CdM doubled up by Woodbridge in first PCL loss

NEWPORT BEACH — When a team ventures into uncharted territory, there are lessons to be learned along the way.

Corona del Mar softball coach Jordann Wakabayashi considered Wednesday’s lopsided loss to Woodbridge to be a three-hour teachable moment for her players.

This was the third game of the Pacific Coast League schedule. At the end of the day, either Woodbridge or CdM was going to be by itself atop the league standings.

Since the start of the 2008 campaign, the only time that CdM had the chance to play for first place was in its league opener.

Wakabayashi knew that her team would be tested by the Warriors. All she wanted to see was her team push back.

Though their blows were not as swift as those of the visiting Warriors, Wakabayashi had her reasons to be encouraged in the Sea Kings’ 22-11 loss to Woodbridge.

“We came into this game knowing that it was going to be a fight,” Wakabayashi said. “We knew that this was a very good Woodbridge team. The fact that the score was as high as it was on both sides, I was impressed.”

Corona del Mar’s pitchers had far from their best day in the circle. Audrey Tumbarello and Mallory McCrane combined to issue 10 walks and hit six batters.

Those miscues aside, CdM showed the fight characteristic of the team that has shocked many this season. The Sea Kings have not begun the season 10-7, 2-1 in league, without the belief that they can strike at any moment this year.

Tumbarello’s outing was over after she allowed seven runs in the first two innings. CdM was down, 7-2, at that point.

Immediately, the Sea Kings responded with a four-run bottom half of the second. Kira Delgadillo’s two-run double highlighted the rally.

Two runs also scored when a pop fly off the bat of Raine Finley was dropped near the line in shallow right field.

Woodbridge (10-11, 3-0) came back with nine runs in the third inning. Kaitlyn Lim, who was 3 for 4 with four runs scored, hit a grand slam with two outs in the frame to extend the Warriors’ lead to 16-6.

“There were runners on base, so I think my main goal was just to hit something to the outfield so that we could at least score a couple of runs,” Lim said. “It just happened to go over.

“Their pitcher was kind of wild, so I was kind of waiting for my pitches. If I saw one early, I would go all out for it. I would swing as hard as I could.”

Already at risk for the mercy rule, Wakabayashi feared that the inability to keep the Warriors off the scoreboard might challenge the resolve of her team.

The Sea Kings did not lay down, however. Woodbridge led, 18-8, in the bottom of the fifth when CdM needed a run to extend the game. They got what they needed and then some.

Amerys Barshtak singled. Then, CdM was down to its last strike when Sophia Rhee shot a blooper over third base for an infield single.

Barshtak scored on the play, and Brooke Franson followed with a two-run homer to cut the deficit to 18-11.

“I was a little bit worried because every time we talk, I say this team is different because they have a lot of fight,” said Wakabayashi, expressing her concerns about possible dejection. “It’s a lot more (fight) than we’ve had the past two seasons when I was here.

“They can come back from any sort of deficit. I think they forget about that because a lot of them have become so accustomed to losing.”

Franson, Delgadillo and Finley posted two-RBI games for Corona del Mar. Lauren Oberreiter and Rhee each drove in one run.

Woodbridge had 15 hits, including doubles by Lim, Taylor Wojciechowski, Sofie Adams, Kayla Guerrero and Ashlee Laver.

Hannah Sasaki and Joanna Michaels each had three RBI.

“I kind of let my offense do what they’ve been doing so well, which is just putting the ball in play and running the bases,” Woodbridge coach Jerry Rose said. “They’re very aggressive, very smart baserunners, and we just went with that.

“It was a different position, coming in here to CdM and seeing them at 2-0. It was a battle from the get-go, and luckily, we prevailed.”

Corona del Mar takes to the road to face Irvine (9-11, 2-1) at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Pacific Coast League

Woodbridge 22, Corona del Mar 11

SCORE BY INNINGS

Wood 169 204 — 22 15 4

CdM 240 230 — 11 8 2

Caudill (reentered with two outs in fifth), Laver (2) and Michaels; Tumbarello, McCrane (3) and Delgadilo. WP — Laver, 3-0. LP — Tumbarello, 1-1. 2B — Lim (Wood), Wojciechowski (Wood), Adams (Wood), Guerrero (Wood), Laver (Wood); Delgadillo 2 (CdM). HR — Lim (Wood); Franson (CdM).

Andrew.Turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner