3 local softball players earn All-CIF honors

Marina High’s Emily Rush, Newport Harbor’s Eliana Gottlieb and Costa Mesa’s Katie Belmontes received All-CIF Southern Section selections for the 2019 softball season.

Rush, a junior pitcher, went 16-8 in the circle with a 2.29 earned-run average and three shutouts. She only had 89 strikeouts in 150 innings, but the former third baseman helped her own cause as one of the top fielding pitchers in the game.

The Vikings star also hit .421 with eight home runs and five doubles, which led to her driving in 33 runs.

Marina went 16-9 overall and 5-4 in the Surf League, sharing the league crown with Los Alamitos. Rush was also named the Surf League MVP.

The top-seeded Vikings failed to advance out of the first round of the Division 2 playoffs after being shut out by visiting Temecula Valley 3-0.

Gottlieb, a sophomore center fielder, led the Sailors with a .569 batting average, including eight doubles, four home runs and one triple. She scored 28 runs and had 25 runs batted in.

Newport Harbor went 18-10 overall and 8-1 in the Wave League, winning its first league title and also notching its first playoff win at home against Ocean View in the first round of the Division 5 playoffs.

Gottlieb was named the Wave League MVP.

Belmontes, a senior shortstop, hit. .567 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and two triples. The Cal State Northridge signee also scored 30 runs and had 29 RBIs.

Costa Mesa went 12-12 overall and 8-2 in the Orange Coast League, placing second. The Mustangs were knocked out of the Division 6 playoffs in the first round with a 10-2 loss to Pasadena Poly.

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