What a great career for the seniors on this year’s Otay Ranch softball team.
A week ago, they were the first team in section history to win a four straight section titles.
Saturday, afternoon they took it a step further, winning the first regional crown in school history. And on their home field, no less.
In the battle of two of this year’s San Diego Section champions, the top-seed Mustangs led the entire way, downing No. 3 Imperial 7-3 to capture the Southern California Regional championship in Division 3.
Between the two teams they have six section championships in the last four years. Each were coming in heals of winning their second straight section titles a week earlier, Otay Ranch in Division 2 and Imperial in Division 3.
“This means so much to me and all the seniors to be a part of history,” said first baseman Nataly Lozano, who along with Isabel Cintron and Viviana Vargas were a part of all four section titles.
Lozano and her teammates ed a 7-0 loss to Fullerton in last year’s regional final. They wanted to shed that memory early.
After a scoreless top of the first, Cintron reached on an error leading off the bottom of the inning and came around to score on junior Itzel Soto’s double down the left-field line for a 1-0 lead.
“Honestly, I don’t know how I got that ball,” said Soto, who finished the day going 3-for-4. “It was very important we got up early.”
Soto came around to make it 2-0 on Lozano’s first RBI of the day.
The Mustangs (20-12) increased their lead to 3-0 in the second inning after Kalina Sangalang led off with a single and came around to score on a fielder’s choice.
The Imperial (29-4-1) bats woke up in the fourth inning. Hannah Johnson reached on an error, moved to third on singles by Jayden Rutledge and Clarissa Davila and scored when Reagan Ray was hit by a pitch.
Lozano answered back in the bottom of the fifth. Her drive to center cut through the gusting wind and cleared the fence to make it a 4-1 game.
“It was so important,” said Lozano of her round-tripper. “It was tough with all that wind but you just trust your mechanics.”
Otay Ranch starting pitcher Victoria Resendez was cruising along until the top of the sixth. With one out Rutledge walked and singles by Davila and Ray cut the lead to 4-3 until Kaylin Phillips came in to end the threat and earn the save.
Again the Mustangs had the answer. Viviana Vargas’ two-run double and an RBI single by Soto finished the scoring.
“I’m proud,” Imperial coach Ashley Caro-Brown of her back-to-back section champions. “I definitely know we made a statement being here. It was just not our day.”
Farmer is a freelance writer.
