OLU defeats Marina for Saddleback title

Marina's Keala Cordeiro takes her cuts at the plate during a game against Orange Lutheran on Thursday.
OLU's Alyssa Taylor, center, pokes fun a teammate Devin Montgomery, who is hidden from camera here by teammate #77, after Montgomery made one of the final outs of the game Thursday.
OLU's Jessica Whitney is all smiles as she pinch runs for Bryn Gornick and ends up on third in the bottom of the sixth inning. She would eventually score.
Orange Lutheran's Bryn Gornick, right, is excited after hitting a double against Marina on Thursday.
OLU's Jade Vecvanags chases down another fly ball to end the top of the sixth inning for Marina.
Marina's bench cheers on their teammate Alexa Barrett who was trying to keep the team alive in the top of the 6th inning at bat.
Marina coach Shelly Luth, let, congratulates Samantha Agamaite on a late triple during Thursday's tournament championship.
OLU Alyssa Taylor makes an out for the Lancers in the championship game of the Saddleback Valley Tournament Thursday.
Marina's Kaitlyn Thomson catches the ball for an out against Orange Lutheran on Thursday.
Marina's Tera Bianco couldn't quite pull out the victory against OLU going down 3-2 in the Saddleback Valley Tournament championship game.
Madison Osias pitches in a save for OLU against Marina Thursday.
OLU's Jade Vecvanags, who started at pitcher, catches one out in left field when Madison Osias, not shown, took over at the mound against Marina Thursday.
Orange Lutheran's Jessica Whitney, right, seems to be tagged out here by Marina's Keala Cordeiro, but the umpire rules her safe during Thursday's game.
OLU scores one in the bottom of the fourth when Desiree Hagberg drops a fly ball in the bottom of the third.
Marina takes on OLU in the championship game of the Saddleback Valley Tournament Thursday at Alicia Park in Mission Viejo.
OLU's Devin Montgomery tosses to teammate Alyssa Taylor for a double play Thursday.
OLU's Devin Montgomery stretches it out between innings Thursday.
Marina's Keala Cordeiro makes the last out of the second inning against OLU Thursday.
Marina's Alexa Barrett makes contact during an at-bat against Orange Lutheran on Thursday.
OLU's starting pitcher Jade Vecvanags makes one of her own early outs against Marina Thursday in the championship game of the Saddleback Valley Tournament.
A Marina player gets stretched as the rest of the team warms up Thursday for the Saddleback Valley Tournament championship game.
OLU's Jessica Whitney is batted in by a teammate Thursday.
Orange Lutheran pitcher Madison Osias is high-fived by a teammate after beating Marina in the Saddleback Valley Tournament on Thursday night.
Marina's Kaitlyn Thomson, left, makes an error which allows OLU's Samantha Arents safe passage to second base in the bottom of the second inning.

By Carlos Arias | Orange County Register

March 27, 2012 at 5:04 p.m.

Third-ranked Orange Lutheran continued it’s fantastic start to the 2012 campaign, rallying from a two-run deficit to defeat No. 4 Marina, 3-2, in the championship game of the Saddleback Valley Tournament on Thursday night at Alicia Park.

The Lancers (10-0) defeated Etiwanda, ranked No. 2 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports at the time, last week to claim the Brea Olinda Tournament title.

“We’ve been on a roll,” Miklos said. “We’re 10-0 and that’s the best we’ve ever been. It’s a great start for us. It’s a great group of kids. They are confident.”

“The game’s mental. It’s about expectations and attitude and our girls expect to win. It shows. They step up and they don’t get rattled when they’re down. We’re not going to go undefeated. We’ll lose some games, but our girls will go down fighting.”

Marina’s Tera Blanco, a sophomore who has committed to Michigan, gave the Vikings (7-1) a 2-0 lead with a two-run single in the top of the third.

In the bottom of the third, Alyssa Taylor, Heather Hall and Jade Vecvanags had consecutive infield singles to load the bases with no outs. Olivia Sandusky hit a fly ball to center field with one out, but Marina’s center fielder dropped the ball, allowing Taylor to score from third. That cut Marina’s lead to 2-1.

Devin Montgomery’s RBI single in the bottom of the fifth tied it, 2-2.

Marina’s Samantha Agamaite led off the top of the sixth with a triple, but Ole Miss-bound Madison Osias, who relieved Vecvanags in the top of the fourth, was able to work out of the jam. She got Blanco to ground out to second, she struck out Amanda Cordeiro and she got a fly out after giving up a hit batter.

“Jade was pitching pretty well, but she was having a problem with her hand,” Miklos said. “Her hand swells up once in a while, so it was like her hand was starting to bother her.”

“It was like, ‘OK, we need to make a switch.’ Madi came in and Madi stepped up big time.”

The winning run ended up being and unearned run. Bryn Gornick led off the bottom of the sixth with a double. She eventually scored from third on an error by the shortstop.

“It’s a momentum game and we kind of took it away from them,” Miklos said. “They had the momentum and didn’t score and all of a sudden it was back on our side. Madi did a great job, coming in and finishing off the game.”

Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com