There is a new leader, rather than co-leaders, at the top of the Metro-Mesa League girls softball standings after visiting Mater Dei Catholic edged Bonita Vista, 2-1, in a high profile game on Tuesday. The teams had entered the game each tied with 3-0 league records in the standings.
After the game, the victorious Lady Crusaders sported a 4-0 league record while the Lady Barons dropped to 3-1 in league play.
Mater Dei Catholic subsequently defeated host Otay Ranch, 6-1, on Thursday to improve to 5-0 in league play. The Lady Crusaders have three league game remaining on their regular season schedule in a bid to secure this year’s league championship title – May 3 against visiting Olympian, May 10 against visiting Eastlake and May 12 against visiting Bonita Vista.
Arianna Miranda doubled home Aaliayah Jordan in the first inning to give the hosts a quick 1-0 advantage. But the visitors pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh inning to just as quickly take a 2-1 lead, and managed to hold it over the next five-and-a-half innings.
Kellie White scattered five hits to pick up the win. She walked three batters and struck out seven in hurling a complete game.
Eva Gonzales tied the game on a ground-out and teammate Sophie Herrera than singled in what proved to be the game-winning run.
The win made amends for a 7-6 loss to the Lady Barons at the Falcon Fiesta tournament earlier in the season.
The win was also a milestone for the Mater Dei Catholic program in another way: it was the first time the team won at game at Bonita Vista.
The Lady Barons (16-6 overall) didn’t exactly lay down and die for White. The hosts loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the fifth inning but White managed to get out of the jam unscathed.
Mia Maranakis, who allowed nine hits, took the loss for Bonita Vista.
The Lady Crusaders had won five consecutive CIF championship titles before losing in the fourth round of last year’s Open Division playoffs. White had pitched her team to two division titles, and will be looking for a third before she graduates at the end of the season.
Mater Dei Catholic poured across five runs in the top of the first inning of Thursday’s game at Otay Ranch to take control of that game and, in the process, extend their record to 15-6 on the season.
Prior to dropping the key match-up to the Lady Crusaders, Bonita Vista recorded a key 1-0 victory at Olympian on April 21. Alicia Ontiveros scored the lone run of the game in the top of the fourth inning while Izzy Ortiz pitched a complete game four-hit shutout.
Sydney Sandez took the loss for the Lady Eagles, who fell to 0-3 in league play, 12-11 overall. She gave up five hits and struck out four batters in seven innings in the pitching circle.
Isabella Leon led Olympian with two hits in the game.
The Lady Barons received base hits from Miranda, Crissy Ramirez, Chelsea Gonzales and Lani Graft.
Mesa League Standings
(Through Aoril 28)
Mater Dei Catholic 5-0, 15-6
Bonita Vista 3-2, 16-7
Eastlake 3-2, 14-7
Olympian 1-3, 12-12
Otay Ranch 0-5,7-14-1
Thursday, April 28
Mater Dei Catholic 6, Otay Ranch 1
Eastlake 5, Bonita Vista 4
High Tech High San Diego 6, Olympian 4
Tuesday, Aoril 26
Mater Dei Catholic 2, Bonita Vista 1
Olympian 5, Otay Ranch 1
Monday, April 25
Eastlake 10, Madison 1
