Two area teams are back for a second round at the rodeo.
Questions to be answered on Friday. Will Whittier Christian be back-to-back Champs? Can South Hills get one more crafty performance from Sydney La Follette? Is La Salle going to get redemption after last season’s heartbreaking loss to Marymount?
All these will be answered after seven innings.
Predictions: Whittier Christian over South Hills
La Salle over Marymount
DIVISION V
South Hills (22-7-1) vs. Whittier Christian (25-7) @ Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine
GAME TIME: 5:15pm
The Heralds are on the verge of a repeat as they enter the CIF Division V finals for third time in five seasons. They are 2-0 in Championship games with wins over La Salle in 2005 and San Dimas in 2009.
The Huskies come into the game with an upset win against La Canada in the semi-finals and have scored 54 runs in the playoffs.
Whittier Christian relies on Courtney McGee and her incredible pitching. In the playoffs, McGee has 28 straight scoreless innings. During the regular season she threw back-to-back no hitters to help lead the Heralds to an Olympic League title.
All eyes are on McGee in the circle and at the plate as she leads her team with a .425 batting average.
It isn’t just about McGee as Whittier Christian does have Amanda Perez (.389) and Richelle Coberly (.318).
A veteran team has shown some nail-biting finishes as they have only scored 11 runs in the playoffs.
A roller-coaster season of emotions meets an unlikely end as the Huskies have come together after Britney Rodriguez’s brother Tony lost his life in a car accident in the middle of the season.
The team has won 12 of their last 13 games. The bats for South Hills are the hottest in the Southern Section playoffs.
The biggest surprise during the post-season is the emergence of pitcher Sydney La Follette who has been crafty in holding their playoff opponents to just five runs.
Any questions that were out on La Follette were answered during her masterful performance against the Lady Spartans in the semi-final game.
As has been the case all season for South Hills, it is about their ability to score runs at will. In the playoffs they have just overpowered their opponents.
Kristen Stewart leads the offense with a .514 average and 34 RBI’s. Sam Nieves (.484) and Rodriguez (.436) are also offensive leaders with a team average of .364.
In the field, Rodriguez calls a great game behind the plate and Lexi Robles is probably one of the best second basemen in the area with her range.
HOW THEY GOT HERE:
South Hills: Azusa 23-1, Barstow 18-0, Valley Christian 10-3, La Canada 3-1
Whittier Christian: Rowland 1-0, Western 1-0, San Marino 1-0, Village Christian 8-0
DIVISION VI
Marymount (24-6) vs. La Salle (25-6) @ Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine
GAME TIME: 3:00pm
Two heavyweight programs meet again for another round in the Championship game.
The Sailors are looking for back-to-back titles in Division VI. The Lancers are looking for redemption as they lost last season to Marymount in the finals.
There is no shortage of “star” power in the game for both sides as Hayley Schultz (Marymount) battles Allie Forillo (La Salle) in the circle. Schultz defeated Forillo in last season’s finale.
A match-up of junior shortstops is on display as Megan Blank (Marymount) and Sterling Shuster (La Salle) battle it out.
Blank is as good as advertised with four home runs, 24 RBI’s, and a .586 batting average. Clutch hitting Gina Rogari leads the team with 27 RBI’s.
Schultz is virtually on hittable as she has a microscopic 0.52 ERA and has struck-out 229 batters this season. If some chance Schultz isn’t on her game, Shannon O’Neil is a very good choice to come in relief.
This game is about redemption, last season’s championship game was lost by mistakes made by senior leaders for the Lancers.
La Salle is no stranger to the title game as they have been here four times since the 2005 season, having won it in 2006.
Forillo has been lights out with 334 K’s on the season and can match Schultz with a miniscule .53 ERA.
Allie Forillo has set every pitching record at La Salle and has been on a mission since losing to Arcadia on April 16th. Forillo has 334 strike outs on the season and a .53 ERA. She has also allowed just two runs in four playoff games.
With a tough road schedule, Coach Rich Diaz wanted the Lancers to know what it was like to win on the road. He has accomplished that with victories against Temple City and South Pasadena during the non-league schedule.
The bats have come around after a sluggish start for La Salle; Colleen McWilliams leads the team with a .471 batting average. As a team the Lancers are batting .347.
Youth is served with freshmen players like Stephanie Ferri and Katie Smither who have contributed during the season in key moments of the season.
Although only sophomores and juniors Shuster, Madison Worley, Meaghan Allen and Victoria Baltazar have all made contributions during the playoff run.
Marymount: Gabrielino 5-0, St Monica 4-0, Maranatha 10-1, Grace Brethren 5-1
La Salle: Baptist Christian 19-0, Arroyo 2-1, Carpinteria 1-0, Mission 3-1
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