There were a ton of great games and highlights at the Michelle Carew Classic all week at Peralta Park. Here are some of my favorite moments:
PERALTA HAS FENCES THIS YEAR
No more crazy gappers going for home runs this year in the Michelle Carew Classic at Peralta Park.
Canyon coach Dan Hay was able to make arrangements with the City of Anaheim to get fences for all three fields at Peralta Park. That’s just going to cut down the amount of cheap home runs. The ball really carries at Peralta Park, so I still expect to see a bunch of home runs this week.
Poor base running cost Canyon a run in the top of the first against Yucaipa. Mandy Natsuhara led off the game with a walk and moved to second on Shannon Bush’s sacrifice.
Cheyanne Tarango hit a comebacker at the pitcher and she turned and threw out Natsuhara at third. UNLV-bound Tayler Van Acker followed with a ground-rule double that would have scored Natsuhara. Instead the Comanches came up empty in the top of the first.
In the bottom of the first, Tarango gave up a one-out walk to Tylar Bird, who stole second. Cassidy Bingham’s two-out single to right gave the Thunderbirds runners at first and third. Mackenzie Maxwell popped out to first to end the inning.
Canyon 0, Yucaipa 0 after one inning.
Canyon (10-2-1) pounded out 11 hits in an 8-0 victory over Yucaipa (7-6) in a pool-play game at the 24th Michelle Carew Classic at Peralta Park.
Sophomore shortstop Lauren Young went 3 for 4 with three RBIs, UNLV-bound Tayler Van Acker went 2 for 2 with a double, two runs and a sacrifice fly, Mandy Natsuhara went 1 for 2 with two walks, two runs and an RBI, Kelly Stowe had an RBI double and Katelyn Price had a triple and a run scored to lead the Comanches on offense.
Tennessee-bound Cheyanne Tarango allowed two hits, one walk and struck out eight to record the shutout for Canyon, ranked No. 1 in the county and No. 9 in the nation by ESPN. Canyon plays Colton in another pool-play game tonight at 7:30.
Freshman Ashley Dagenais, senior Emily King and sophomore Kasey Beekman combined on a one-hit shutout to lead Aliso Niguel past Sonora, 3-0, in the first round of the Michelle Carew Classic on Wednesday night at Peralta Park.
Dagenais started and worked 4 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one his and one walk, while striking out two. King walked three and struck out two in 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief. Beekman got the final two outs of the seventh inning to record the save.
Outfielder Madison Wedel went 2 for 3 with two RBIs to lead the Aliso Niguel’s offense.
The Wolverines have been without Michigan-bound Mandy Gardner (hip injury) all season. She isn’t expected to return until April 22.
Aliso Niguel improved to 8-3, while Sonora dropped to 3-12. Aliso Niguel gets the Vista Murrieta-Garden Grove winner in the second round on Thursday at 5:15 p.m. at Peralta Park.
NORCO BEATS TRABUCO IN EXTRA INNINGS
It’s the top of the eighth, so it’s international tiebreaker time.
Kylie Reed started at second for Norco. Jessica Angulo popped up her sacrifice attempt and it dropped for an infield single. Tiffany Samsoe sacrificed the runners to second and third. Nicole Sappingfield ripped a single down the third-base line to drive in Reed. Lockman hit a grounded out to first, but Angulo beat the throw to the plate. In the bottom of the eighth, Ashley Cato flied out to right and Lauren Lum popped out for a game-ending doubleplay.
Norco beats Trabuco Hills, 2-0, in eight innings to advance to the championship quarterfinals.
IT’S A HIGH-POWERED COACHES CONVENTION
Canyon coach Dan Hay, tournament director Lance Eddy, Santiago coach John Perez and El Mo coach Steve Harrington are all watching the Cajon-Valencia game together. That’s a murderers row of coaching knowledge. Cajon leads, 4-3, in the top of the sixth. Check that Valencia just tied it, 4-4, in the bottom of the sixth.
The Aliso Niguel-Vista Murrieta game is still tied, 0-0, heading into the bottom of the sixth.
ALISO’S FRESHMAN SHUTS OUT VISTA MURRIETA
Aliso Niguel’s freshman stud Ashley Dagenais shut out Vista Murrieta on three hits with six strikeouts to lead the Wolverines to a 1-0 victory in the second round of the Michelle Carew Classic.
Vista Murrieta came into the tournament ranked No. 41 in the nation by ESPN.
The Wolverines picked up the lone run in the bottom of the sixth. Marissa Gilbuena got a one-out double and scored on Eden Slone’s bloop single to shallow center field.
The other great thing about Dagenais is she has no ego and she compliments her teammates first. After I did a video interview with her, she came running over to where I had my press row set up. She wanted to make she she gave props to her centerfielder Dionne Anderson, who made a great catch with the bases loaded to end the third inning.
Lauren Boser’s sacrifice fly drove in the tying run for Valencia in the bottom of the seventh. Valencia and Cajon are tied, 5-5.
Justine Sibthorp drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth to give Valenciaof Valencia a 6-5 triumph over Cajon of San Bernardino in the game of the day.
Aliso Niguel plays Valencia in the quarterfinals on Friday at 5:30 p.m.
HAWAIIAN SHAVED ICE, CHEESEBURGERS AND SOFTBALL
Fueled on Blue Raspberry Hawaiian shaved ice and Andy Tarango’s BBQ cheeseburgers, I’m ready for another full day of softball at the Michelle Carew Classic.
The Ayala-Rancho Bernardo game is underway. This game features two of the top pitchers in So Cal with UCLA-bound Jessica Hall of Ayala and Notre Dame-bound Laura Winter of Rancho Bernardo.
Hall retired the side in order with two strikeouts in the top of the first and Winter retired the Bulldogs in order with one strikeout in the bottom half of the inning.
Ayala 0, Rancho Bernardo 0 after one inning.
ADDICTED TO HAWAIIAN SHAVED ICE
OK, I’ll admit it. I’m addicted to Blue Raspberry Hawaiian shaved ice. I have a $16-dollar-a-day problem. I gotta kick this stuff before this tournament ends. I don’t know where I can find Hawaiian shaved ice in San Clemente. They’re so delicious and refreshing when you are hanging out in the sun. But I have until Saturday to enjoy them. I wonder if I can put these on my expense report?
Back to the ballgame.
In the top of the second, Kathryn Dutton just ripped a line drive straight back at Ayala ace Jessica Hall. Somehow, Hall got her glove up to defend herself and she showed great reflexes to make the catch.
Hall got the Broncos in order in the top of the second. She has three strikeouts.
In the bottom of the second, Ayala’s Stephanie Martinez ripped a ground-rule double down the left-field line that got past the fence and out of play. In the old days when this tournament didn’t have fences that would have gone for a home run.
Taylor Green got hit by a pitch with two outs to put runners on first and second.
The umpire is pinching Broncos ace Laura Winter. He’s not giving up the outside part of the plate.
It doesn’t matter. Winter gets a groundout to end the inning.
We can have a debate all day long whether Ayala’s Jessica Hall is a cyborg or not, but there is no debating her skills in the circle. BTW, I’m the OCVarsity debate champion. I debate circles around Steve Fryer and Dan Albano. Damian Calhoun isn’t even in the conversation.
Hall just struck out the side in the top of the fifth, giving her 10 Ks through five innings.
Ayala has stranded four base runners in the first four innings. The Bulldogs have their 8, 9 and 1 hitters coming up.
Christine Stubblefield just flew out deep to left field. I thought it had a chance to clear the fence, but it died just shy of the fence.
Miranda Bronson singled to right-center field, bringing up Mary Massei, who is one of Ayala’s top hitters. Massei singled to right-center. Bronson tried to take third on the play and got gunned down. A promising ending turns into nothing.
Ayala 0, Rancho Bernardo 0 after five innings. Look out, I feel an international tiebreaker coming on.
I WILL NOT SPEAK OF YOU KNOW WHAT … D’OH!!
I will not even speak of you know what for fear of jinxing said thing that I will not speak of.
And just like that, the mere mention of a possible no-hitter and Rancho Bernardo’s No. 9 hitterLeah Gordon singles through the left side of the infield with one out in the bottom of the sixth to break up Jessica Hall’s no-hit bid.
Hall went back to being a cyborg and got the next two hitters to get out of the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hall got on on an E-6. Amy Ricciardi followed with a seeing-eyes single down the third-base line. Stephanie Martinez sacrificed the runners to second and third.
Pinch hitter Danielle Vellez went down swinging for the second out.
Broncos ace Laura Winter got pinch hitter Sarah Moore swinging to end the inning.
Ayala 0, Rancho Bernardo 0 after 6 innings.
Ayala ace Jessica Hall allowed an infield single in the top of the seventh.
Hall has allowed two hits and struck out 12 through seven.
Ayala has the 8, 9 and 1 hitters coming up in the bottom of the seventh, but I think we are going to the international tiebrea … D’Oh!!!
Ayala’s No. 8 hitter Christine Stubblefield just hit a towering solo shot to dead center field. Walk-off homer to win it for Ayala. Ayala beats Rancho Bernardo, 1-0, to advance to the semifinals where they will face the Norco-Poway winner on Saturday at 1:15 p.m.
It’s a beautiful day at Peralta Park. I have the OCVarsity headquarters set up in the shade. There is nice breeze keeping everybody cool.
We just watched Christine Stubblefield hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh to give Ayala of Chino Hills, ranked No. 3 in the state, a 1-0 victory over Rancho Bernardo of San Diego, the top-ranked team in San Diego County, in the first quarterfinal.
But I have a big problem. I’m running out of cash. How am I going to be able to support my Blue Raspberry Hawaiian shaved ice habit. Those bad boys cost 4 bucks a pop. I have to hit an ATM at some point today. The Hawaiian shaved ice keeps calling me.
Next up is Norco vs. Poway in the second quarterfinal of the day.
I don’t know much about Poway other than the fact that the Titans pitcher tossed a no-hitter the other day. Norco is the defending CIF-SS Division 1 champion, but Teagan Gerhart has moved on to Stanford. The Cougars start four freshmen and a sophomore, pitcher Emily Lockman, who has already committed to Nebraska.
We’re underway.
Norco 0, Poway 0 after one inning.
NORCO HAS SOMETHING COOKING, WHICH REMINDS ME …
Norco has something cooking in the top of the second, which reminds me I have to check in on Andy Tarango, who is manning the grill at Peralta Park. I need to see a man about a cheeseburger.
Norco’s Emily Lockman led off the inning with an infield single.
Taylor Koenig hit a high fly ball to left that the outfielder dropped. Jordan Emanuele sacrificed the runners to second and third. Michelle Paul walked to load the bases.
Poway pitcher Ariel Craig struck out Gina Bertagna.
But Kylie Reed came through with an RBI single to center field. Lockman scored from third, but Poway center fielder Shelley Tibbs gunned down Koenig at the plate.
Lockman retired Poway in order.
Norco 1, Poway 0 after two innings.
Word on the street is invites have gone out to Kylee Lahners of Laguna Hills, Marissa Bast of Villa Park and Hallie Wilson of Foothill to try out for the Junior National women’s softball team.
I’m sure there will be a few more girls from Orange County getting invites, but those are the ones I know for sure at this time.
Between 40-45 girls will be invited to the tryouts from June 11-13 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista and 17-20 girls will make the squad.
The team will go to Bogota, Colombia, to compete in the Pan Am Games this summer.
Back to the ballgame.
Cougars ace Emily Lockman is perfect through three innings for Norco.
Norco 1, Poway 0 after three innings.
NORCO GETS PAST POWAY
Norco beat Poway, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the Michelle Carew Classic.
Norco plays Ayala of Chino Hills in the semifinals on Saturday at 1:15 p.m.
Kylie Reed drove in both runs for the Cougars. She had an RBI single in the second and an RBI single in the top of the seventh that gave Norco the victory.
Nebraska-bound Emily Lockman got the complete-game victory for Norco.
‘MINNIE MOUSE’ WITH A GREAT CATCH
In the top of the second, Marina’s Nicolette Lujan hit a line drive to center field that looked like it would drop for a base hit, but Amanda “Minnie Mouse” Natsuhara made an amazing diving catch.
Natsuhara, who has signed with UC San Diego, had a great tournament in the faster to 1st Classic a couple of weeks ago, and she has continued to impress in this tournament.
LSU-bound Sandra Simmons got a two-out single and stole second, but Canyon ace Cheyanne tarango struck out Ariel Tedesco with a called third strike to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Kelly Stowe hit one deep in the hole and beat it out for an infield single.
Lauren Young walked to put runners on first and second.
Shannon Bustillos lined a single to left to load the bases with one out.
Kaitlyn Price ripped a screaming line drive that was grabbed by Marina shortstop Nicolette Lujan, who doubled up the runner at third to end the inning. Excellent defensive play to get out of a bases loaded jam.
Marina 1, Canyon 0 after two innings.
KHAMIS GIVES IN, SHOOTS VIDEO OF CANYON-MARINA
I threatened to kick OCVarsity.com videographer Jonathan Khamis off the Jedi Council if he didn’t come out to shoot video of the Michelle Carew Classic.
He’s had plenty of time for baseball with some great coverage of the National Classic. He finally gave in to my bullying tactics and came out to Peralta Park to shoot highlights of the Canyon-Marina quarterfinal. Check out his highlight package later tonight on ocvarsity.com.
Back to the ballgame.
Maryland-bound catcher Shannon Bustillos just threw out Marina’s Jamie Sullivan trying to steal second from her knees.
Shortstop Lauren Young made a great play on a ground ball up the middle, throwing out Chloe Kaneko with a strong throw.
Cheyanne Tarango with another quick inning for Canyon.
Marina ace Jamie Sullivan took a hard comebacker off the chest, picked it up and threw out Tarango at first to end the inning.
Marina 2, Canyon 1 after five innings.
Canyon ace Cheyanne Tarango has retired 11 consecutive batters.
Marina still has a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth. The Comanches have their 4, 5 and 6 hitters coming up in the bottom of the sixth. The time limit could become an issue.
Taylor Van Acker grounded out to second. Marina second baseman made a very good play on a sharply hit ball up the middle for the second out. Lauren Young has been hot of late for Canyon, but Marina ace Jamie Sullivan got her on a called third strike to end the inning
Marina beats Canyon, 2-1. The game was called after six innings because of the time limit.
VALENCIA HANDLES ALISO NIGUEL
Valencia of Valencia, ranked No. 7 in the state, scored two runs in the top of the first inning and made them stand up for a 2-0 victory over Aliso Niguel in the quarterfinals of the Michelle Carew Classic.
Valencia plays Marina in the semifinals on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
Carly Mortensen tossed a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts to record the shurout for the Vikings.
Loyola Marymount-bound Caitlin Rooney had a two-run single in the top of the first to provide all the offense Valencia needed.
The plate umpire was pinching Aliso Niguel ace Ashley Dagenais in the top of the seventh. The Wolverines reminded the umpire that Dagenais’ father is the CHP motorcycle officer in full uniform watching the game. There’s nothing like putting the heat on the umpires.
Dagenais only gave up the two runs on two hits and a walk in the top of the first. She only gave up one more hit the rest of the way. It was a fine pitching performance by the youngster against one of the top hitting teams in So Cal.
HUGGY BEAR’S INSIDE DOPE ON JR. NATIONAL TEAM
My sources in the softball world have found out a number of Southern California players have been invited to the Junior National women’s softball team tryouts that will be held from June 11-13 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.
USA softball is inviting 40-45 of the top softball players from around the nation to the tryouts and 17-20 will make the team, which will compete in the Pan Am Games later this year in Bogota, Colombia. Yeah, that Bogota, Colombia.
Now, my softball sources don’t want their names revealed because the official announcement is coming out later this month. So for our purposes I will call my sources by the name Huggy Bear.
I loved watching Starsky and Hutch reruns when I was growing up and Huggy Bear was the coolest cat who always had his ear to the streets. When Starsky and Hutch needed to know what was going down on the streets, they went to Huggy Bear for all the inside dope.
Huggy Bear is telling me Lauren Chamberlain of El Toro, Cheyanne Tarango of Canyon, Kylee Lahners of Laguna Hills, Marisa Bast of Villa Park, Hallie Wilson of Foothill, Nicole Sappingfield of Norco, Cheyenne Coyle of Chatsworth, Sierra Romero of Vista Murrieta and Madison Shipman of Valencia of Valencia have all received invitations to the Junior National women’s team tryouts.
That Huggy Bear always has my back.
I’m back.
I’ll be providing live updates from the final day of the Michelle Carew Classic at Peralta Park.
I slept in today after three straight 12-hour days, so I missed Norco upsetting Ayala of Chino Hills, 4-1, in nine innings. The Cougars got eight hits off Ayala ace Jessica Hall. They got three straight hits in the ninth inning. I thought for sure Ayala was going to make the finals.
Valencia, the Magic Mountain Valencia, pounded on Marina en route to a 5-0 victory in the other semifinal. So it’s going to be Valencia vs. Norco for the championship at 7:30 p.m.
Marina will play Ayala in the third-place game at 7:15 p.m.
BTW, when I arrived at Peralta Park the Hawaiian shaved ice guy was gone, D’Oh!!! I guess he heard I was addicted to Blue Raspberry Hawaiian shaved ice and he wanted me to go cold turkey.
Tiffany Mikkelson just hit a two-run bomb to left-center field to give Aliso Niguel a 3-1 lead over Poway in the top of the third in the seventh place game.
UNLV-bound Tayler Van Acker drove in the first run with a single and the Comanches added an unearned run in the top of the eighth and held on to beat Rancho Bernardo of San Diego, 3-2, in the fifth place game.
Rancho Bernardo, ranked No. 1 in San Diego County, picked up a run in the bottom of the eighth, but shorstop Lauren Young caught a line drive and doubled the runner off at first to seal the victory for Canyon, ranked No. 1 in Orange County and No. 3 in the state.
Cara Terlup’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh gave Poway a 5-4 victory over Aliso Niguel in the seventh-place game.
THE TOUGHEST OUT IN THE TOURNAMENT IS …
UCLA-bound Jessica Hall of Ayala retired the side with two strikeouts in the top of the first against Marina in the third-place game.
Wisconsin-bound Mary Massei of Ayala has been one of the best hitters I’ve seen this season. She is easily the toughest out in this tournament.
Massei led off the game with a double to right-center field.
Sarah Moore drove in Massei with a two-out bloop single to shallow left.
Ayala 1, Marina 0 after one inning.
MARY ‘THE HITTING MACHINE’ MASSEI
Ayala ace Jessica Hall pitched a perfect top of the second with two strikeouts. She has four strikeouts through two innings.
Marina is going to have a hard time getting anything off Hall. When she’s on, she is as good as it gets in high school softball.
I have already dubbed Hall “The Cyborg.” I’m giving Wisconsin-bound Mary Massei “The Hitting Machine” for obvious reasons and because she is the toughest out in this tournament.
Massei doubled and scored in the bottom of the first and she drove in Dani Velez with a frozen rope to center field in the bottom of the second.
Ayala 2, Marina 0 after two innings.
MARINA BEING TERRORIZED BY ‘THE CYBORG’
Ayala ace Jessica “The Cyborg” Hall is absolutely mowing down the Marina hitters.
Hall is perfect through three innings with seven strikeouts. Ayala’s two run lead might as well be a 20-run lead the way Hall is pitching.
Amy Ricciardi scored from second on an E-5 to give Ayala a 3-0 lead.
Ayala 3, Marina 0 after three innings.
Valencia of Valencia leads Norco, 1-0, in the bottom of the second in the championship game.
THE CYBORG HAS BEEN REASSIGNED
Ayala has called off Jessica “The Cyborg” Hall. Hall has done enough damage to Marina for one day.
She struck out 11 and gave up one hit in five innings of work. Vikings everywhere are thanking the Ayala coaching staff.
Marina finally got Mary “The Hitting Machine” Massei out, but it took a super-human effort to do it. Marina center fielder Shannon Thomas just made a beautiful diving catch to get the toughest out in the tournament out.
Ayala 4, Marina 0 in the third-place game after six innings.
Valencia leads Norco, 4-0, in the fifth of the championship game.
Orange Lutheran leads La Habra, 4-0, in the championship game of the Woodbridge Tournament. OLu pitcher Savannah King has a one-hitter going with 11 Ks.
AYALA TAKES THIRD PLACE
UCLA-bound Jessica Hall was spectacular for Ayala of Chino Hills, ranked No. 3 in the state, allowing one hit and striking out 11 to lead the Bulldogs (16-3) to a 4-0 victory over Marina (12-6) in the third-place game.
Wisconsin-bound Mary Massei went 2 for 3 with a double, two runs and an RBI to lead Ayala’s seven-hit attack.
Valencia 4, Norco 0 heading into the top of the seventh of the championship game.
Savannah King pitched a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts to lift Orange Lutheran over La Habra, 5-0, in the championship game of the Woodbridge/Victory Softball Classic. Thanks to Lou Ponsi for that update.
VALENCIA CLAIMS CAREW CLASSIC TITLE
There is no doubt about which team has the best offense in Southern California.
Valencia of Valencia, ranked No. 7 in the state, turned the Michelle Carew Classic into its own personal batting practice.
Tennessee-bound Madison Shipman went 3 for 4 and drove in three runs to lead the Vikings to a 4-0 victory over Norco in the championship game on Saturday night at Peralta Park.
Tournament MVP Carly Mortensen had another outstanding outing, allowing three hits and striking out 10 to record the shutout.
Valencia improved to 16-3-1, while Norco, which starts four freshmen and two sophomores, dropped to 13-6.
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