King Beats Her Idol as Barons Advance

Natalie King admitted that she idolized Pacifica’s Amanda Freed.

King got a chance to face Freed, acknowledged as one of the nation’s best pitchers, Saturday in the semifinals of the Woodbrige Easter Classic.

King not only pitched like Freed, but beat her.

A Fountain Valley sophomore, King gave up only two infield hits in the seventh inning, struck out nine and anchored the Barons’ 9-1 semifinal victory over third-ranked Pacifica.

Fountain Valley (10-9) will play Upland in the championship game at 4:30 p.m. Monday at Harvard Park in Irvine.

A one-out RBI single in the ninth inning by freshman Brooke Hawley was the difference in Upland’s 3-2 semifinal victory over Cypress. The Centurions took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh on RBIs by Amanda Carlson and Sasha Campbell.

Until Fountain Valley dismantled Pacifica (15-3)--running Freed after only three innings and a 3-0 lead--it looked as if Cypress’ 4-3, 11-inning victory over fourth-ranked Woodbridge in the quarterfinals was the day’s top story.

“It’s the best around,” Pacifica Coach Rob Weil said of Orange County softball, which has four teams ranked nationally--three of which lost this week to other county teams. “On any given day, you can be beaten. This made [Fountain Valley’s] season, no doubt.”

Barons’ Coach Cary Baker, coaching his 17th season, said the victory over Pacifica was “probably in the top two” in his career.

“We beat Cerritos in 1986 to go to the section finals,” Baker said, “but under the circumstances--we were 3-9 at one point and now we’re 10-9.”

Fountain Valley won its seventh in a row. Not only did it beat UCLA-bound Freed (8-2), but the Barons got a two-run double from Rocky Staniorksi and scored a 2-0, eight-inning victory over La Mirada in the quarterfinals to beat pitcher Jennie Finch, who will play next season for Arizona, the defending NCAA champion.

Lovianne Jung’s three-run homer in the third inning, was a towering shot over the head of left fielder Debbie Mastergeorge who was playing deep to begin with. It followed singles by Nicole Rambis and Colleen Burdick (three hits). Every spot in the order got at least one hit except King’s ninth spot, and she had two RBIs. Fountain Valley had 14 hits and Jung scored three times.

King’s father, Steve, said his daughter had looked forward to playing against Freed all season.

“Amanda Freed is kind of like my idol,” King said. “It means a lot to beat her--not beat her, but to play against her.”

King walked four, but faced two over the minimum going into the seventh inning.

“I was aware of [the no-hitter],” King said. “I was bummed they scored a run.”

Freed returned in relief of Jessica Soto trailing 8-0, the bases loaded and none out in the seventh. Freed totaled four innings, four strikeouts, gave up four hits and three earned runs.

Soto (7-1) had been terrific in Pacifica’s 2-1 victory over ninth-ranked El Toro in the quarterfinals, pitching a five-hitter.

Though El Toro had the bases loaded when Freed got the last out, the play of the game was Diana Barrera’s relay throw to cut down Megan Shacklett in the sixth inning on Susan Churchwell’s one-out RBI triple. Freed had the game-winning RBI, a sacrifice fly, in the fifth inning. El Toro’s Suzanne Guy gave up four hits.