Esperanza falls to top-seeded Simi Valley

ANAHEIM- Simi Valley showed why it deserved the No. 1 seed in the CIF-SS Division I softball playoffs with an 8-4 victory over Sunset League champion Esperanza in the quarterfinals on Monday at Esperanza High.

It was the second time the Pioneers had to make the long trek from Ventura County to Anaheim in the past five days. Simi Valley was supposed to play Esperanza on Thursday, but the game was postponed because of rain after the Pioneers already had arrived at Esperanza.

Simi Valley got production from its entire lineup, putting together a 12-hit attack and going through two Aztecs' pitchers.

Loyola Marymount-bound shortstop Sam Fischer lived up to the hype, going 2 for 3 with a double, a home run, two runs and two RBIs for the Pioneers.

Fischer belted a two-run homer in the top of the first to get Simi Valley out to a quick 2-0 lead.

Amber Olive and Jessica Soria had RBI singles in the second and Olive stole home on a run-down play to push the lead to 5-0.

Tawney Reeger had an RBI double in the third, the Pioneers picked up an unearned run in the fourth and Haley Thomas' RBI single in the fifth gave Simi Valley a commanding 8-0 lead.

The Aztecs could have very easily surrendered facing such a large deficit, but they put together one final stand with a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth to give the Pioneers a moment of pause.

Kailyn Johnson hit a two-run homer to right, Ashley MacQueen ripped a solo home run to left and Christina Hunter added an RBI double for Esperanza during the sixth-inning outburst.

"We just got started too late," Aztecs coach Ed Tunstall said.

Six of Esperanza's players that started against Simi Valley are underclassmen and will be back to help the Aztecs make another run next season.

Simi Valley plays host to fourth-seeded Norco in the semifinals today at 3:15 p.m. Third-seeded Valencia of Valencia plays at second-seeded Santiago of Corona in the other semifinal today at 3:15 p.m.

(See more game stats)

In a Division III quarterfinal:

Cajon (San Bernardino) 4, Rancho Alamitos 3: Breja-e Washington drove in the winning run with a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Cowboys a victory over the visiting Vaqueros.

Washington ended up going 4 for 5 with a double, triple, two runs and two RBIs for Cajon, the San Andreas League champion.

These two teams played the first eight innings on Thursday before getting rained out and having the remainder of the game rescheduled for Monday.

Cajon improved to 23-6. Rancho Alamitos, the Garden Grove League champion, finished 20-7-1. Cajon will play Paloma Valley of Menifee, which beat Laguna Hills, 2-1, in the quarterfinals, in the semifinals today at 3:15 p.m.

(See more game stats)

Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com