Softball: Marina stays hot in Sunset
It is a curious thing to witness how teams evolve over the course of a season.
The nonleague schedule could be appropriately named an extended Spring Training for baseball and softball teams alike, but the same phenomenon exists across high school sports.
With the arrival of league play, most teams experience an awakening. That has been true for Marina High’s softball team, which started out the season at 1-6 overall.
Shayla Thomas had three hits and five runs batted in to lead Marina, as the Vikings defeated host Fountain Valley, 9-4, in a Sunset League game on Tuesday afternoon.
The Vikings third baseman had a two-run single in the first inning. She added a three-run home run to center in the fourth to open Marina’s lead to 8-0.
“We were all excited right when league actually started because we knew it meant something,” Thomas said of the team’s turnaround.
Marina (5-7, 2-0 in league) has won four out of five, a streak that began with a 10-0 win against Newport Harbor last Thursday. The Vikings are producing 7.75 runs per game in those four victories.
Marina seemed to struggle with its identity in the early going. Amber Baldwin was projected to be the team’s ace, but she suffered through periods of wildness due to a back injury.
Freshman Emily Rush (3-2) has allowed the team to settle in, producing for a team that was in severe need of starting pitching.
On Tuesday, the young right-hander allowed three hits over four innings to improve to 2-0 in league.
“Emily has really taken us through,” Vikings Coach Mandee Farish said. “She has taken that job and absolutely ran with it. She has done amazing.”
“Now, we’re just trying to find a relief closer who can come in and shut the game down.”
Baldwin finished off the game. She looked more like her former self in doing so, striking out five and allowing two hits over the final three innings.
Marina’s senior battery of Baldwin and King committed together to go to Middle Tennessee State. King said she has seen an improvement in Baldwin’s confidence lately.
“I think she is doing pretty good,” King said of Baldwin. “She has been working really hard in practice, and I think she’s just confident because our defense has been putting up for her.”
King provided plenty offensively in support of her pitchers. She went four for four with two RBIs.
Paige Shafer and Carlie Hoetker also drove in runs, and Ashley Pilatos had a double.
Lauren Doan was off the mark for Fountain Valley (9-11, 0-2) in her start. She walked the first three batters of the game before being pulled in favor of Sarah Johansen.
All three of Doan’s runners scored, and the Vikings added five more in the fourth.
Stephanie Tsai had an RBI-single in the fourth for Fountain Valley. Madison Primrose singled and scored on a passed ball in the fifth.
The Barons picked up two more runs in the seventh, with Vanessa Sardines picking up an RBI.
Catcher Madeline Domingo had two hits, including a double, to lead the Barons’ attack.
Fountain Valley is scheduled to host Huntington Beach on Thursday. Marina has two games left in the Woodbridge Tournament later this week.
Sunset League
Marina 9, Fountain Valley 4
SCORE BY INNINGS
Mar 300 500 1 - 9 12 1
FV 000 110 2 - 4 5 2
Rush, Baldwin (5) and King; Doan, Johansen (1) and Domingo. W - Rush, 3-2. L - Doan.
2B - Pilatos (Mar); Domingo (FV). HR - Thomas (Mar).
Twitter: @ProfessorTurner
