SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : Pacifica Rips Cypress to Reach Quarterfinals

A week ago, it would have been a matchup between between the third- and fifth-ranked teams in Orange County.

Two days ago, it was considered a matchup between two teams that could win the Division I title.

Tuesday, the Pacifica-Cypress matchup was a mismatch.

Fourth-seeded Pacifica did nothing wrong in a 9-0 Southern Section Division I victory at Cypress, a team that beat the Mariners in the Cypress tournament championship game, 2-1, early in the season.

But with much more on the line, freshman Toni Mascarenas (14-3, 0.10 earned-run average) pitched 6 2/3 innings of no-hit ball and Pacifica (20-5-1) advanced to Thursday’s quarterfinal against Newbury Park.

“I wouldn’t ever imagine us, in a game this big, getting this blown out,” Cypress Coach Diane Pohl said. “It’s shocking.”

On the other side of the field, Pacifica Coach Rob Weil was asked how the rest of the division was supposed to interpret his team’s play, which came on the heels of a 5-0 victory over Capistrano Valley. Are they that good?

“I’ll just say that we’re playing with a lot of confidence,” Weil said. “Everyone is contributing.”

And everything happened Pacifica’s way on Tuesday. Every starter had a hit and four players--Rachelle Breig, Autumn Gwinner, Amy Smith and Shelly Dunn--had two hits each.

The Mariners, who had scored just enough runs to get by this year, took a 2-0 lead in the second. Mascarenas singled and took second on an error; an out later, Smith singled home Mascarenas, and Dunn singled to left field. Ninth batter Kristin Freed (two RBIs) followed with a squeeze bunt.

“That was the biggest play of the game,” Weil said. “I felt if we could get two runs, with the way Toni was pitching, we would be real tough to beat.”

But Pohl thought Cypress (18-6) deflated after Pacifica scored twice after two were out in the third. Consecutive errors by third baseman Christa Saindon and a single by Natasha Sisco made it 4-0. Sisco was batting .135, but was indicative of Pacifica’s performance: The bottom-four batters in the lineup had six of the team’s 13 hits and five RBIs.

Pacifica added five runs in the fifth inning.

The Centurions committed four errors behind freshman pitcher Stacy Silva (15-5), but the Mariners still pushed across five earned runs--which is three more than Mascarenas has allowed all season.

Silva, barely beating the throw to first base from right field, had Cypress’ only hit, with two out in the seventh inning.

In other Division I games:

Fountain Valley 2, El Toro 1--Paula Schoonover had an RBI single and Lynea Backlund and Laurie Gillis each scored to lead visiting Fountain Valley (17-8-1). Backlund (3-0) struck out seven and allowed one hit in 3 2/3 innings of relief. Jennifer Hamer had two hits for El Toro (22-9).

Los Alamitos 2, Ventura Buena 1--Debbie Wilson (15-1) struck out five and allowed nine hits for second-seeded Los Alamitos (23-4) at Ventura. Sheri Bergeron drove in the go-ahead run in the fourth inning. The game ended when second baseman Amanda Peterson threw out Jennifer Peck at home. Los Alamitos will play host to Foothill on Thursday.

Marina 6, Garden Grove 1--Top-seeded Marina (23-2) won its 13th straight and will play Agoura or San Marcos in the quarterfinals. Agoura and San Marcos will resume their game today tied, 1-1, in the 19th inning. Marcy Crouch (19-2) struck out eight and gave up five hits--including three to Jennifer Johnson. Jenny Ramirez had a pinch-hit RBI single for Garden Grove (18-12).