El Camino Real Set for an Old Nemesis

El Camino Real High will play San Pedro in a City Championship softball semifinal, which is a lot like Evander Holyfield facing Mike Tyson in a preliminary fight.

These teams have established themselves as the section’s heavyweights, pounding opponents into submission and combining to claim every City title this decade.

El Camino Real has won five championships in the 1990s, most recently in 1997. San Pedro has won four, including a 5-0 victory over El Camino Real in the final last year.

The top-seeded Conquistadores (22-3) hope to avenge that loss today at 2:30 p.m. at South Gate Park.

The championship game will be played on May 25 at UCLA’s Easton Stadium.

“A rematch in the championship was what we really wanted,” said Cara Blumfield, El Camino Real’s All-City shortstop. “But we’re still going into this game with vengeance.”

The Conquistadores have been playing that way all season.

El Camino Real is 17-0 against City schools, outscoring those opponents, 134-1. The Conquistadores have outscored their two playoff opponents, 23-1.

Fourth-seeded San Pedro (22-5) advanced with victories of 5-0 over San Fernando and 5-1 over Sylmar.

Sophomore catcher Christina Enea of El Camino Real has homered in each playoff game, giving her 17 career home runs. Blumfield is batting over .600, and senior right-hander Ashley Redlin (15-3) has a 35-9 career record.

Sophomore right-hander Natalie Tam (17-4) of San Pedro has not allowed an earned run in six career playoff games. She limited El Camino Real to four hits in the 1998 final.

Senior first baseman Wynter Turner is batting .363 with six home runs and 36 runs batted in for the Pirates.

Among City Championship semifinalists, only El Camino Real hails from outside the Southern Pacific Conference.

No. 2-seeded Carson faces No. 3 Banning in the other semifinal.

El Camino Real, seeking its 10th title, is attempting to advance to the final for the 12th time in 15 seasons under Coach Neils Ludlow.