1 week Ago By LA Times
Rosary's Daleah Cardenas delivers during an 8-4 upset of Orange Lutheran in the Gold Division championship game of the Michelle Carew Softball Classic at Peralta Park in Anaheim on Saturday night. (Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)Given a chance at redemption, Daleah Cardenas made the most of her opportunity Saturday night in the Gold Division championship game of the Michelle Carew Softball Classic at Peralta Park in Anaheim.Relieving starter Ava Phillips, the Rosary senior pitcher got eight outs and did not allow a base runner to close out an 8-4 upset of Orange Lutheran.
“My drop curve is my best pitch and I was using it a lot,” said Cardenas, who shook off a poor outing in the semifinals earlier when she faced six batters, allowed four hits, hit a batter and recorded only one out. “I feel the pressure when there’s a huge crowd like this, but I just lock in and focus like it’s just me and my catcher.”Rosary catcher Sabrina Martin lunges to tag out an Orange Lutheran runner at home plate in the Royals' 8-4 win in the Gold Division championship game of the Michelle Carew Softball Classic on Saturday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)Phillips, who was selected Most Valuable Pitcher of the tournament, finally tired with one out in the fifth inning after having pitched 11 innings in two games Saturday — the second of which ended just before midnight.Cardenas got a double play to end the fifth, induced three Lancers lefties to ground out to first base in the sixth, got Kai Minor (Orange Lutheran’s Oklahoma-bound center fielder) to hit a grounder back to her, struck out Madelyn Armendariz and got Cate Medvitz to line out to left field.In the Silver Division final, catcher Gia Otani tagged a runner out at the plate to save a run in the third inning, then belted a solo homer in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie as Oaks Christian held on to beat Millikan 2-1.
Poway doubled up Riverside King 8-4 to take third place, Eastvale Roosevelt beat Capistrano Valley 12-8 for fifth and Tucson (Ariz.) Canyon Del Oro beat Phoenix Canyon View 6-1 for seventh.Anaheim Canyon edged Great Oak 4-3 to win the Bronze Division title when Sophia Sandoval scored from third base on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
Read more:Prep sports roundup: St. John Bosco pulls off three-game sweep of Orange LutheranSign up for the L.A.
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