Daleah Cardenas lifts Rosary to Michelle Carew Softball Classic championship win
Given a chance at redemption, Daleah Cardenas made the most of her opportunity Saturday night in the Gold Division championship game of the Michelle Carew Softball Classic at Peralta Park in Anaheim.
Relieving starter Ava Phillips, the Rosary senior pitcher got eight outs and did not allow a base runner to close out an 8-4 upset of Orange Lutheran.
'My drop curve is my best pitch and I was using it a lot,' said Cardenas, who shook off a poor outing in the semifinals earlier when she faced six batters, allowed four hits, hit a batter and recorded only one out. 'I feel the pressure when there's a huge crowd like this, but I just lock in and focus like it's just me and my catcher.'
Phillips, who was selected Most Valuable Pitcher of the tournament, finally tired with one out in the fifth inning after having pitched 11 innings in two games Saturday — the second of which ended just before midnight.
Cardenas got a double play to end the fifth, induced three Lancers lefties to ground out to first base in the sixth, got Kai Minor (Orange Lutheran's Oklahoma-bound center fielder) to hit a grounder back to her, struck out Madelyn Armendariz and got Cate Medvitz to line out to left field.
In the Silver Division final, catcher Gia Otani tagged a runner out at the plate to save a run in the third inning, then belted a solo homer in the fifth to break a 1-1 tie as Oaks Christian held on to beat Millikan 2-1.
Poway doubled up Riverside King 8-4 to take third place, Eastvale Roosevelt beat Capistrano Valley 12-8 for fifth and Tucson (Ariz.) Canyon Del Oro beat Phoenix Canyon View 6-1 for seventh.
Anaheim Canyon edged Great Oak 4-3 to win the Bronze Division title when Sophia Sandoval scored from third base on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
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He always cared for us," Emmerson later added. "That whole family is such a blessing to our program and getting to play for him — I don't know if there's ever a program or coach that I'm going to play for that is going to be so impactful. It's unfortunate he didn't get to be with us this season, but I will never take the last three years for granted." The somber tone as the Millers head inside Harrison High School for the game's first rain delay makes it feel as if they're on the verge of being run-ruled. The players line either side of the hallway and are sitting mostly in silence until Bullard walks down the aisle and reminds them where they stand. Yes, the Raiders seized momentum with a double right before the break, but it's still only the second inning of a scoreless game. "What kind of team are we? Don't let it bother you. It happens." "You're going to get punched in the mouth. You have to respond. We just have to do it as a team," he concludes before walking outside. 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"Brookie is someone I look to when I need someone to pick me up and need encouragement," Rundle said, both responsibilities all six seniors have embraced this season. "We've taken the role of not necessarily being the type of leader who bosses people around, but picks other people up," she continued. "Each of us has been selfless this year." "Addi prays for the team before every game which helps us settle in, and of course we're always thinking of Lutz and reminding ourselves that he's here with us," Grayson added. "I think that gives us a moment to relax and say 'We're here. This is an opportunity we need to take advantage of and not be scared of the moment.'" As the rains begin letting up, Bullard re-enters and offers another pep talk before play resumes, imploring them to find their energy and asking how many games they've been down in. We're not even down, Emmerson interjects. "Yeah," Bullard continues, "you guys are acting like your dog just died." It was at this point the players immediately looked at Grayson. Unbeknownst to Bullard, her cat recently ran away and "is likely dead now" — making for an awkward, but also darkly humorous exchange that brought a bit of levity to the room. "How bad do we want it?" one of the seniors calls out as the Millers file out of the building. "We didn't come all the way up here just to lie down." Rundle kept repeating the same thing over and over to Izzy Zapp as she tracked a third-inning fly ball to right field. Trust yourself. Trust yourself. Trust yourself. No one was blaming Zapp for the second-inning double that preceded the initial rain delay and ultimately resulted in Harrison's first run. It's normally a routine play for the sophomore outfielder, but with raindrops the size of mini-marshmallows pelting her in the face, the level of difficulty was raised exponentially. "She's made how many catches out there in that exact same spot?" Grayson said. "Watching that play I was like, 'Oh, she's going to catch it,' but when there's a downpour coming at you and you're looking up — I mean, for me at least, I wouldn't be able to catch it." It can be easy for a player to get down on themselves in that situation, Rundle observed, so the seniors and coaches immediately set about picking up Zapp. "Knowing that she has her teammates behind her has really helped her throughout the season, but Izzy's definitely had a huge role in our success," she said. Trust yourself. When Harrison hit a fly ball to the exact same spot in the third, Zapp fielded it without incident, stranding a runner on second and holding the score at 1-0. "That's really us embodying Lutz," Emmerson said, recalling how Lutz would tell her a joke, then ask her to give one back to keep her spirits up during games and at practice. "That's exactly how he was. Always positive and encouraging," the Lee commit continued. "And I think missing him challenged us to fulfill that role in ways, as teammates, that we hadn't thought of before." There's a sense of confidence among the seniors as they look ahead to the final 2.5 innings of their 4A regional final vs. Harrison from the NHS parking lot Thursday morning. They understand the challenge ahead, but also recognize this type of situation can bring out the best in them, accentuating the grittiness that enabled this group to have so much success. And considering what they've already overcome this season, by no means does a 7-0 deficit with no outs in the bottom of the fifth seem insurmountable "I know he's probably listening to this interview right now, so Lutz, we all love you and we miss you. And we can't wait to keep playing for you," Rundle smiled. Noblesville's journey ended Thursday night, 24 hours after it began. The Millers escaped the fifth inning without allowing another run, but were unable to capitalize with two runners on in the sixth, then went down in order in the seventh. Final score: 7-0. Harrison (11-12) advances to face Penn in Saturday's semistate semifinal; Noblesville finishes 19-8. As they reflected upon the possible end of their season, the seniors — as they have all year — were quick to provide perspective. "Having the chance to play at regionals and having the chance to play in general is just a blessing," the Bellarmine-bound Yee said. "To be here together in this community, in this program, is something we should cherish. Win or lose, we should do what Lutz did and have a smile on our face; be positive and carry on his (legacy) and the love he had for his family and everyone around him. That's something we should all carry on together, not just in softball, but in life in general."
