End comes too soon

The 2011 prep baseball and softball seasons came to an end last week for the local teams when three teams were eliminated in quarterfinal-round action.

In the Division 1 baseball playoffs, top-ranked Edison fell, 3-1, Friday at Moore League champion Lakewood. The Chargers scored their run in the top of the sixth when Jake Lesinski delivered two-out single that scored Jon Torres from second to trim Lakewood’s lead to 2-1.

The Lancers (29-4-1) scored two runs in the third and once in the bottom of the sixth off senior Henry Owens (12-1), who suffered his first loss.

“We had our chances to get back in the game but just couldn’t get there,” Edison Coach Steve Lambright said. “They (Lakewood) are a good team and it’s a tough place to play on the road.”

Edison, which played two of its three playoff games on the road, finished the year 25-4. The 25 victories tied the program’s all-time mark for wins in a single-season, set by the 1981 team that won a CIF title.

“One game doesn’t define a season,” Lambright said of Friday’s loss. “This team had an excellent season. They won the Loara Tournament for the first time in program history. They are three-peat champions of the Sunset League and tied the record for wins in a season.

“What was great about this team just wasn’t their athleticism but more importantly their character. They have nothing to hang their heads about. They are champions.”

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Marina’s march in the Division 1 softball playoffs came to an end May 26 in a 4-3 loss to visiting Santiago of Corona. The Sharks, 26-5 and champions of the Big VIII League, scored the winning run in the top of the eighth on a solo home run by Brenda Lee

Lee, who plays third base, also put the finishing touch on her team’s come-from-behind win with a grab of a “screaming line drive” by Marina senior Jamie Sullivan, Marina Coach Shelly Luth said.

Santiago went on to defeat El Modena on Tuesday and will battle Canyon of Anaheim on Saturday for the division title.

Kristen Struett had an RBI single, lead-off hitter Sandy Simmons went three for three and pitcher Tera Blanco ended a successful freshman year at 18-7 for the Vikings, who tied for second place in the Sunset League and ended their year 21-7-1.

Marina advanced to the quarterfinal round for the first time in four years.

“I am very, very proud of this team,” said Luth, who during the season surpassed the 400-win mark as a head coach. “We stepped up and played as a team. It was ours to win.

“The seniors leave knowing that we gave it our all and that is all a coach can ask for. Even though we fell short, we had a great run and there is a lot to be proud of.”

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Ocean View’s bid for a Division 4 softball championship ended May 26 after an 11-inning, 1-0 loss to visiting Dos Pueblos (21-9), which scored the winning in the 11th on a fielding error.

Ocean View, which finished in second place in the Golden West League and went 20-7 overall, put the tying run on base in the bottom of the 11th when catcher Sarah Craig drew a walk. Vanessa Cardoza then hit into a fielder’s choice to the mound and Craig was forced out at second. Brittany Hitchcock also hit a grounder to the mound, which Dos Pueblos pitcher Hannah Harris (21-9) quickly grabbed and turned into a game-ending double play.

Dos Pueblos knocked off Aquinas, the division’s top-ranked team, Tuesday to advance to take on Kaiser on Saturday in the division’s title game.

Ocean View Coach Mike McLaughlan said he expected a pitchers’ duel and Hitchcock, a sophomore, and the Chargers’ Harris, a junior, did their parts to fulfill his prediction. Each worked 11 innings in a game where both teams had their chances to win early.

“It was a game that had two great pitchers and both did an excellent job,” McLaughlan said. “I can’t say enough about Brittany. She was terrific all season and she’ll be back. She’s just a sophomore and she has two more great years here ahead of her. And their pitcher (Harris) was tough. She’s probably the best we’ve seen all year.”

Ocean View was led this year by Craig, Cardoza and Celine Fuentes, all seniors who served as team captains.

“Those three seniors really took over this year,” McLaughlan said. “At the start of the season, we really didn’t know what we had. But as the season went on, this team grew and really played well. We had a great, great season. I’m just sorry to see it end. We’ll be back.”