NORWALK — In a CIF Southern Section softball playoff game that saw no runs and 12 strikeouts through the first four innings, it seemed that something was bound to happen.
And it did.
JSerra trailed La Mirada 2-0 in the top of the seventh, but three consecutive hits, including a game-changing, two-run home run by freshman left fielder Brooklyn Lamb, put the Lions in the driver’s seat.
The Lions held on to win 3-2 in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs.
“It just felt like a surreal moment,” said Lamb, of her go-ahead home run. “I saw the hit and when it did go over, I was just so excited and mostly happy for our seniors that I got to do it for them.”
With the win, the Lions (17-13) will travel to play Great Oak (15-9-1) in the quarterfinals Thursday. Great Oak was a 3-1 upset winner over No. 3 seed Norco in Tuesday’s first round.
“There’s been no game that hasn’t been a battle,” JSerra coach Katie Stith said. “They’re used to getting challenged and being difficult. The last inning (top of the seventh) we thought, ‘oh, we’re in a tough spot,’ but they stepped up.
“These kids have a lot of fight and don’t get overwhelmed.”
The Matadores finish their season 20-6-2.
“They (JSerra) have a tough schedule and I knew it was going to be a tough game,” La Mirada coach Brent Tuttle said. “We got to learn how to close a game.
“If you look at the season as a whole, it was an awesome season. I’m proud of these kids.”
Lions starting pitcher Abby Ford held the Matadores to three hits.
She struck out six through the fourth inning, but ran into trouble in the fifth. She allowed a walk to junior third baseman Amanda Urbino, followed by a two-run home run by senior catcher Rebecca Eckart that gave La Mirada a 2-0 lead.
Two batters later, Cal State Fullerton commit Eva Hurtado came in to replace Ford and held La Mirada to just one base runner (walk) the rest of the way for the win.
“It felt really good and I knew we really needed to score those runs,” Eckart said of her two-run home run.
La Mirada, which also lost in the first round of the playoffs last season, has a rather young team, with eight of the 10 starters underclassmen.
“I know that our team fought really hard, and this is a good place for next year to build on,” Tuttle said.
Matadores starter Montse Reyes-Cardenas, a San Diego State commit, allowed three hits and no runs while striking out six through six innings.
The junior got out of a couple of jams and was aided by a defensive play at third by Urbina that started a double play. A throw by Eckart also cut down a runner at second to end the inning.
“At the beginning of the year, we knew that we had the potential,” said Urbina. “It was just a matter of going on the field and giving their all.”
SCORES FROM TUESDAY’S GAMES
DIVISION 1
FIRST ROUND
JSerra 3, La Mirada 2
Garden Grove Pacifica 4, South Hills 3
SECOND ROUND
DIVISION 2
Rio Mesa 7, Temple City 2
California 8, Rosary Academy 1
Whittier Christian 7, Cypress 4
La Serna 3, Valencia 2
DIVISION 3
Etiwanda 6, La Canada 0
Santa Fe 17, Aquinas 5
ML King 1, Bishop Amat 0
Charter Oak 5, Royal 3
DIVISION 4
Mira Costa 9, Schurr 0
Diamond Bar 7, Sultana 5
DIVISION 5
Liberty 10, Keppel 3
Providence 8, South El Monte 3
DIVISION 6
Ganesha 13, Harvard-Westlake 6
Viewpoint 6, Pioneer 1
Mayfield 5, University Prep 2
DIVISION 7
Riverside Prep 8, Pasadena Poly 7
Muir 14, Orangewood Academy 4
THURSDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
DIVISION 2
California at Whittier Christian
Valley View at La Serna
DIVISION 3
Santa Fe at ML King
Charter Oak at Agoura
DIVISION 4
Orange Vista at Diamond Bar
DIVISION 6
Ganesha at Granite Hills
Viewpoint at Mayfield
DIVISION 7
Muir at Academy Career Expo
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