Costa Mesa comes alive, stuns Estancia

COSTA MESA — The losses mounted. Their confidence sank.

The girls of the Costa Mesa High softball team continued to fall toward a downward spiral.

Three straight losses can do that to any team.

The Costa Mesa girls watched the drama begin to creep back on their team. That same madness that resulted in two players leaving the team attacked the program once again.

The season seemed like it was over for the Mustangs. But then came Friday and an 11-3 victory over Estancia that has changed everything.

For those Costa Mesa girls, today is truly a brand new day.

“Eleven to three, you’re always going to be surprised by that,” Costa Mesa Coach Marcus Franco said. “I’m not surprised by how my girls performed. Because through the trials and tribulations this year they have, every day, been positive hard-working and simply amazing to be around. They believe in everything the coaches have been teaching them. Today it came to fruition.”

The Mustangs scored their 11 runs in the first three innings and belted out 11 hits, leaving the Eagles stunned and creating a mess in the Orange Coast League.

Estancia could have clinched at least a share of the league title with a win over its rival, but now it’s the Mustangs who have a shot at gaining a piece of the OCL championship.

That’s the kind of stuff that happens in a three-team league.

Each team receives three victories by forfeit because Laguna Beach did not field a squad this season.

“It could be a three-way tie [for first place] very easily,” Estancia Coach Judd Fryslie said. “It’s a crazy thing with the small league that we got. Anything can happen. Bottom goes to the top in a hurry.”

Costa Mesa (11-10, 5-3 in league) will hope that Calvary Chapel (9-8, 5-2) beats Estancia (13-7, 6-2) Monday at 3:15 p.m. at TeWinkle Park. And, then the Mustangs will try to win against Calvary Chapel Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. at Costa Mesa to set up a tri-championship scenario.

If that happens, there will be coin flips to determine the team that misses the CIF playoffs and then another for the No. 1 and No. 2 representatives of the league.

Even if Estancia beats Calvary Chapel and wins its second straight league title on Monday, Costa Mesa will go up against Calvary Chapel with a playoff berth on the line Wednesday.

“We’re not going to go,” Costa Mesa pitcher Brieanna Ramirez said of Estancia’s game on Monday. “We’re going to practice. We’re not even going to worry about that game or whoever wins. We’re going to come to the field and practice hard like we do.”

Supported by a solid defense, Ramirez shut down Estancia’s powerful offense that had been averaging 10 runs in its four league games.

She held Estancia to six hits and ended the Eagles’ three-game winning streak.

In the seventh, her defense helped her out, but she put them in the position to support her.

With the bases loaded and no out, Ramirez induced three straight fly outs to escape the jam.

“I love our defense,” Ramirez said. “When I’m pitching and it’s a tough situation they calm me down and I trust they’ll get the ball.

“So, if Estancia hits the ball, then I have no worries because I know defensively we can get the ball. They’re my greatest allies in this game.”

Estancia’s defense, on the other hand, fell apart in the first inning, committing three errors and allowing four runs to score.

Costa Mesa freshman Sami Feinstein doubled to score Deanna Byers and pumped up the Mustangs in the second inning, when they added four more runs.

Senior Karla Lopez hit a two-run single with the bases loaded and senior Lizzie Milne produced an RBI single to chase Estancia’s pitcher.

Costa Mesa scored another three runs in the third for an 11-1 lead as the words, “mercy rule” muffled throughout the group in the bleachers.

But Estancia senior Taylor West provided the Eagles with a bright spot to prevent a mercy-rule win for the Mustangs.

She went deep over the left-field fence for her 13th home run of the season, upping her Newport-Mesa-best and school-record total.

However, Estancia could not overcome the Mustangs’ lead or their determination. Yet, Costa Mesa did not seem all that inspired heading into Friday’s game.

“Most of the players were saying let’s just get [the season] over with,” Ramirez said. “All the seniors stepped up and said, ‘Let’s win this and go out with a bang.’ ”

Feinstein, Brook Urmson and Emily Pulaski helped the Mustangs bang out the hits. They each had two, Urmson also had one RBI and one run scored, Feinstein three runs and one RBI and Pulaski added two runs.

They helped Mesa match its run total for its past three games combined. They also aided the Mustangs to win the season series over the Eagles, winning two of the three match-ups.

“We knew it was a do-or-die situation,” Franco said. “We knew we had to win. Now we have to come out [start practice] on Monday and give us a chance to win the title.”

Orange Coast League

Costa Mesa 11, Estancia 3

SCORE BY INNINGS

Hartwell, Koff (2) and Whitney; Ramirez and Pulaski. W – Ramirez. L – Hartwell. 2B – Whitney (Est), Ulrich (Est); Feinstein (CM), Urmson (CM). HR – West (Est).

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at [email protected].