Division I Final: Chino Hills Ayala vs. Mater Dei

When--7:30 tonight

Where--Mayfair Park, Lakewood

Chino Hills Ayala (25-4)--Ayala certainly isn’t the typical wild-card team. The Bulldogs were second in the Sierra League, but have beaten, Diamond Bar (for the third time in four games), second-seeded Foothill and third-seeded Irvine. Pitcher Kim Balkan (12-2, 0.49 earned-run average) doesn’t strike out many, but the Bulldogs play well behind her; opponents, who batted .177 against her, pushed across only 13 runs this season. Balkan (.432) also has a team-high 19 RBIs. Though batting only .236 as a team, Ayala doesn’t need much to win. The Bulldogs’ best hope is to play their “little ball” style flawlessly and capitalize on opportunity when it arrives.

Mater Dei (29-3)--Five starters from the 1996 championship team try to win a second title. Four of them--Kelsey Kollen, Robin Walker, Monica Lucatero and Jodi Schicker--are seniors whose record is 114-15, including 16-2 in the playoffs. The top-seeded Monarchs have four consecutive one-run playoff victories, and in the last three have won in their final at-bat. Sophomore pitcher Tia Bollinger (16-1, 0.18 ERA) is 4-0 in playoff games over two years and is the likely starter; junior Marissa Young is 13-2 with a 0.07 ERA and could also pitch. She won the title game two years ago with a two-hitter. The top of the order, anchored by the section’s all-time hits leader Kollen (.518) and Walker, has been the driving force in the playoffs, but it was the bottom of the order, Jamie Bagnall and Courtney Ryan, that came up big in the 2-1 semifinal victory over fourth-seeded Camarillo.

Key to the game--Mater Dei is used to playing big games against the toughest competition, and two previous section title games should be a benefit under the lights and in front of the crowd.

PROBABLE LINEUPS

AYALA

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No. Name Yr. Pos 5 Meredith Milano Sr. SS 2 Melissa Ameluxen Sr. 2B 31 Kim Balkan So. P 21 Dorene Cerda Sr. 3B 26 Meaghan McNatt So. 1B 38 Kerri Snyder Sr. C 42 Alison Balkan Sr. RF 1 Briana Grimes So. CF 20 Michelle Anunciation Fr. LF

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MATER DEI

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No. Name Yr. Pos 12 Kelsey Kollen Sr. 2B 25 Jodi Schicker Sr. CF 8 Robin Walker Sr. SS 16 Monica Lucatero Sr. 1B 77 Marissa Young Jr. LF 1 Jamie Bagnall Sr. 3B 7 Jessica Young Fr. DH 18 Ruby Rojas Jr. RF 9 Courtney Ryan Sr. C 24 Tia Bollinger So. P

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