HAPPY ENDING: El Modena's Devin Vanderhoff (2) heads for the plate, where her teammates are waiting to celebrate after the freshman slugged a game-winning home run in the Division II semifinals. KEN STEINHARDT, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER AudioWinning pitcher Kylie Wagner talks about El Modena's 4-3 victory over top-seeded Kennedy in the Division II semifinals
AudioEl Modena freshman Devin Vanderhoff talks about her walk-off homer in the bottom of the eighth
AudioEl Modena coach Steve Harrington talks about his team's triumph over Kennedy
AudioKennedy coach Jami Shannon talks about the tough loss to El Modena
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Freshman's HR gives El Modena victory over Kennedy
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AUDIO | Softball playoffs: Vanguards overcome 3-run deficit to win in eight innings.
ORANGE El Modena battled back from a three-run deficit and knocked off top-seeded Kennedy, 4-3, on freshman Devin Vanderhoff's game-ending homer with one out in the bottom of the eighth in a CIF-SS Division II softball semifinal Tuesday at El Modena High.
The Vanguards (25-8-2) earned their first trip to the finals since making back-to-back appearances in the Division III title game in 2001 and 2002.
“That was nothing but a testimony of character, heart and courage,” El Modena coach Steve Harrington said. “That's what this is all about. That victory was nothing but heart, character, team unity, I mean, that's everything we preach as a program. These kids were resilient. They don't give up.”
The Fighting Irish (29-4) jumped to a 3-0 lead on a two-run single by Meghan Macias in the top of the second and a solo homer to center field by Monica Aguilar in the third.
Kennedy starter Allee Allen gave up five hits, three runs, hit three batters and struck out five in five innings. Two of the hit batters came around to score.
Emily McEwen stroked a single up the middle to drive in Alexandra Frediani in the third to get the Vanguards on the scoreboard. Anissa Zambrano delivered an RBI double and McEwen drove in her second run during a two-run rally in the bottom of the fifth to tie it, 3-3.
Kennedy had a huge opportunity in the seventh when Macias led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. El Modena ace Kylie Wagner got Brianna Guerrero to ground out to keep Macias from scoring. With one out, the Fighting Irish had the speedy Reid twins, Jamia and Elia, coming up with a chance to take the lead.
“The Reid twins are really good and very fast and, I mean, I give them credit for that,” Wagner said. “I don't know how to explain it. They are so fast. I did my best to pitch to them. They got on, but I just kept pitching farther and farther out until they would swing at it.”
Wagner, who scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out 10, ended up striking out Jamia and getting Elia to ground out to second to end the threat.
Harrington credits a lot of the improvement Wagner has made to the work pitching coach Jessica Foley has done with her. Harrington said Wagner has been a different player since the Vanguards were shut out by Cheyanne Tarango in a 2-0 loss to Century League-rival Canyon on April 22. El Modena has won nine consecutive games since that loss.
“I've seen a new kid, a kid who doesn't get rattled, a kid who believes that she doesn't have to do it all, that she has a team behind her, and that she is going to do it,” Harrington said.
Kennedy went down in order in the top of the eighth. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Vanderhoff jumped on a 3-2 pitch, ripping a line drive over the fence in left field to end it.
“When we all looked at her (Vanderhoff) on deck, she had this look on her face like she wasn't going to be denied, like she was going to get that ball no matter what and score that run,” Wagner said. “It's just, I don't know? I'm speechless.”
Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com
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