Liliana Escobar, the No. 1 softball pitcher in Southern California, came through with a 12-strikeout performance on Friday night to lead JSerra to its first Southern Section Division 1 softball championship with a 3-2 win over La Mirada at Bill Barber Field in Irvine.
The Lions got an RBI single from Magenta De Arte in the first and RBI doubles from Ava Born and Annabel Raftery in the second for a 3-0 lead.
La Mirada scored two runs in the fifth inning, but Escobar closed out well and overcame walking five batters.
JSerra High players and coaches pose for a photo with the Southern Section Division 1 championship plaque.
(Nick Koza)
Division 2
Whittier Christian 5, Mater Dei 3: The Heralds scored two runs in the seventh to tie and two in the eighth, both on home runs to win the Division 2 final in Irvine. Mia Camacho had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the seventh to tie the game. Then Bella Perez hit a two-run home in the eighth to break a 3-3 tie. Danica Lancellotti led Mater Dei with three hits.
City Section Open Division
Carson 12, Granada Hills 1: The Colts were so dominant that it took only five innings to win the City Section Open Division championship via the 10-run mercy rule at Legacy High.
Home runs by Anaiyah Popoalii and Ashannalee Titialii keyed the win. Pitcher Isabella Campos gave up four hits in five innings, striking out five and walking none. Titialii finished with three RBIs. Olivia Lomeli had three hits. It was the fourth consecutive year Granada Hills and Carson have met in the final, and now the Colts have won three of the games. Elysse Diaz had two hits for Granada Hills.