Kollen Leads Mater Dei in Softball

Santa Ana Mater Dei’s Kasey Kollen already holds the Southern Section record for hits in a career.

In a sport dominated by pitching, the senior outfielder has amassed 232 in four seasons, breaking the record of 206 set by Covina Charter Oak’s Julie Smith in 1982-86.

Before she heads off to the University of Michigan, however, Kollen would like to finish her career with a flourish. She gets her chance Friday when the top-seeded Monarchs open play in the Southern Section Division I playoffs.

Mater Dei played in the championship game in 1995, won the title in 1996 and lost in the semifinals to runner-up Foothill last season.

The Monarchs are one of several outstanding teams competing for championships in six divisions.

Finals in all divisions will be played June 5 and 6 at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.

City Section championship games in the 4-A and 3-A divisions will be played Wednesday at UCLA.

Here is a division-by-division look at the playoffs:

DIVISION I

Mater Dei (25-3) has spent most of the season atop the Southern Section and state polls, but the Monarchs will be challenged by No. 2-seeded Foothill (21-4), No. 3 Irvine (21-4) and fourth-seeded Camarillo (18-5) among others.

Mater Dei pitcher Marissa Young is 10-2 with a 0.00 earned-run average with 116 strikeouts in 75 innings. Tia Bollinger is 13-1 with an 0.15 ERA.

Jamie Clark is batting .367 for Foothill, which lost to Upland in last year’s championship game.

Edel Leyden has hit five home runs for Irvine. Kathryn Nevard is 8-4 with an 0.42 ERA for Camarillo.

DIVISION II

Irvine Woodbridge pitcher Christy Robitaille is 17-3 with a 1.18 ERA and 188 strikeouts in 152 1/3 innings. She is the No. 1 reason the defending champion Warriors are the top-seeded team.

Woodbridge (25-5-1) expects a challenge from 1997 runner-up Santa Maria Righetti (21-4), the second-seeded team. Righetti senior Jocelyn Forest recently pitched her second perfect game of the season, striking out all 21 batters in a 5-0 victory over Lompoc.

Mira Loma Jurupa Valley (22-4) is the No. 3-seeded team and Cerritos (21-5), which defeated Mater Dei two weeks ago, is No. 4.

DIVISION III

Defending champion Garden Grove Pacifica (24-3) is the top-seeded team. The Mariners received a huge boost at the beginning of the month when senior pitcher Amanda Freed returned after missing several games because of a back injury. She is 12-2 with 0.45 ERA and 193 strikeouts in 92 1/3 innings.

West Covina South Hills (25-5), the Division IV champion last year, is the second-seeded team.

Glendora St. Lucy’s (21-6-1) and La Habra (20-7-1) are No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.

DIVISION IV

Third-seeded Santa Fe Springs St. Paul (20-4) is out to take care of some unfinished business after losing in the championship game last year.

To return to the final, St. Paul will probably have to get past No. 2 Chaminade (18-7-1) in the semifinals. Chaminade is led by pitcher Maureen LeCocq, who is 19-7 with a 0.04 ERA in 188 innings.

Thousand Oaks La Reina (24-2) is the top-seeded team. Corona Santiago (24-3) is fourth.

DIVISION V

Junior catcher Amanda Hallaway, batting .475 with four homers and 25 RBIs, leads defending champion Santa Ana Calvary Chapel (18-4), which is No. 2-seeded team behind Pomona Catholic (14-8-1).

Santa Maria St. Joseph (13-11-1) is seeded No. 3, Orange Lutheran (16-10) No. 4

DIVISION VI

Camarillo Cornerstone Christian (17-3) is the top-seeded team in a division that also includes No. 2 Lone Pine (16-6-1), No. 3 Victor Valley Christian (20-3) and Orange Southern California Christian (15-4).

CITY SECTION 4-A

Woodland Hills El Camino Real will try to win its second consecutive title and 10th in 14 years when the Conquistadores play San Pedro in the championship game next Wednesday at UCLA.

CITY SECTION 3-A

Defending champion South Gate will play Westchester in the championship game next Wednesday at UCLA.

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Staff writer Martin Henderson contributed to this story.