Combine Pacifica’s and Mission Viejo’s offensive stats from their CIF-SS softball championship games this past weekend, it would total two runs scored on four hits.
By looking at those numbers it’s clear pitching was the story over the weekend as four future Division I college starters performed admirably in the highest of pressure situations.
“People can look at those two games as some of the most exciting games ever,” said Mission Viejo coach Troy Ybarra. “As a coach, sure, we want more offense. But you have to be thankful for great pitching and defense. Both games were neck-and-neck, evenly matched games. Both just exciting to watch.”
Here are some other interesting tidbits from championship weekend:
• Pacifica pitcher Kaylee Carlson and several of her Mariners teammates had front-row seats for the Division 2 final between Mission Viejo and Chino on Friday night. Because Carlson is close friends with Diablos pitcher Taylor McQuillin and center fielder Alyssa Palomino, the Pacifica ace supported her pals by wearing Diablos gear in the stands. McQuillin and Palomino returned the favor Saturday night by wearing Pacifica jerseys to support the Mariners.
• Carlson wrapped up her illustrious career at Pacifica by throwing 46 consecutive shutout innings. The streak began in the fourth inning of the Mariners’ last regular-season game against Mission Viejo on March 15, and it continued through Saturday’s Division 1 finale. The senior tossed five straight shutouts in the playoffs. By limiting M.L. King of Riverside to five hits in the championship game on Saturday, Carlson helped Pacifica capture its first title since 2007.
• McQuillin was equally as dominating in the circle for Mission Viejo over the past two weeks. She began the postseason with a perfect game against Diamond Bar in the first round, and ended it with a one-hitter in the finale against Chino. The junior southpaw scattered eight hits in five playoff games while striking out 72. As a result, Mission Viejo won its first CIF softball championship.
• Both the Mariners and the Diablos were held hitless for a majority of their games this weekend. Mission Viejo was hitless for 81/3 innings on Friday night, and Pacifica was hitless for eight innings on Saturday. For both squads, it was the catchers — Pacifica’s Dejah Mulipola and Mission Viejo’s Kayleen Shafer — who ultimately had the first hits of the game.
NOTES
The O.C. Coaches All-Star Games is today at Bill Barber Park in Irvine. The first game starts at 4:15 p.m., pitting the Belles against the Blue Sox. The Belles are comprised of players from the Orange, Orange Coast, Pacific Coast and Trinity leagues, while the Blue Sox roster is filled with Freeway, Garden Grove and South Coast league participants.
The second game begins at 6:45 between the Comets (Empire, Golden West, Sea View leagues) and the Peaches (Century and Sunset leagues).
In between the two games, organizers from the Ryan Lemmon Foundation will present Hall of Fame awards to former coaches Lance Eddy (Canyon) and Doug Myers (Mater Dei) and former stars Kaitlin Cochran (Rosary), Lauren Lappin (Loara).
Rosters for the games can be found on OCVarsity.com. …
The Orange County vs. Riverside County Senior All-Star Game is Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Cal Baptist University in Riverside. Canyon coach Dan Hay will look to lead the O.C. team to a fourth consecutive victory.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
