IRVINE Throughout the course of the week, Pacifica’s seniors and coaches kept referring back to the battles they’ve been a part of throughout the years when asked how prepared they’d be for Saturday’s CIF-SS Division 1 championship softball game.
While it was fitting the finale turned into a 12-inning epic, it was even more suitable a pair of Mariners seniors came through in the clutch.
Pacifica’s Kaylee Carlson tossed a five-hit shutout, and second baseman Brooke Marquez hit the eventual-game winning RBI double in the top of the 12th inning to help Pacifica earn a dazzling 1-0 championship win over ML King of Riverside on Saturday night at Bill Barber Park.
“We fought really hard, and it takes heart to go that many innings,” Carlson said. “Our team backed us up. Brooke came up clutch and it happened.”
The “it” Carlson was referring to was the once elusive CIF title the Mariners (29-4-1) have been chasing since 2007. For both coach Mark Campbell and this year’s batch of seniors, Saturday was the Mariners first trip back to the finals in seven seasons.
“I don’t know that it’s always the best team that wins, but it’s the team that’s playing the best at the right time,” Campbell said. “There’s been years prior to this that I thought we had really solid teams, one through nine, with great hitting and pitching. But we didn’t get it done.
“We got a little luck this time, had a couple home games. Carlson was really in a groove. She was keeping the ball down, getting a lot of ground balls and it finally paid off.”
The Mariners ace capped her senior campaign in top form, ending the season with a 46-inning shutout streak. She struck out 11 and stayed composed when faced with some messy jams late.
In the 11th, the Wolves (28-6) had runners on second and third with two outs and third baseman Ashleigh Inae at the plate. After a failed suicide squeeze attempt, Carlson got Inae to ground out to shortstop Nicole DeWitt, sending the game into the 12th inning.
Junior center fielder Faith Canfield singled to lead off the 12th for only the second Mariners hit of the game. After a sacrifice bunt from Irieanna Naea, Marquez was up, looking to break the scoreless tie.
“I wasn’t getting any hits, but I was feeling it,” the senior said. “I was in the game. I wasn’t getting down on myself. I knew Kaylee was pitching her best and someone had to come through, and I guess I was the one.”
Marquez roped a double to the left-field wall off of Alexis Osorio, scoring Canfield.
Carlson shook off a leadoff single in the bottom of the 12th to retire the next three batters, officially capturing a CIF championship in the process.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
