La Mirada softball wins third straight Suburban League title
La Mirada’s Aleyna Urbina (7) walks under the archway of bats for senior day after playing Mayfair in their league game at La Mirada High School on Tuesday. La Mirada defeated Mayfair 9-1. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
LA MIRADA - The La Mirada High School softball team wrapped up its third consecutive Suburban League championship with a resounding 9-1 victory over rival Mayfair on Tuesday (April 26).
In addition, the Matadores won their 30th consecutive league game, dating back to the 2018 season. They currently are 7-0 in league with one game remaining on Thursday, April 28. (Results not available at press time).
Next year La Mirada will be in a league with Gahr, Warren and Downey.
Their last league loss was to Cerritos, just over four years ago.
With the win, the Matadores, improved to 20-6 overall and have won 15 consecutive games, while Mayfair finishes second in league with a 14-9 overall record and 5-3 in league.
“We won the league title (Tuesday) outright,” La Mirada Softball coach Brent Tuttle said. “We wrapped our third straight league title and will try to make a run now in the Division I playoffs.
“This season, early on we had a tough early stretch out there in Bullhead and lost four games. I think at one point we might have been 6-6, but we’ve always scheduled tough because we’re DI and want to make sure we see that competitiveness.
“Since then, this team has jelled together and I want to say 15 or 16 (15) straight. We haven’t lost since Bullhead (Tournament).
“I always tell my girls we want to be playing our best ball in April and early May.”
La Mirada senior players gather for their senior night after playing Mayfair in their league game at La Mirada High School on Tuesday. La Mirada defeated Mayfair 9-1. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
The CIF-Southern Section playoffs are set to begin next week, with the brackets being announced Saturday (April 30).
La Mirada pitcher Aleyna Urbina won her 14th game of the season against four losses.
The senior went the distance, allowing only two hits and a run and struck out two Mayfair batters.
“We just wanted to win because it’s our rival game and it’s our senior day too, so we just wanted to win” Urbina said.
“Honestly, it’s better than I thought we were going to be,” said Urbina of the team’s success this season. We’re mostly younger, so we’re good.”
Senior third baseman Janis Espinoza (2 for 4, R, 3 RBIs) led the Matadores. She also hit a 3-run home run in the third inning for the 8-1 lead. Espinoza leads the team with hits (29) and has a .382 average in 25 games.
“It meant a lot to win league,” Espinoza said. “Especially because a lot of our girls are younger and I feel like this year we especially meshed a lot.
“I get along with the freshmen a lot. We’re all more in it together and I would say it’s my favorite team out of all my high school seasons. Winning this title is a pretty big accomplishment for all of us.”
Espinoza, who reached base three of her four at bats in the game, had high praise for her pitcher.
“Aleyna just dominates in the circle,” she said. “I personally am obsessed with her change-up. Her change-up just makes players look really goofy in the box. There’s something about her change-up that changes the tone in the game. It’s exciting to see.”
Two other Matadores had two hits each – freshman Angelina Conde (2 for 2, R, RBI, 2 Dbls.) and senior catcher Peyton Powers (2 for 3, RBI).
First baseman Natalie Craig hit a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning for the 9-1 lead.
Alyssa Hensgen took the loss for Mayfair, as she allowed all nine runs on eight hits and struck out three La Mirada batters.
Shortstop Celeste Carbajal and designated hitter Grace Cummins of the Monsoons each collected the only hits off of Urbina in the game.
Mayfair started the game off with the first batter reaching on an error and eventually scored.
In the game, there were 11 errors between the two clubs.
After the first inning, Urbina, who was still sore from a tough weekend workout on her travel ball team, then retired eight consecutive Mayfair batters into the fourth inning before a single by Carbajal.
She allowed five base runners after the fourth, including retiring another five straight in the fifth and sixth innings.
Meanwhile, La Mirada answered with three runs in the bottom of the first, for the 3-1 lead, followed by five more runs in the third for the 8-1 lead.
Conde knocked in the first run with a double to left-center, scoring Espinoza, followed by center fielder Grace Archuleta scoring on an error.
Conde scored on the second double of the inning by the Matadores, as right fielder Brynn Fukumoto doubled to left.
The third inning was highlighted by Espinoza’s three-run home run and Conde and Urbina scoring on an outfield error and a single by Powers, respectively.