Allred sparks CdM

Chris Yemma

History will have to wait at least one more year to be broken again

by the Corona del Mar High softball team.

But with a youthful team, it looks promising.

CdM junior Michele Allred was 2 for 4 with a run scored while

sophomore Michelle Tolfa drilled a two-run triple to key a

third-inning rally, but host St. Paul swung back in the fifth and

sixth innings to win the CIF Southern Section Division IV first-round

matchup, 6-3, Friday at Little Lake Park.

After a history-breaking wild-card win last season, followed up by

another wild-card victory Wednesday, Corona del Mar has yet to break

out of the first round of the postseason in the existence of its

program.

Still, after five straight seasons in which the Sea Kings (16-11)

have reached the playoffs, second-year coach Nichole Thompson has

helped turn what once was a fledgling program -- which didn’t field

teams in 1998 and ’99 -- into a respected Pacific Coast League

contender.

But for Thompson, an All-Pac 10 selection at Arizona State and

former prep star at Woodbridge who demands only her player’s utmost

abilities, getting over the first-round hump was an enormous goal

this season.

“It’s good to get where we were last year, but I think we should

have beaten this team [Friday],” she said. “So, I’m obviously a

little disappointed in the way we played [Friday] and how we left so

many runners on base. But they battled through the year.”

Case in point was the top of the fifth inning when CdM loaded the

bases on three straight walks, but came away empty handed. CdM did

have two out, though, and the St. Paul pitcher was replaced to help

induce the third out.

“The turning point? Definitely,” Thompson said, responding to if

the fifth inning provided a pivotal situation. “That, and when [St.

Paul sophomore Angelica Rubio] came up and hit that home run off the

first pitch.”

Leading off the bottom of the fifth inning, Rubio drilled the

first pitch over the heads of the CdM outfielders, rolling deep into

the fenceless outfield as she rounded the bases, giving the Swordsmen

(20-6) a 4-3 lead. She finished the game 4 for 4, also with a double.

St. Paul, which claimed first in the Del Rey League to qualify for

the postseason, tacked on two more runs in the sixth to provide a

three-run cushion.

After a groundout to lead off the top of the seventh, sophomore

Allie Duernberger lined a shot that cleared the second baseman’s

head, good for a single. A strikeout ensued, but Tolfa then walked,

giving CdM a fleeting chance with two on and two out. But a groundout

followed to cap the Sea Kings’ season.

With a sizable chunk of returners in the mix, though, the team was

optimistic about the future.

“I think we had a good season,” said Allred, who helped key a

third-inning rally. “We started off kind of shaky but then we got

stronger throughout the rest of the season.”

After going down, 1-0, through the first two innings, Allred

singled down the middle after a leadoff fly-out. Duernberger reached

on an error, and two batters later, Tolfa slammed the 2-and-1 pitch

down the right side just over the first baseman’s head, scoring two.

Sophomore Ann Klunder then followed with a pop up the first baseman

apparently lost in the sun, plopping on the ground and allowing Tolfa

to score for a 3-1 lead.

But the offensive spark dimmed throughout the last four innings

and the Swordsmen’s bats came alive.

“We worked hard and were focused the entire game,” Allred said. “I

think we’re going to be improving a lot [next year].”

CIF Division IV

First round

St. Paul 6,

Corona del Mar 3

Score by Innings

*--*

CdM 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 - 3 3 3

St. Paul 0 1 2 0 1 2 x - 6 11 3

*--*

Tolfa and Schulte; Jaime, Armenta (5) and Larios. W -- Armenta,

8-2. L -- Tolfa, 15-10. 2B -- Rubio (SP). 3B -- Tolfa (CdM), Castillo

(SP). HR -- Rubio (SP).