Los Alamitos, Santa Margarita Players Lead All-Star Softball Victories

In the end, the Orange County Coaches All-Star Softball Classic is about giving the top players around the county one last chance to display their talents before venturing off to their post-high school careers. But when you get that many top-tier prep softball players on four teams, there are bound to be fireworks.  

The Blue Sox used a three-run sixth inning to take control and hold on for a 6-3 win over the Belles in the first of two games at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.

After San Clemente’s Kailey McCasland reached on a fielder’s choice, she was followed with a single by Los Alamitos’ Dana Rex. Her teammate, Griffin outfielder Alicia Walker, singled in a run to give the Blue Sox a 4-3 lead. After an infield single, Calvary Chapel’s Stepahnie Coyne singled in two more runs with a hard grounder that got past the third baseman.

After the Belles had fallen behind 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth, they struck back to tie the score in the top of the fifth. Segerstrom’s Breanne Gomez and Pacifica’s Lissa Avitia led off the inning with consecutive singles. One out later, Trabuco Hill’s outfielder Alexa Chattleton singled to drive in both runners and tie the score at 3-3.

Despite the talent levels and competitive natures of the players involved, both teams took the games in the spirit of friendly competition. Both games went a full eight innings to allow for all players to get in the games, despite the fact that in both games the home teams led after the top of the eighth.

“Overall, it was a really friendly environment; everyone was getting along. You had a little bit of a competitive edge with it, but for the most part it was really fun,” El Toro shortstop Lauren Chamberlain said.

In the first inning, Edison’s Katie Shinrock led off with a single and was immediately driven in by a single from Los Alamitos’ Allison Brown. Two outs later, Brown scored on a single by Edison’s Rachel Vitali.

In the top of the second, Aliso Niguel’s Zharde Sellona led off with a single and later scored on a double by Loara’s Morgan Wheeler. Since the teams were composed of players from the same leagues, it was a chance for players to be teamed with others whom they had played against for the past few years. For some, even more than that.

San Juan Hills’ first baseman Jazmin Grajales said when she moved to South Orange County as a youth she played with Mission Viejo’s Amanda Fernandez in youth ball.  

“Six years later and I’m finishing my softball career with her pitching, which was kind of crazy, but it was a lot of fun. I definitely had a blast,” Grajales said.

In the second game, the Peaches defeated the Comets, 11-3, after a three-run home run by Santa Margarita’s Catie Monnahan broke open a 5-3 game and gave the Peaches an 8-3 lead going into the sixth inning. Ahit batter with one out and walk set up the three-run bomb by Monnahan to center field.

JSerra pitcher Casee Clauser had an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead to 9-3.

Monnahan said that on her home run she felt like she made solid contact but wasn’t taking any chances. “I was kind of nervous because they usually catch my hits like that, so I was sprinting,” the Cal State San Marcos-bound infielder said.