Marina softball escapes after furious comeback by Edison

HUNTINGTON BEACH — After the first inning on Thursday, it appeared that there may be very little competition as far as the top three spots in the Sunset League go.

Marina High’s softball team had made quick work of Newport Harbor and Fountain Valley, and it was prepared to do the same against Edison.

The Vikings led 11-0 after the opening frame, presumably set to get an early start on their homework, or perhaps even Spring Break.

By the end of the game, their hearts were jumping out of their chests.

The Chargers rallied to bring the winning run to the plate, but the comeback attempt came up just short as Marina escaped, 13-11, in a bewildering game at Edison High.

Emily Rush (4-3) got Jayden McKeague to ground out to Nicole Logrecco at second to end the game. There were runners on the corners at the time.

“I was really nervous,” Logrecco said, describing the finish as a welcomed relief. “It felt good that we were done.”

The Chargers had been two outs away from falling victim to the mercy rule with the score at 13-3 in the bottom of the fifth. A two-run double by Geo Ligget extended the game.

Edison got a solo home run from Hannah Matthews in the sixth, before unleashing a last-ditch scoring bonanza in the final inning.

Matthews, the No. 9 hitter, had an RBI-double. Danielle Votendahl knocked in two more runs with a single, and Ligget singled in another to make it 13-11 Marina.

“I told the girls at the end of the game that not one of their jerseys was dirty,” Vikings coach Mandee Farish said. “Not one of them had grass stains. That’s the problem for me.

“Our pitchers are working hard. Yes, they might not be on their stuff every single game, but our outfield and infield needs to try to do something about it. That’s what we didn’t do.

“We let too many groundballs get through the infield without at least attempting to get them.”

A 19-hit attack forged Edison’s comeback attempt against the Vikings (7-9, 3-1). Seven Chargers had at least two hits.

The bottom four in the Edison batting order — Ligget, McKeague, Hannah Horton, and Matthews — accounted for 10 hits and eight RBI.

“That hasn’t always been the case this year, so I’m really proud of our bottom of the lineup for coming up big,” Chargers coach Melissa Roth said. “That was huge for them, and I think they needed it as well.”

Sage Malvin and Ashley Pilatos hit home runs for the Vikings. It was the first home run of Pilatos’ career, which struck the scoreboard above the center-field wall.

“It felt really good,” said Pilatos, the team’s left-fielder. “I was really excited about it, and it was at a nice time in the game.

“I’m normally a pull hitter, so hitting it to straightaway center, that felt really good.”

Marina had 14 hits of its own, most of which came in an 11-run first inning. Votendahl had recorded just one out before departing with the bases loaded after an RBI-single by Pilatos.

All three inherited runners scored as reliever Talia Hannapple was forced to get loose in the middle of the action.

Malvin provided the exclamation point with a three-run homer to take the lead to 11-0 before the Chargers got their turn on offense.

“I think coming into the game, we had a lot of energy, and we got it done that first inning,” Malvin said. “After that, we weren’t answering back when they scored.”

Hannapple was able to keep the Vikings in check after the first. She allowed two runs (one earned) the rest of the way.

Roth said that Votendahl had been trying to give the Chargers a couple of innings, but with a sprained finger, her wildness made her ineffective.

A diving catch by Riley Wester in shallow center field to begin the game was the only out recorded with Votendahl in the circle.

“Talia did a great job, as a freshman, throwing her first roughly complete game,” Roth said. “I’m very proud of her. She kept us in this ball game.”

Ryan King, Shayla Thomas, Paige Shafer, Logrecco, Rush, and Pilatos each collected two hits for Marina.

The Chargers were spearheaded by three-hit efforts from Rachel Abboud, Ligget, and Matthews.

Edison went 2-3 through the first half of league. With their overall record well above .500 at 11-6, the Chargers would seem to be in a better position to grab an at-large playoff spot.

That makes a sweep of Edison imperative for Marina. The Vikings play host to the Chargers in the season finale on May 9.

Sunset League

Marina 13, Edison 11

SCORE BY INNINGS

Mar (11)10 010 0 — 13 14 3

Ed 030 021 5 — 11 19 2

Rush (re-entered in 6th), Carreon (4) and King; Votendahl, Hannapple (1) and McKeague. WP — Rush, 4-3. LP — Votendahl, 5-2. 2B — Thomas (Mar); Loomis (Ed), Ligget (Ed), Matthews (Ed); HR — Malvin (Mar), Pilatos (Mar); Matthews (Ed).

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