PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : With Victory, Irvine in Position to Take Title

Irvine softball Coach Lisa Baker stood near the dugout and began talking about the Vaqueros’ season, the one that has been much more successful than she ever imagined, and diplomatically explained her expectations for the biggest week in her team’s three-year association with the Sea View League.

After playing El Toro on Friday, two days removed from a game against Woodbridge, Baker answered the question, Did you expect to win both games?, with the humble, “We wanted to.”

They got what they wanted.

Irvine completed a sweep of the two teams it shared first place with when the week began by scoring a 5-0 victory at El Toro, putting itself in position to win outright a league title it has shared with Woodbridge the past two years; the Vaqueros can end Woodbridge’s 13-year league title run.

Irvine is 15-7, 7-1 in league with two games to play; second-place El Toro (16-12, 6-2) and Woodbridge (16-10, 6-2) play Tuesday.

“We want to take away that 13-year title,” said Amy Young (12-5), the Irvine pitcher who surrendered only two hits. “This was a big week for us.”

The biggest in three years, said Baker. Irvine beat Woodbridge, 1-0, on Wednesday and seized control of its own destiny by scoring five runs in the first four innings against the Chargers; if Irvine beats Corona del Mar and Santa Margarita next week, the title will be the Vaqueros’ alone.

Irvine had 10 hits--nine in the first four innings.

Debbie Tomoguchi had three hits, and Tyree Woodruff (one run batted in) and Katie Morrison (two runs) each had two hits; Marianne Calvin and Sarah Usherwood also drove in runs.

The big inning was the three-run third; with the bases loaded, Stephenie Ellery (10-6) threw two wild pitches, and Calvin singled to left to make it 4-0.