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  • Yorba Linda's Paige Von Sprecken delivers a pitch during an...

    Yorba Linda's Paige Von Sprecken delivers a pitch during an Empire League game against Pacifica on Thursday at Pacifica.

  • Pacifica's Kaylee Carlson delivers a pitch during Thursday's Empire League...

    Pacifica's Kaylee Carlson delivers a pitch during Thursday's Empire League game against Yorba Linda at Pacifica. Carlson pitched a one-hitter in a 3-0 victory.

  • Pacifica's Faith Canfield, right, slides safely at second base as...

    Pacifica's Faith Canfield, right, slides safely at second base as Yorba Linda's Cora Roberts mishandles the ball during Thursday's Empire League game at Pacifica.

  • Yorba Linda's Cora Roberts fields a ground ball during an...

    Yorba Linda's Cora Roberts fields a ground ball during an Empire League game against Pacifica on Thursday at Pacifica.

  • Pacifica's Jaymee Campbell lays down a bunt during Thursday's Empire...

    Pacifica's Jaymee Campbell lays down a bunt during Thursday's Empire League game against Yorba Linda at Pacifica.

  • Yorba Linda's Annie Davila swings at a pitch from Pacifica's...

    Yorba Linda's Annie Davila swings at a pitch from Pacifica's Kaylee Carlson during Thursday's Empire League game at Pacifica.

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Dan Albano. Sports HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Staff Mug Shot taken August 26, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.

GARDEN GROVE – Pacifica’s softball team needed a victory Thursday for more than just its standing in the Empire League.

Yes, there was again a little extra riding on a league showdown between the No.3 Mariners and visiting No.7 Yorba Linda.

North Carolina-bound Kaylee Carlson and Pacifica seized what it needed in a 3-0 victory against Paige Von Sprecken and the Mustangs.

Carlson, the Register’s reigning Pitcher of the Year, outdueled fellow All-County pitcher Von Sprecken by firing a one-hitter, striking out eight and facing only one batter over the minimum.

The Mariners (16-4, 5-1) supported Carlson with five stolen bases and errorless defense to stay atop the standings with Cypress (4-1 in league).

“We needed to pitch like this and do the small things like this,” Pacifica coach Mark Campbell said. “When (we) play like this, (we) can hang with anyone.”

The combined efforts helped Pacifica bounce back from a 2-0 loss to unranked Cypress on Tuesday.

Campbell said the loss – Pacifica’s first against Cypress since 2012 – served as a wake-up call for the county’s preseason No.1 team.

“When people put you in a position that you’re maybe not necessarily supposed to be at early in the season, and you think you belong there just by virtue of someone put you there, it takes something to smack you in the face like that (loss to) say, ‘We’re not as great as we think we are,’ ” Campbell said.

“As we get deeper and deeper into (this season), I like the experience some of the younger kids are getting. Hopefully by CIF time, facing Paige a couple times and some of the other kids, we’ll be better.” 

Pacifica needed to be sharp against Von Sprecken (11-5), who retired the first 10 batters and finished with eight strikeouts. But with one out in the fourth, Brooke Marquez reached on an error and stole second. The speedy second baseman than scored when the next batter, Faith Canfield, lined a single to right. Marquez slid around the tag at the plate for a 1-0 lead.

“Very good slide,” Campbell said.

In the sixth, Marquez reached on an error, stole second and later scored on a single by Irieanna Naea. The sophomore then stole second, took third on the throw and narrowly scored on a sacrifice fly by Dejah Mulipola, another sophomore.

Yorba Linda (11-6, 3-2) finished with six errors.

“That’s the game,” Yorba Linda coach Sharon Farrell said. “I think we can clean it up and give them a better game.”

Carlson (11-3) retired the final 18 batters after an opposite-field double by Rachel Loera to open the second. Van Sprecken moved Loera to third with a sacrifice bunt but Carlson escaped the jam with a strikeout and a lineout to first baseman Jaymee Campbell.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit in the past couple of games, so it felt good to come out there, and take control again,” Carlson said. “I think our heart just kind of pulled through.”

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com