Unearned Run in Ninth Allows Marina to Win ‘Stressful’ Title Game

Marina scored on an error in the bottom of the ninth inning Saturday, giving the Vikings a 1-0 victory and the Southern Section 5-A championship at Mayfair Park.

Catcher Christa Yorke scored the winning run. She led off the inning with a single, went to second on a ground ball and took third on a wild pitch. Shortstop/pitcher Janet Miyahara hit a shot to center fielder Erin Mutch, who dropped the ball, allowing Yorke to score.

Miyahara (16-1) got the victory as Marina improved to 28-5. Newbury Park ends the season 24-8.

“It was a very stressful game,” said Marina Coach Susie Calderon. “I though Newbury Park played wonderfully. They came out and executed. (Lea) Lopez pitched a wonderful ball game. She kept my leadoff batters off base, so I have to give her credit.”

Through seven innings, top-seeded Marina nor second-seeded Newbury Park had scoring opportunities, but outstanding defensive plays halted all threats.

Miyahara entered the game in the top of the fifth to get Willa Parchen out of a jam. Parchen’s error on a pop fly put Laree Reynolds on base with one out.

Reynolds stole a base on a passed ball, bringing up Lynn Anderson.

Anderson hit a high liner up the middle but second baseman Muche made a running backhand overhead stab to save a hit.

Parchen’s head-high wild pitch advanced Reynolds to third. That’s when Calderon inserted Miyahara, who struck out Mutch with two fastballs and a changeup to end the threat.

Marina came right back. Annie Presutti led off with a single and was replaced by pinch runner Kari Grandstaff. Grandstaff advanced to third on consecutive sacrifices, bringing up Becky Tackett. Tackett made contact, but Bolger, the second baseman, caught the ball over her head to save an RBI single.

Marina believed it had scored a run in the bottom of the second. Becky Toler hit a one-out single. An out later, Julie Luft chopped a ball up the third-base line. The ball appeared to bounce off the third baseman’s glove and toward the Marina dugout and left field.

Toler sprinted home, sliding into the catcher at the plate as the throw arrived. But the plate umpire had signaled the ball foul and the play dead. Toler advanced to second on a wild pitch but was stranded after Luft struck out.

Newbury Park got a runner to third with some bold base running, but she too was left stranded. Melody Bolger, batting clean up, lined a two-out single to center, then stole second with Marci James at the plate.

Bolger then drifted halfway between second and third. Catcher Yorke threw back to the pitcher and Bolger took off for third sliding in ahead of the tag. But James then flew out to center to end the threat.