SOUTHERN SECTION 3-A SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : Tustin Rallies in Seventh to Tie, Then Knocks Out Second-Seeded Irvine

Unseeded Tustin High School, after being held hitless for six innings, tied the score with a run on two hits in the seventh inning and scored two in the eighth to defeat Irvine, 3-1, Thursday at Heritage Park in Irvine and knock the second-seeded Vaqueros out of the Southern Section 3-A softball playoffs.

Irvine’s Jennifer Brundage hadn’t allowed a hit until Shannon Ellis led off the top of the seventh with a single. Christine Garner followed with another single and Kim Kolina’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third. Ellis then scored on a passed ball by Irvine catcher Lisa Goodwin.

Tustin (15-9) scored two in the eighth as Irvine committed two errors and two passed balls. Ellis drove in the second run with a single.

Brundage (21-3), who allowed only six earned runs all season, struck out 10 and walked none for Irvine (24-4), which had finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in the county.

Tustin pitcher Ellis struck out eight and walked one.

In other 3-A playoff games:

Saddleback 4, Mission Viejo 1--Desi Abrego, the shortest player on Saddleback High School’s softball team, was a giant on the mound. The 5-foot-1 sophomore held Mission Viejo to four hits and struck out 14.

Saddleback (20-2) will play the winner of the Ramona-Alta Loma game. Mission Viejo ended the season at 17-10.

Leann Larriva’s home run in the third inning gave Saddleback a 1-0 lead. Mission Viejo, which reached the 3-A final last year, self-destructed in the fourth inning by committing two errors that led to three runs.

Kristen Harrison came on in relief of Mission Viejo starter Jodi Lemire to open the fourth. She hit the first batter she faced, Priscilla Sarmiento. After Abrego popped out, Nikkanni Andrews singled and Sarmiento stopped at second. Amber Smith drilled a shot back to Harrison, whose throw to first was wild, allowing Sarmiento and Andrews to score.

Shortstop Jennifer Ward then threw out Kim Carstens, but first baseman April Snyder’s wild throw to second allowed Smith to score the fourth Saddleback run.

The Diablos’ run came in the sixth when Snyder scored from second on Tamar deFries’ single.