Kollen Helps Mater Dei Beat Fountain Valley

Mater Dei’s Kelsey Kollen had three hits and scored the Monarchs’ runs to spark a 2-1 victory over Fountain Valley in the Southern Section Division I softball quarterfinals Thursday at Fountain Valley High.

Top-seeded Mater Dei (28-3), which won its third consecutive one-run game, advanced to the semifinals to play fourth-seeded Camarillo. Fountain Valley ended 19-13.

“Kelsey has such an intense will to win,” Mater Dei Coach Doug Myers said. “This group of seniors is just refusing to lose.”

In the top of the seventh with the score tied, 1-1, Kollen led off with a single to center and advanced to second on Jodi Schicker’s sacrifice bunt. Kollen, a senior who has signed with Michigan, then stole third base.

She scored on Robin Walker’s grounder to Fountain Valley shortstop Lovianne Jung, who briefly bobbled the ball and threw late to first.

“That was a rushed play,” Fountain Valley Coach Cary Baker said. “And they had one of the fastest kids in the county heading home. Lovie knew she had to get it there . . . it was a tough play.”

Fountain Valley’s Natalie King (11-6), who gave up nine singles, was the loser after Mater Dei sophomore Tia Bollinger (16-1), who gave up three hits and struck out four, retired the side in order in the seventh.

But Fountain Valley didn’t make things easy.

In the bottom of the fourth, Jung, who has signed with Fresno State, homered to tie it, 1-1. Earlier, one of Jung’s fielding gems kept the game scoreless.

In the top of the second, Mater Dei’s Courtney Ryan hit a hard grounder up the middle that went for an infield single after Jung smothered the ball with a dive. Then from behind second base on her knees, Jung threw out Jamie Bagnall, who tried to score from second on the play.

“That’s one of the best plays I’ve seen in 15 years,” Baker said.

The game had other good defensive plays. In the fourth, Mater Dei right fielder Ruby Rojas threw out pinch runner Meredith Miles at the plate.

Fountain Valley catcher Rocky Staniorski also threw out two potential base stealers.

In other Division I games:

Chino Hills Ayala 1, Foothill 0--Ayala (26-5) scored its only run in the third on two singles, an error and a wild pitch. Second-seeded Foothill (23-5) had only two hits in the game.

Irvine 2, Rancho Cucamonga 1--With the bases loaded, one out and a one-run, sixth-inning lead, Robyn Horrick got a strikeout and groundout in relief for Irvine (24-4) to earn the save. Brett Nakabayashi had three hits for the Vaqueros, who will play Ayala in the semifinals Tuesday.