Del Norte falls to Murrieta Mesa in Division 1 SoCal Regional softball final
Third-seeded Del Norte (25-7) can't find an answer to Murrieta Mesa sophomore Lilly Hauser Del Norte High School's softball team suffered an 8-2 loss to Murrieta Mesa in the Division 1 Southern California Regional Championship. The third-seeded Del Norte couldn't find an answer to the No. 1 Rams, who were ranked No. 6 in the state. Sophomore Lilly Hauser, who pitched a four-hitter with 14 strikeouts, was the standout player for MurriETA Mesa. The loss was part of a yearlong emotional journey for the team, which had never played in a San Diego Section championship game. Despite the losses, Del Nortes coach Amanda Nelson expressed pride in their team's progress.
公開済み : 10ヶ月前 沿って Jim Lindgren の Sports
There were tears of sorrow, tears of joy and tears simply from the emotional rollercoaster the Del Norte High School softball team has been riding for about a year now.
The sorrow stemmed from the Nighthawks’ 8-2 loss to Murrieta Mesa in the final of the Division 1 Southern California Regional Championship on Saturday afternoon.
Third-seeded Del Norte (25-7) simply couldn’t find an answer to sophomore Lilly Hauser and the No. 1 Rams (28-4). Hauser (22-1, 0.55 ERA) pitched a four-hitter with 14 strikeouts to cap a fantastic season for Murrieta Mesa, the sixth-ranked team in the state.
“They got on it early,” Del Norte coach Amanda Nelson said. “They hit well, they pitched well, and we had some uncharacteristic errors.”
Before last week, the Nighthawks had never even played in a San Diego Section championship game. In the Open Division final, they led 5-0 until Poway put up six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the title.
“It was a great year,” Nelson said. “I can’t be upset. We exceeded expectations. These kids kept it together and had fun doing it. I’m proud of them.”
The emotional wave started at the end of last season in May and involved a well-documented case involving the former superintendent of the Poway School District and some of the current players.
“I’m really proud of this team,” said sophomore third baseman Lainey Llamas. “Even though we didn’t win today. We’re still winners. Coming through and getting here through all the outside noise, we didn’t let it get to us because we knew we had each other.”
Murrieta Mesa scored three runs each in the first and second innings before Del Norte answered with one in the third inning. With two outs, Llamas walked and stole second, and Jessica Phelps singled to center to drive in her 22nd run of the season.
With the Rams leading 8-1, Llamas hit her sixth home run to finish with 20 RBI and 33 runs.
“I wanted to end my sophomore year on a strong note,” Llamas said. “They’re a good team, and they were able to put pressure on us early.”
A season-high four errors made things tougher for Phelps (14-2, 1.64 ERA) in the circle. The Princeton-bound right-hander yielded six hits and seven runs (four earned) while striking out six in four innings.
“Every team has an off-day,” Phelps said. “Unfortunately, this was not our best game. Ultimately, I’m very happy with this season. The school had never gotten this far, so we’re proud of that.”
Catcher Lex Brunetti (Fresno State) and sophomore Brooklyn Giaime had the other hits off Hauser, who finished with a 0.55 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 115 innings.
“She’s awesome,” Rams coach Tony Romero said. “She’s been like that all season.”
Page Bambarger was 2-for-2 with a double and three RBI for the Rams. Maddie Boehm was 1-for-2 with a double and two RBI, and Kenzie Ferrier was 2-for-3.
Murrieta Mesa moved its semifinal game to Friday night to accommodate graduation ceremonies and the last day of school on Thursday. Until 45 minutes before Saturday’s championship, Romero wasn’t sure the Rams would have nine players. He said four regular starters missed the game.
“It’s been a battle for us all week,” Romero said. “Our school just graduated on Thursday. A lot of families had made plans, or the girls had parties to attend. But we did it.”
トピック: Softball