Mater Dei’s Bollinger Beats Dana Hills

Dana Hills picked a bad time to play one of its worst games of the season. The Dolphins committed six errors and lost to Mater Dei, 6-0, in a South Coast League game Friday night at Dana Hills.

“We did not show up for this game and it was one we really needed,” Dana Hills Coach Margo Melendrez said. “It’s very disappointing for us. [Mater Dei] came out here and showed us what a good team is. You can’t make six errors against Mater Dei and win. You can’t do that against any team.”

Four of the Dolphins’ errors cost them runs.

In the fourth inning, Christina Clark led off with a grounder toward third. The ball bounced off the glove of Kiana Bessa, allowing Clark to reach first. Ruby Rojas followed with a bunt to third, and this time Bessa’s throw to first was high and the runners advanced to second and third. With one out, Tia Bollinger hit a long sacrifice fly to left that scored Clark for Mater Dei’s first run.

Three errors in the sixth inning led to two more Monarch runs.

Riki Paredes, reached first on a fielder’s choice. Clark followed with her second hit of the game, a line drive to left that Jessica Clark misplayed. Paredes scored and Clark got caught between third and home. The Dolphins had her in a rundown, but after another bad throw, Clark was on her way home for a 3-0 Mater Dei lead.

The fourth-ranked Dolphins (18-4-1, 2-1-1) struggled but third-ranked Mater Dei (15-2, 4-0) played an error-free game and got another strong pitching performance from junior Bollinger (9-1), who gave up three singles, walked one and struck out 11.

“There were some quotes going around that no one has risen to the level of Amanda Freed this season,” Monarch Coach Ed Ulloa said. “We have two outstanding pitchers and they took it personally.”

The only real threat put up by the Dolphins was in the bottom of the sixth, when Bollinger gave up two consecutive singles to start the inning. Freshman Sheila McCorkle, who was playing center field in place of Courtney Betley, who is in Seattle trying to earn a spot on the U.S. junior national ice hockey team, made a beautiful catch while sliding on her knees.

Bollinger struck out Liz Lefler, but hit Jessica Clark to load the bases. Bollinger then jammed Drew Faulkner, who grounded back to the mound for the third out.

Mater Dei put the game out of reach in the seventh, on a three-run home run by Marissa Young. It was her second home run of the season.

“The team is disappointed and a little embarrassed,” Melendrez said. “I think that is good though, because you can build off of it. We can compete with them, we just have to show up.”