Softball: El Modena ‘Wasn’t going to be denied’ its upset of Kennedy
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El Modena pitcher Kylie Wagner retired the third, fourth and fifth batters in order in the top of the eighth inning, setting the stage for freshman Devin Vanderhoff’s game-winning home run against top-seeded La Palma Kennedy in the Southern Section-Toyota Division II semifinals.
“When she was on deck,’ Wagner said of Vanderhoff, the team’s No. 7 hitter, ‘she had that look on her face like she was not going to be denied,”
That’s exactly the way El Modena is playing.
After losing to Anaheim Canyon in a Century League game, one of Coach Steve Harrington’s former players at Chaminade, two-time Division IV player of the year Maureen LeCocq, came to practice and addressed the team privately. What was supposed to be 15 minutes turned into 1 1/2 hours.
Since then, El Modena is 9-0-1, with the tie coming at the end of the regular season against Division I finalist Valencia. The Vanguards (25-8-2) will play Glendora (19-9) in the Division II finals this weekend at Barber Park in Irvine.
“They had the ability, it was just getting them to believe in themselves,” Harrington said after his team’s 4-3 victory. “We said, ‘Look at the banners we have here. We have a tradition.’ I challenged them, ‘Do you want to be the first El Mo team that has not maximized their potential?’ ”
They answered the question definitively on Tuesday.
-- Martin Henderson