Oaks Christian shows ECR mercy (rule)
By the time the second inning was over, the Oaks Christian softball team — which has only two seniors — held a 10-run advantage over El Camino Real.
In a matchup of the Daily News' Nos. 1 and 2 teams, the Lions proved why they hold the top spot, beating the Royals in five innings, 14-0, on Friday afternoon at El Camino Real.
“Stay focused,” Oaks Christian coach Pete Ackerman told his team when it built a double-digit lead. “We had a good inning; stay the course.”
With a plethora of hitters and a reliable pitching staff, the Lions (12-0 overall, 6-0 Marmonte League) appear as though they could stay on that course for as long as they desire.
Every Oaks batter except for one had a hit against El Camino Real (9-3 overall). Rylee McCoy had a home run and a single for four RBIs; Anahi Arreola had a double, two triples and three RBIs; and Micaela Kastor had a single, a triple and had three RBIs in the game.
Kastor also spent two innings in the circle and recorded four strikeouts before being pulled due to injury. Emelia Davis, a sophomore, pitched the remainder of the game and logged two strikeouts.
Oaks Christian put up eight runs in the first inning, with McCoy's home run starting off the scoring.
“I'm honestly just taking my time, seeing the spin, slowing down the game and just focusing on the ball,” McCoy said of her homer.
The Lions scored two more runs in the second inning, then three in the third. Arreola finished off the scoring with an RBI triple in the fourth inning.
Oaks Christian has only two seniors on the team. There's no junior varsity team in the program, so players come straight to varsity ready to go. It hasn't stopped the Lions from shutting out nine of their opponents this season.
“We motivate each other,” McCoy said. “We pick each other up if one doesn't get a hit. I know that my teammates will come and back me up.”
El Camino Real, the reigning Los Angeles City Section Open Division champion, has stacked its nonleague schedule with opponents such as Oaks Christian in order to be tested.
“We're gonna get better,” Royals coach Jodi Borenstein said. “We know they're the best team and we know we're going into league next week. We're turning the page and we're moving on and that's it.”
Ackerman said that how far the Lions go into the postseason is contingent on their pitching. For now, though, the players are focused on riding the wave of the regular-season victories.