PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Bad Throw Helps Marina Beat Mater Dei

With two outs, two runners on, a scoreless game and Marina High School’s top hitter, senior Christa Yorke, at the plate in the bottom of the seventh, Mater Dei Coach Cathy Quesnell apparently thought it best to walk the All-Sunset League catcher. Quesnell apparently thought it best to load the bases and put the pressure on the next batter--a freshman.

The only trouble was, Yorke came to bat again. Christa’s younger sister, Robin, hit a blooper that hit the ground in front of shortstop Rose Imbriano, whose bad throw gave Marina (9-4) a 1-0 nonleague victory over previously undefeated and top-ranked Mater Dei Wednesday at Marina. Imbriano’s throw for the force at third hit runner Becky Tackett in the back for an error and pinch-runner Kari Grandstaff scored.

The game matched two of the county’s top teams--Marina is ranked sixth in the county softball coaches’ poll--in a rematch of last year’s Southern Section 5-A playoff opener. Marina won that game, too, 2-1.

“This is a big, big win for us,” Marina Coach Susie Calderon said. “Next week we start Sunset League and this should give us a boost.”

Mater Dei was without catcher Tracy Rice, who sprained her wrist in a collision at home plate this week. The Monarchs shifted their infield around to accommodate her absence.

Mater Dei next competes in the Canyon Tournament of Champions 5-A final on Saturday, capping an exhausting month of play. “We’re tired,” Quesnell said. “By Saturday, we will have played 14 games in the month of March.

“Marina is well-coached and they came out aggressive and Willa (Parchen) pitched a good game. It came down to who executed and who didn’t. We had the bases loaded and runners on a couple of times, but we just didn’t do it. We didn’t get the timely hits.”

Mater Dei left three runners stranded in the second inning after Parchen walked two batters and a third reached base on an error.

The Yorke connection thwarted another Monarch scoring opportunity in the third inning. Center fielder Robin threw a strike to her sister at the plate, preventing Mater Dei’s Sundy Mosqueda from scoring from second on Amy Moeller’s single.

Parchen pitched a three-hitter, striking out 10 and walking two. Terri Kobata of Mater Dei pitched a two-hitter with seven strikeouts and three walks.

In nonleague softball:

Ocean View 2, Millikan 1--Lisa Quisto had two hits and scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth on Marla Pickard’s sacrifice fly to lead host Ocean View (7-3).

Trabuco Hills 2, San Clemente 1--Brianna Burkman threw a one-hitter, striking out four to lead visiting Trabuco Hills (7-3). Linda Lunceford had two hits and scored for Trabuco Hills.

Mission Viejo 6, Huntington Beach 3--Michelle Daugherty had a three-run triple to give Mission Viejo a 4-1 lead. Kristin Harrison followed with a solo home run for Mission Viejo (7-3).

Fullerton 2, El Dorado 1 (9 innings)--Isaura Campos singled in Benna Kennedy in the bottom of the ninth to lead host Fullerton (5-6). Cathleen Kennedy (4-4) struck out eight and gave up three hits for the victory.