Coast Union softball 'hung in there' but drops 1st-round CIF playoff game to Hollywood team
The Coast Union softball team ended up on the short end of a 10-6 score in its first-round CIF-Southern Section Division 6 home playoff game against the Campbell Hall Vikings (Hollywood) on May 17.
But coach Steve Kniffen was pleased that — notwithstanding the Vikings were ranked sixth in Division 6, and favored — his team “hung in there with them for three or four innings.”
The Vikings scored four runs in the seventh inning , and were leading 10-3, but the Lady Broncos rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it interesting, Kniffen said Friday.
“We had four hits in a row in the seventh, including a triple by Martha Gomez, and we knocked their starting pitcher out,” Kniffen said. “We were a couple hits and a couple situations away from making it really close.”
His players were “really excited” to play a competitive game, the coach continued, given the lopsided games the team won against Coast Valley League foes (Coast won the CVL with an 8-0 record).
Other than the final score, Kniffen said, “It was a great way to end the season, especially when the girls rallied in the last inning — it made it all worthwhile.”
Serena Valenzuela pitched “very well and had a pair of hits,” Kniffen reported.
Gomez had two singles and a triple; she knocked in two runs, scored two runs and stole a base. Aylin Casas had two hits and drove in two runs.
Nearly everyone in the lineup had a hit, Kniffen said, including Zoe Markham and Angelique Gutierrez.
After the game, the Kniffen family hosted a team potluck, and the coach announced the 2018 awards.
Alyssa Drew won the Coast Union MVP award and Markham was named MVP of the CVL; Markham also won the “Kim Kinney Award” given annually to the most inspirational player.
Juliette Garcia was named “Most Improved” player, and Kiana Valenzuela was given the “Coach’s Award” by Kniffen.
Gomez and Casas were named to the CVL First Team. Serena Valenzuela and Drew made the CVL Second Team; and Riley Volz received “Honorable Mention” from the CVL.
Kniffen loses six seniors to graduation, but he has faith that the returning undergraduates will step up and use the fundamentals they learned this season to good effect.
“The younger girls are excited to get back on the field next year,” Kniffen said.
This story was originally published May 19, 2018 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Coast Union softball 'hung in there' but drops 1st-round CIF playoff game to Hollywood team."