After a wild ending to the Bay League baseball race that saw Redondo go from a first-place tie to the league’s No. 3 representative on the final day of the regular season, the Sea Hawks rebounded with a 5-2 home win over Ramona in a wild-card game Tuesday and will advance to play at second-seeded Pacifica/Garden Grove (23-5) in the first round of the CIF Southern Section-Ford Division 2 playoffs on Thursday.
Pitcher Matt Esparza kept Ramona in check tossing a six-hitter and allowing only one earned run. Cameron Bennett and Fred Smith each had two hits for Redondo (18-11).
Mira Costa, which ended in a second-place tie with rival Redondo but entered the post season as the Bay League’s No. 2 representative after winning a coin toss, saw its season end with a 4-0 loss to visiting Arlington.
The Mustangs (18-13) had difficulty scoring runs when they needed it most. Mira Costa began the final week of the regular season in sole possession of first place but was swept by Palos Verdes, which claimed the title.
“It’s been a tough two weeks,” Mira Costa head coach Cassidy Olson said. “It’s disappointing that we didn’t play up to our potential. But that’s baseball. Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way and you have to bounce back from it.
“We weren’t a strong offensive team all year long and I feel the players were thinking too much and you can’t think and hit at the same time. We and some ups and down throughout the season but I’m proud of our team. They played their butts off. They’re a great group of kids.”
Infielder Turner Conrad couldn’t explain his team’s late-season collapse.
“We’ve faced better pitching throughout the year,” said Conrad, who will being playing ball for Westmont College next season. “I just don’t have an answer for why we struggled at the plate. I think it got into our heads. But it’s been a memorable year with some exciting wins.
Bay League champion Palos Verdes (21-8) will host the Arroyo Grande (15-11) in the first round on Thursday.
In Division 4, Pioneer champion El Segundo (16-14) will host Oaks Christian (12-13) while North Torrance (18-12) plays at No. 10 La Quinta (18-8) in the first round. Torrance (18-12) defeated Malibu 14-1 in a wild-card game and will travel to No. 8 Don Lugo (19-5).
In Division 6, Chadwick (7-12) eliminated St. Genevieve 3-0 in a wild-card game and plays at second-seeded Capistrano Valley Christian (20-6) on Thursday.
All games are scheduled to begin at 3:15 p.m.
Softball
Mira Costa finished in second place in the Bay League and held off visiting Temescal Canyon 13-8 in a CIF Southern Section-Ford Division 3 wild-card game on Tuesday.
The Mustangs jumped out to a 12-run lead when head coach Dick Amberik began to give his substitutes some playing time. Things got interesting when Temescal Canyon scored two runs in the fifth inning and five in the final frame before Steffani Lajeunesse stepped on third base for a force out to end the game.
Taylor Glover led Mira Costa’s offensive attack going 3-for-3 with two-doubles, four RBIs and two runs scored. Katie Saunders had three hits in four at bats including a double, triple two RBIs and three runs scored and Kasey Hutton scored three runs while going 3-for-3.
Mira Costa (22-7) advances to play at Golden League champion Highland (18-5) in the first round on Thursday.
Redondo missed the playoffs but ended on a high note handing Bay champion Peninsula it only league loss of the season with a 5-4 road win.
Haley Reed hit a two-run single and Samantha Ruiz was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Peninsula (16-10) hosts the Alemany (10-14) in the first round if the CIF Southern Section-Ford Division 3 playoffs on Thursday. Palos Verdes (12-15) was eliminated by host Knight 4-3 in a wild-card game.
Pioneer champion North Torrance (23-7) earned a sixth seed and hosts the Lakeside (15-9) in the first round while Torrance (25-7) hosts Chaminade (13-9).
In wild-card games, El Segundo (17-7-1) plays at Paramount (13-2) and South Torrance (19-10) beat host California 6-0 and travels to Paloma Valley for a first-round game. El Segundo (17-8-1) lost at Paramount 3-1 in its wild-card game Tuesday.
All games with the exception of the final are slated to start at 3:15 p.m.
