Vista Murrieta loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning with three singles. But the two hardest hit balls were run down in centerfield by Jenna Holcomb who gloved the final shot with a diving snag to secure a 4-1 win for the Los Alamitos High softball team on Thursday at Los Alamitos High.
Vista Murrieta loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning with three singles. But the two hardest hit balls were run down in centerfield by Jenna Holcomb who gloved the final shot with a diving snag to secure a 4-1 win for the Los Alamitos High softball team on Thursday at Los Alamitos High.
Ryan Denhart had scattered five hits, with just one run allowed and five strikeouts. Denhart had set the Broncos down in order in the fifth, and after a bad hope allowed a single runner in the top of the sixth, Denhart struck out the next batter and got a grounder to short to end the inning.
Vista Murrieta brought in some potent hitters and the Griffins needed a steady pitching performance and solid defense to hold off the Broncos. Griffin coach Rob Weil said they knew going in that had to keep the Bronco offense off balance.
“Our game plan was to keep the ball down, we wanted to get them to roll over the ball and that’s what happened today and we came up with some big plays,” Weil said.
When the Broncos got a one-out single on swinging bunt to open the seventh, the heart of their lineup followed. Candance Yingling – who has 24 RBIs and 10 home runs on the season – fought off multiple foul balls to finally single up the middle.
After a line drive out to center by Tristen Edwards (32 RBIs, 7 HRs), Sara Lillie (19 RBIs) singled to load the bases.
Karisa Ornelas (13 RBIs, 2 HRs) gave the ball a ride to left-center, but Holcomb ran it down to end the game. The Griffins will play in the CIF-SS semifinals for the first time since 2011.
Jade Loe was 2 for 2 with a run scored and an RBI, while Lindsi Dennis had a hit and an RBI. Dennis’ hit in the fourth inning scored Loe from second as she got around the tag attempt by the catcher.
That run pushed the Griffins’ lead to 4-1.
Caitlin Ladd had a hit and scored a run and Jenna Kean had a double for the Griffins.
In the first inning, pinch runner Kaitlyn Parsons stole second and third base and scored when the throw to third got by the third baseman to give the Griffins an early 1-0 lead.
Weil said that early run was big in giving the Griffins some momentum.
Last week, the Griffins defeated Chino High, 7-2, on the road led by 4 for 5 performance by Kean. Kean had a double, RBI and run scored. Ariana Belarde had a home run and Loe had a hit, RBI and two runs scored.
The Griffins fell to Orange Lutheran 3-0 in the CIF-SS semifinal game on Tuesday May 31.
