Mia Valbuena leads Marina softball past Yorba Linda in Div. 3 semifinals

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YORBA LINDA — Marina pitcher Mia Valbuena thrust her arms down and quickly walked toward her dugout after capping a historic victory with a strikeout.

The Vikings’ intense duels in the Sunset League paid off Saturday as they followed their ace to a 4-0 triumph at Yorba Linda in the CIF-SS Division 3 softball semifinals.

Valbuena, a junior who is committed to Michigan, leaned on her riseball to throw a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts and two walks.

Ava Kim hit a solo home run and Halle Piramo went 3 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs to lead Marina (18-13), the third-place team from the Sunset League.

The Vikings will appear in their first section final since 1995 when they play Westlake on Friday or Saturday, May 30-31, in Irvine.

“It’s a really big advantage over some other teams because we play good teams throughout the entire year,” Valbuena said of the competition in the Sunset League. “We’re always working on getting better and competing with the top teams.”

Valbuena (18-10) continued her dominant run through the playoffs. Working with catcher Gabriella DiBenedetto, she notched her fourth complete game and third shutout in four postseason starts.

Yorba Linda’s Saige Block, a freshman shortstop, broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff single in the sixth.

“We haven’t seen a riseball pitcher all year,” Yorba Linda coach Emily Salazar said of Valbuena. “She definitely got us with the high stuff and the speed. She’s definitely a very good pitcher.”

Marina supported Valbuena by pressuring Yorba Linda starter Samantha Cook (11-4) with a combination of seven hits and five sacrifice bunts.

Kim, a sophomore first baseman, led off the fourth by sending a 2-2 pitch over the fence in left for a solo home run, her third.

“I just knew that she wanted to pitch a strike (and) that she’s not going to want to go full count,” Kim said of her at-bat. “She left it hanging.”

Piramo, a junior left fielder, opened the fifth with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Eva Mazzotti. Two batters later, Piramo scored on a single by Liz Byer as the Vikings opened a 2-0 lead.

In the sixth, Piramo pushed the lead to 4-0 on a two-run double.

“We all work together and we’re always listening to our coaches (Dan Hay and Shelly Luth),” Piramo said of Marina’s offense, which is averaging six runs in the playoffs. “We’re calm. We never panic and we just do our job.”

Valbuena said the offensive production helps her beyond the scoreboard.

“It helps me be more confident in myself,” she said. “It’s really a team effort.”

Westlake defeated Kennedy 7-4 in eight innings in the other semifinal Saturday.