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As Loula-Rae McNamara induced a slight popup toward third base, pitcher Tesoro began jumping excitedly. Catcher Kennedy Proctor followed suit, and soon the rest of their teammates were jumping for joy on the Mission Viejo softball field Wednesday.
One of the most competitive championship races in Orange County had been settled by a relatively new competitor.
McNamara retired seven of the final eight batters she faced to cap a complete game in a 6-4 victory that secured the No. 13 Titans their first South Coast League title since 2011.
Tesoro (16-3-1, 7-1), who joined the league in 2022 after a long stint at Sea View, took a 5-4 lead in the fifth on a two-out error and added another run in the seventh. a two-out single from Proctor.
“It’s a really tough league,” first-year Tesoro coach Sara Higgins said of South Coast, which included No. 10 Mission Viejo (19-6-1, 6-2) and No. 12 Aliso Niguel (13-6). -1, 4-3). “(It’s) really stressful. There’s a lot of talent, and it’s a depth of talent. These are (strong) lists from top to bottom.
Tesoro, Mission Viejo and Aliso Niguel are all ranked in the Top 10 in CIF-SS Division 2.
The Titans stood out this week by beating Aliso Niguel 5-0 on Monday and completing a sweep of the Diablos.
Left-hander McNamara played a key role. On Wednesday, she allowed one earned run on six hits, struck out five and walked two.
A junior committed to Boise State, McNamara used her offspeed throws, location and advice from Utah-bound Proctor to induce several grounders, four of whom she picked up and threw to the first baseman Peyton Roberge for takedowns.
“It’s her changeup and she’s very good at locating her pitches,” Proctor said of McNamara, who recently threw a perfect game. “Her ball has a lot of movement but she’s really good at throwing around the strike zone.”
And while McNamara didn’t catch grounders, shortstop Kiara Cisneros, second baseman Sami Macchiaroli and third baseman Bella Barley often made plays.
“I’m very proud (of our team),” McNamara said. “I couldn’t have done this without my defense behind me. I know that when I throw the ball, they will make the play if I hit my spots. Kennedy called my arguments, and I know she’s going to call the right argument for me.
Tesoro’s hitting was also part of the equation against starter Reece Uehara, who competed well for Mission Viejo.
The Titans’ first four batters — Cisneros, Sammy Weiss, McNamara and Proctor — led off the first with singles to spark a four-run inning. The San Diego State-bound Cisneros went 3-for-4 while Protor and McNamara each had two hits.
“I knew we had to work hard and it wouldn’t be easy, but I knew we could do it,” Proctor said. “We have a really talented group of girls.”
“Once we all get along,” the elder added, “we’re like a well-oiled machine.”
Mission Viejo tied the score 4-4 in the second on two-run doubles from freshman Kylee Jepson and senior hitter Ava Tabangcura.
The Diablos’ Sofia Elliott finished with two doubles and made a nifty catch while playing first base on a foul ball near the fence.
In the Crestview League:
Canyon 6, Esperance 5: BYU commit Irma Urincho led off the 15th inning with a home run to help the visiting No. 3 Comanches (22-4, 7-1) win the league title in a game that resumed after being suspended by darkness on Tuesday. Jordan Simmons earned the victory after teaming up with Bella Settembro to start one of the longest matches of the season.
Taylor Shumaker went 2 for 3 with two doubles and four walks to lead Esperanza (15-10, 5-3), which hosts El Modena (18-8, 4-4) on Thursday.
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