When Chino pitcher Miranda Viramontes is at her best, the defending CIF-SS Division 2 champion is hard to beat. Unfortunately for Trabuco Hills, Viramontes had some of her best stuff in Tuesday’s Division 2 second-round game.
Viramontes didn’t allow a hit, leading the visitors past Trabuco Hills, 2-0, in a battle of league champions at Trabuco Hills High.
“As soon as I came out here I was just ready, I was pumped, I was ready to go,” Viramontes said. “Especially in a playoff game like this, (throwing a no-hitter) was pretty cool.”
The junior right-hander faced only three batters over the minimum, walking one and hitting two over seven innings. She struck out six.
Viramontes got all the run support she needed in the fourth inning thanks to a two-run triple to right-center field by Corina Gamboa. With two outs, Gamboa drove Cassidy Gustafson’s pitch to right-center field, bringing in Salina Galindo and Ashley Amancio.
Only one Trabuco Hills runner reached second, Carly McKinney, on a walk and a stolen base in the third inning. Meghan Mondragon and Maddie Carag also reached base for the Mustangs (19-10).
“We just didn’t quite get to her today,” Trabuco Hills coach Joe Miller said of Viramontes. “Our good hitters normally hit just about everybody. … She held us down.”
Chino (25-2) advances to face Dana Hills in the quarterfinals.
– JOHN WILKINSON
Also in Division 2:
Oaks Christian of Westlake Village 6, El Toro 2: The Chargers (14-16) managed just two hits while losing to the Lions (24-7) in a second round game at El Toro High.
“All year we haven’t hit the ball consistently enough to win in the playoffs,” Chargers coach Jim Daugherty said. “You got to tip your cap to (Oaks Christian). Those two pitchers (Kristen Cullen and Marie Sobel) were good.”
Oaks Christian (24-7) advances to the quarterfinals.
“It’s been a disappointment,” Daugherty said of the season. “I thought we could’ve done better in league and make a run (in the playoffs), but we lost three players halfway through the year and that hurt us.”
Daugherty said two players left the team, and another – Brittney Howe – tore her ACL in her left knee.
The Chargers, who finished second in the South Coast League and won a first-round playoff game, were tied with the Lions, 1-1, through four innings.
But Oaks Christian broke it open in the fifth with a grand slam from Kelly Spear.
El Toro’s Caitlin Harman hit a solo home run in the fifth.
– MARK GARCIA
