PREP SOFTBALL 1995: PREVIEW : SIX TEAMS TO WATCH : Pacifica

Coach: Rob Weil (sixth year).

1994: 20-6, 12-2 in the Garden Grove League. Seeded fourth in Division I, lost to top-seeded Marina in the semifinals, 1-0, in 10 innings.

Key returners: Kristina Carlson, OF, Sr.; Valerie Downen, SS, Sr.; Kristen Freed, OF, Jr.; Autumn Gwinner, 2B, Sr.; Toni Mascarenas, P, So.; Andrea Pickett, 1B, Jr.; Natasha Sisco, C, Jr.

Key newcomers: Amanda Free, P, Fr.

Outlook: Pitching will be the Mariners’ strong suit. They return Mascarenas, who led the county with a 0.11 earned-run average during the regular season, a 12-3 record and 100 strikeouts. She lowered that ERA to 0.80 through the playoffs and finished with nine shutouts. As if Mascarenas wasn’t enough, Freed is a highly touted freshman talent. Pickett batted .323 with 13 runs batted in last year during the regular season, and by the time they were through the playoffs, Mascarenas batted .320, Gwinner .308, Pickett .299 and Downen .282. Pacifica also has a solid defense, but the Mariners aren’t as quick throughout the lineup as Weil would like.