Division III Softball Final

Pacifica vs. Brea Olinda

Where--Mayfair Park, Lakewood, 7:30

Pacifica (23-8)--Eight starters from last year’s title game return. The Mariners reached the finals with a 10-inning, 1-0 victory over fourth-seeded Newbury Park in the semifinals. Pacifica has been a big-inning team in the playoffs: it had a five-run first inning to beat Lakewood St. Joseph, 11-2; a four-run first inning to beat Canyon, 4-0; and a five-run fourth inning to beat Corona Santiago, 6-0. Toria Auelua is among the best catchers around, and the Mariners have an experienced group of big-game players. In fact, the most inexperienced player on the field is Jessica Soto (22-7), who makes her first championship appearance. Dara Webb leads the county with 48 steals.

Brea Olinda (22-7-1)--The unseeded Wildcats played the division’s best game in the first round, beating Garden Grove and its outstanding pitcher, Nuvia Marti, 1-0, in 11 innings. Brea followed with a 7-4 victory at Palm Desert with a six-run sixth; had only two hits but squeaked out a 1-0 win against an at-large team, Santa Margarita; and reached the finals by beating third-seeded La Puente Bishop Amat, 1-0, on Tiffany Whitton’s one-hitter. Whitton (11-4) has one-hitters in two of the three playoff games she has pitched, including the victory over Garden Grove. Whitton (.490, 24 runs, 27 RBIs, nine home runs) and Erin Hessman (.360, 23 runs, 26 RBIs, seven home runs) ranked 1-2 in Orange County in home runs.

Key to the game--Playing for a championship at Mayfair Park for the first time, under the lights, no less, can be intimidating, and Pacifica has already been there twice. However, the ultimate outcome may rest on Soto’s ability to get past the power of Whitton and Hessman.

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Starting Lineups

PACIFICA

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No. Name Pos. Avg. 9 Dara Webb 2B .356 10 Diana Barreras SS .280 23 Toria Auelua C .461 18 Nicole Pickett 1B .278 16 Mallorie Lenn DH .277 42 Tiffany Wallace CF .277 24 Tiare Auelua 3B .167 21 Debbie Mastergeorge LF .182 3 Shawna Goessling RF .163 34 Jessica Soto P Coach: Rob Weil BREA OLINDA No. Name Pos. Avg. 18 Erin Chang CF .289 2 Marjalena Santos LF .237 25 Erin Hessman 3B .360 14 Tiffany Whitton P .490 27 Tiala Tagaloa C .294 13 Christine Knobbe 1B .175 10 Michelle Greenwood SS .235 29 Kelly Nakagawa 2B .235 11 Joanna Bostick RF .210

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Coach: Sharen Caperton

Today’s other game--West Hills Chaminade (24-6-1) vs. Bloomington (17-9), Division IV championship at Mayfair Park, 5 p.m.