The Los Alamitos High softball team was able to overcome a defensive battle in the first round of the CIF-SS Division I playoffs against Upand, with two big flys. Junior infielder Mattie Scheele gave the Griffins all the runs they would need with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning of a 4-1 win on Friday, May 19.
Upland would add a solo home run of the their own in the third, but senior pitcher Halle Humphrey and the Griffin defense held the Highlanders to just the one run. Just to be on the safe side though, junior infielder Alexandria Finie blasted a two-run shot of her own in the bottom of the sixth inning that gave the Griffins some insurance heading into Upland’s final at bat.
Humphrey would set the Highlanders down in order in the seventh, with a pop up, strike out and grounder to third. It was indicative of the team effort that has kept the Griffins on track, despite some setbacks and injuries to key players.
“We just remember that we have each other … that we have each other’s backs, no matter what happens,” Humphrey said.
After reaching the CIF-SS semifinals last year, this year’s Los Alamitos High softball team came into the season with high expectations. The Griffins managed to retain their Sunset League title and move into the postseason as one of the teams to beat in the Division I bracket.
Upland hung around, turning in some dazzling defense of their own, but the Griffins were hitting the ball hard at times and knew it would only be a matter of time before they found their swing. Finie said they had scouting on the Upland pitcher that showed she liked to pitch inside, so that’s what the Griffins keyed on.
“We practiced on the inside yesterday, so I just took what we worked on into the game” Finie said.
The Griffins had just five hits on the day but found another way to take advantage of an inside pitch in the first inning. Sophomore shortstop Infinity Laufou was hit by a pitch to reach base. With two outs, Scheele turned on an inside pitch and lined a ball down the left field line for a two-run home run.
Humphrey allowed just three hits, one being the solo home run to Madison Hernandez in the top of the third inning. She struck out six and walked just two. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Scheele drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a ground out. That’s when Finie drilled a shot to left-center field that gave the Griffins their final margin of victory.
