LET 'ER RIP: Beckman senior Megan Denio pitches three shutout innings as the Patriots clinch a share of the Pacific Coast League title with a 13-0 victory over University. MIGUEL VASCONCELLOS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER |
El Modena back on track, wins fifth in a row
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Softball roundup: No. 1 El Toro loses its league finale, and Edison clinchs playoff spot.
El Modena coach Steve Harrington said he believed his team had lost its mental edge after a loss to Canyon in the first round of league play, so he turned to one of his former players for help.
Maureen Lecocq played for Harrington at Chaminade of West Hills, where she was the 1999 Gatorade Player of the Year after leading the Eagles to a CIF-SS championship before going on to play at Stanford.
Lecocq spoke to the Vanguards about what it takes to be a true teammate and what it takes to win a championship.
The Vanguards took what Lecocq had to say to heart and won the final five games of the regular season, including a 1-0 triumph over Canyon on Thursday in the regular-season finale to capture their second consecutive Century League title.
Canyon (22-7, 8-2) entered the game ranked No. 4 in Division II, but the loss could move El Modena (21-8-1, 9-1) into the No. 4 spot when the Division II playoff pairings are announced Monday.
“We had to find some inner strength,” Harrington said. “I thought what better way than to bring in a girl (Lecocq) that’s been at the highest level of softball and who is very close to me.”
Senior Kylie Wagner turned in one of the best performances of her high school career, throwing a no-hitter with seven strikeouts.
Canyon’s freshman ace Cheyanne Tarango, who shut out El Modena on two hits in the first meeting, scattered five hits and struck out 11 to take the loss in the rematch.
“That last game was a fluke,” Wagner said. “This time, we wanted it and we weren’t going to let some freshman come back in and beat us again.
“Maureen came out and talked to me and the whole team. She talked to me personally about pitching and wanting it and I dug down deep to that very last pitch.”
El Modena had opportunities early in the game, getting runner on first and second with no outs in the top of the second. But Tarango got three consecutive strikeouts to end the threat.
The Vanguards loaded the bases with two outs in the third, but Tarango got a groundout to end the inning.
El Modena broke through in the fifth when Allison Taylor drew a leadoff walk. Anissa Zambrano was up next and stroked a double to right-center field. Taylor scored from first, barely sliding under the tag at the plate for a 1-0 lead.
(Click here for more stats from the El Modena-Canyon game)
In other Century League games:
Villa Park 4, El Dorado 3: Courtney McCarthy went 2 for 2, drove in a run and scored a run to help the Spartans (10-16, 4-6) beat the visiting Golden Hawks (11-13, 5-4), who still finished in third place.
Brea Olinda 14, Tustin 0: Vanessa Spears hit a solo homer in the first and a two-run shot in the third to help the Wildcats (7-8, 3-7) defeat the host Tillers (7-18-1, 0-10) via the mercy rule.
In the Sea View League:
No. 9 Trabuco Hills 2, No. 1 El Toro 0: The Mustangs (17-11-1, 8-2) lost the opportunity to claim a share of the league title when they lost to Northwood on Tuesday, but they did prevent the Chargers (23-6-1, 9-1) from going undefeated in league.
Kayla Massey pitched a two-hitter with one walk and 11 strikeouts and Madi Geiger went 2 for 3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored to lead Trabuco Hills.
Huntington Beach 6, Foothill 5: Jenny Driver went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and Meghan White drove in two runs to help the Oilers (14-13, 3-7) defeat the visiting Knights (14-15, 3-7).
Huntington Beach won three of its final four games to close out the regular season and become eligible to petition for an at-large berth in the Division I playoffs.
In the Sunset League:
Edison 1, Fountain Valley 0: Stephanie Engle tossed a four-hit shutout to help the Chargers (10-16, 6-4) beat the visiting Barons (4-20, 2-8) to clinch third place and their first trip to the playoffs in six years.
In the Trinity League:
No. 4 Mater Dei 12, Orange Lutheran 0: Alyssa Erickson went 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs to lift the Monarchs (20-6, 6-2) over the visiting Lancers (18-13, 3-5) at Thornton Park. Orange Lutheran finished in fourth place, but is eligible to petition for an at-large berth in the Division I playoffs.
In the Pacific Coast League:
Laguna Hills 4, Irvine 0: Terri Rahe recorded a two-hit shutout and she went 2 for 4 with a run and two RBIs as the Hawks (20-6-1, 7-1) defeated the host Vaqueros (10-14, 4-4) to take a share of the league title.
Beckman 13, University 0: Kindra Bennett went 2 for 2 with two RBIs, Megan Denio went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs, Kari Gonzalez went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and Rachel Lowry went 2 for 2 with two runs as the Patriots (21-6, 7-1) beat the visiting Trojans (3-18, 0-8) to finish as co-league champions with Laguna Hills.
In the Empire League:
No. 2 Kennedy 3, Valencia 0: Ashley Hewett pitched a two-hitter and Meghan Macias went 2 for 3 with a solo homer as the Fighting Irish (26-3, 10-0) defeated the host Tigers (15-13, 5-5). Valencia ended up qualifying for the playoffs with its third-place finish.
No. 10 Pacifica 6, Loara 0: UCLA-bound Andrea Harrison belted a three-run homer to lead the Mariners (19-11, 7-3) past the visiting Saxons (11-16, 4-6).
Cypress 4, Katella 1: Marissa McWhorter scattered seven hits and struck out five to get the complete-game victory as the Centurions (11-19, 4-6) defeated the visiting Knights (5-19, 0-10).
In the Freeway League:
Sonora 3, La Habra 0: Alexa Limon pitched a three-hit shutout with seven strikeouts as the Raiders (16-11, 7-3) knocked off the host Highlanders (15-13, 6-4) to take second place.
Fullerton 11, Buena Park 0: Katey Laban and Lindsey Rains combined on a four-hit shutout to lead the Indians (21-7, 9-1) past the host Coyotes (1-16, 0-10).
In the Orange League:
Savanna 10, Santa Ana Valley 0: Tanya Dowler allowed three hits and struck out six to record the shutout as the Rebels (18-9, 10-0) beat the visiting Falcons (5-15, 4-6) in five innings via the mercy rule to go undefeated in league for the fourth consecutive season.
Anaheim 5, Western 4: Pinch-hitter Alexis Gandara drove in Melissa Mateos with the tying run in the bottom of the sixth and Ricky Sanchez’s RBI double in the bottom of the seventh gave the Colonists (7-13, 3-7) the victory over the visiting Pioneers (4-11, 4-4).
Magnolia 13, Century 3: Crystal Perez went 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs as the Sentinels (8-8, 6-4) wrapped up second place with a victory over the visiting Centurions (3-16, 1-7).
In the Academy League:
Brethren Christian 7, Capistrano Valley Christian 5: Tori Calhoon went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and Shannon Fillmore had a double, triple and one RBI to help the Warriors (9-6-1, 6-4) clinch third place and a playoff berth with a victory over the host Eagles (8-14, 7-3).
In a nonleague game:
Whittier Christian 3, Saddleback Valley Christian 0: Natalie Sanchez tossed a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts to lead the Heralds (16-9-1) past the visiting Warriors (11-4).
>> See all scores from Thursday's games
Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com
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