First-year Mira Costa head coach Cassidy Olson had three players from his Bay League champion squad honored. Outfielder/pitcher Lucas Whitehill was named the league’s MVP, first baseman Jake Jelmini was a Co-Most Outstanding Player and pitcher Drew Van Orden was selected as Pitcher of the Year.
Whitehill also was named to the All-CIF Division 2 first team after batting .404 with nine home runs and 38 RBIs. On the mound, the senior was 5-1 with a 2.57 ERA.
Jelmini battled injuries at the beginning and end of the season (he missed the playoffs with a broken jaw), but sandwiched in a productive season batting .417 with two home runs, 14 RBIs and scoring 21 runs.
Van Orden went 5-0 with one save for the Mustangs who reached the CIF Division 2 semifinals. The senior had an impressive ERA of 2.07, limiting opponents to a .241 batting average while striking out 68 in 61 innings.
Mustangs named to the All-Bay League first team were pitcher Robert Parucha (who made the All-CIF second team), outfielder Bret Collins and shortstop Kyle Demarco.
Players from Mira Costa named to the second team were infielder Kris Cayton and catcher Jackson Morrow.
In Division 4, All-CIF first team honors went to Justin McCullough (El Segundo), Nigel Nootbaar (El Segundo), Angelo Gumbs (Torrance) and Joshua Mingura (Torrance).
Second team members included Grant Palmer (El Segundo) and Trent Gilbert (Torrance).
Softball
Sophomore catcher Katie Saunders of Mira Costa and junior infielder Linda Park of Redondo were named Co-Most Outstanding Players of the Bay League after leading their respective teams into the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.
Saunders scored 19 runs while hitting .563 with 24 RBIs, seven doubles and three triples which earned her a spot on the All-CIF Division 2 second team. Palos Verdes pitcher Arianna Erceg also represented the Bay League on the second team.
Teammates joining Saunders on the All-Bay League first team were sophomore third baseman Stefanni Lajeunesse, junior first baseman Chloe Krasnoff and senior shortstop Amanda Gard.
Park had a stellar year defensively while batting .411. She slammed four home runs, five doubles and 27 RBIs and scored 23 runs for the Sea Hawks. Junior shortstop Cindy Zamudio also made the first team.
Second team members included sophomore Jillian Mattor and seniors Alexandra O’Hagan and Nicolette Royal of Redondo and Mira Costa senior Jonele Conceicao.
In Division 4, North Torrance seniors Sammy Alvillar and Amanda Wondergem were selected to the All-CIF first team along with Torrance hurler Lauren de Castro. Sophomore shortstop Coco Taualii (North) and senior pitcher Jessica Cherness (South) earned second-team honors. ER
