Redondo’s girls softball team is running on all cylinders after defeating rival Mira Costa to win the Bay League crown last week, eliminating visiting Crescenta Valley 9-2 Thursday in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs.
Redondo (21-7) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Morgan Moczygemba had a two-RBI single with the bases loaded.
After Crescenta Valley tied the score in the top of the fourth inning, Redondo regained the lead when third baseman KP Fraser blasted a two-run home run over the centerfield fence,.
The Sea Hawks added two runs in the fifth inning and three in the sixth to seal the victory.
Redondo coach Jennifer Dessert said she was surprised to be the only Bay League team to advance out of the first round.
“I tell the girls that in playoffs it’s anyone’s game and you have to be ready, to be strong every minute of the game,” Dessert said. “My pitching coach Tom Judson is fond of saying that playoff games are won and lost in ten minutes Something happens and bam. Yesterday we came out strong and both offense and defense were working hard to be on the winning side of that ten minutes.”
Fraser led Redondo’s offense going 3 for 3 including two doubles and one home run and six RBI.
Allison Betty and Moczygemba each went 2 for 4 with RBI.
Redondo ace Kat Ung had one of her finest performances in the circle, finishing with 12 strikeouts to improve her season record at 13-4
“Crescenta Valley was trying to adjust their bats and hit a few bloopers but we changed up our pitching game and continued to throw them off,” Dessert explained. “Kat struck out the side in the fifth inning and our offense answered back with five runs after the fourth inning so you could tell we weren’t going to let them catch up.”
Tenth-ranked Redondo will host No. 7 Montclair (22-4) in the second Tuesday at 3:15 p.m.
“The girls are more hungry than ever for this playoff run but we know it’s anyone’s game.” Dessert said. “We have played in some high-intensity games this season and learned a lot about our team. From our loss against POLA, our win over Santa Monica and our performance in league, we know that when we have confidence and trust ourselves and our teammates that we give ourselves the best chance of success.
“We are really enjoying our softball family. Everyone is accepting their role on the team and it makes the game so fun. The mutual respect the girls have for one another and our coaching staff makes this team special and fun to watch.”
While Redondo was celebrating the thrill of victory, across town rival Mira Costa was experiencing the agony of defeat.
After tying the score with a four-run fourth inning, Mira Costa (20-9) surrendered five runs in the eighth inning in a 9-4 loss to Laguna Hills.
Peninsula (18-14) routed Arcadia 11-1 in a wild-card game Tuesday giving top-seeed Grand Terrace all it could handle in a 2-1road loss.
