She’s a four-hitter for a reason. Their pitcher is as good a pitcher as we’ve seen all year. She was mowing us down pretty good early.”

After falling behind 3-0, Irvine (21-11) scored a run in the second inning. Abby Sasaki and DeLosSantos walked. Shelby Crowe followed with an RBI single.

Kitzerow drove in two runs with a double in the third to put Liberty ahead 5-1.

The Vaqueros threatened in the sixth inning but left the bases loaded.

Irvine tried to battled back in the seventh. With one out, freshman leadoff hitter Katie Liu singled and scored on a two-out double by Harper Vandermolen. But Guigliano got Sienna Porter to ground out to end the threat.

“I think we started making some adjustments, just not enough,” Knapp said. “A couple times we hit the ball hard right at them. We had chances. You have to have someone to step up and get that one hit and it’s a different game maybe. Today, she was better than we were, so give her credit and give that team credit, that’s a good, young team.

“We just couldn’t hit, the other team out-hit us,” added Liu, who was 1 for 3 with a run scored ‘”We just couldn’t hit the other pitcher. I think her riseball was pretty tough but I also think we were swinging at bat pitches.”

Liberty outhit Irvine 8-4. Irvine also made two errors.

Liberty will not be participating in the CIF Southern California Regional in two weeks. Irvine will compete in the regional, Knapp said.

Knapp’s message to his players was clear.

“Keep your heads up, they made it here, they fought hard. Today, we just met a kid who was a little better than we were. If she slows down our offense she’s done a pretty good job.”

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