High School Roundup: Marina softball mashes at the plate in CIF opener

Ava Kim homered and drove in three runs, as Marina tallied a dozen hits en route to a 10-0 win over visiting Arcadia on Thursday in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.

Liz Byer supplied three hits, two runs scored, and a run batted in. Gabby DiBenedetto, Mia Valbuena and Byer each had a double.

Byer, DiBenedetto and Valbuena each picked up multiple hits in the contest. The Vikings scored nine runs in the third inning, and the game was called after five innings with the mercy rule in effect.

Valbuena allowed just three batters to reach base safely (one hit) while recording 12 strikeouts in a complete game.

Marina (15-13) plays host to Sea View League champion San Clemente (21-7-1) on Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

Huntington Beach 8, Covina Charter Oak 7: Morgan Drotter and Tea Gutierrez homered for the visiting Oilers, who scored the first six runs of the game, then held on to win in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs on Thursday.

Maleah Humble, Zariah Billinger and Gutierrez each had three hits for Huntington Beach (22-7), which also got two-hit performances from Bree Carlson, Willow Kellen and Drotter.

Humble had a pair of stolen bases and scored twice. Gutierrez scored three times.

Huntington Beach plays host to Chino Hills (20-8) on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Both sides are co-league champions. The Oilers shared the Sunset League title with Los Alamitos, while the Huskies matched Etiwanda for the best record in the Baseline League.

Long Beach Poly 5, Edison 1: The visiting Chargers were held to six hits on Thursday in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs.

Aubrey Catron had two hits to lead Edison (11-15), while Kaila Arakaki and Savannah Fisher each drew a pair of walks.

Sophia Hannappel, Elina Garcia, Hannah Stolba and Fisher each had one hit.

Los Amigos 15, Capistrano Valley Christian 7: Alina Mendez had three hits, four runs batted in and two runs scored to lead the Lobos past the Eagles at home on Thursday in the opening round of the Division 7 bracket.

Sophia Gutierrez turned a two-hit afternoon into three runs scored and three runs batted in. Maria Castillo added four hits, scoring two runs and driving in a pair.

Andrea Contreras also drove in two runs for Los Amigos (16-6), which travels to take on Culver City (10-14) in the second round.

Leah Lemusu scored three runs, and Melenny Andrade scored twice.