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LOS ALAMITOS — Three double plays turned by Los Alamitos’ infield. Two diving catches by Santa Margarita shortstop Loreale Blake. A home run and four RBIs by the Griffins right fielder Erin Denny. Three solo home runs by the Eagles.
Los Alamitos and Santa Margarita’s softball teams dueled offensively and defensively in the CIF-SS Division 2 semifinals Saturday before a decisive result emerged.
The Griffins showcased their season-long progress and next wave of standouts by holding off the visiting Eagles 7-6 in a wild game to advance to their first section final since 2022.
Los Alamitos’ Audrey Hobbs (33) and Kayden Frazier (77) celebrate after the game during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Morgan Fitzpatrick (25) catches the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Morgan Fitzpatrick (25) celebrates after a play during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’s Kalie Matsuno (4) catches the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Scarlett LaBriola (73) runs the bases after hitting a home run during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s softball team celebrates after Scarlett LaBriola’s (73) home run during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Cienna Kowaleski (27) hits the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Cienna Kowaleski (27) runs to second base during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Sofia Zavarella (59) celebrates her home run during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Scarlett LaBriola (73) celebrates after hitting a home run during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Scarlett LaBriola (73) hits a home run during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Payton Kennedy (99) pitches the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Payton Kennedy (99) hits the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Cienna Kowaleski (27) makes the catch as Santa Margarita’s Loreale Blake (50) runs to first base during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Morgan Fitzpatrick (25) and Kalie Matsuno (4) celebrate after a play during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Loreale Blake (50) celebrates after a catch during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Erin Denny (16) celebrates her home run during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s pitcher Sawyer Denser (26) pitches the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ Cienna Kowaleski (27) and pitcher Jaliawe Brooks (9) celebrate after a play during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Los Alamitos’ pitcher Jaliawe Brooks (9) pitches the ball during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 20Los Alamitos’ Audrey Hobbs (33) and Kayden Frazier (77) celebrate after the game during the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 2 softball playoffs at Los Alamitos High School in Los Alamitos on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Photo by Rebecca Villagracia, Contributing Photographer) Expand“It was a dogfight,” said Los Alamitos coach Rob Weil, whose squad will play JSerra in the championship next week in Irvine.
“The kids battled. They worked through the adversity and they’ve come a long ways. The biggest thing is they’ve come a long ways over the last three months as a team.”
With only three returning starters from 2024, Los Alamitos started the season 1-7 as its adjusted to new roles and the departure of UCLA committed pitcher Jo Marsh to Orange Lutheran.
The Griffins (20-12) earned a share of the Sunset League title and continued their strong postseason against the Eagles (20-10-1).
Los Alamitos scored three times in the fifth inning to open a 7-1 lead and chase reliever Payton Kennedy, a development that would loom significant.
Denny highlighted the fifth with a two-run, bases-loaded single off an infielder’s glove to push the lead to 6-1. Catcher Ally Pitcox (2 for 3) added a two-out RBI single for a 7-1 advantage.
In the third, Denny hit a two-run home run, her seventh, to make it 3-0.
Santa Margarita capitalized on two errors in the sixth in scoring four runs.
The Eagles almost got more but reliever Layni Kimura induced an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded from Jillian Torres, who overcame an injury to pinch hit.
Second baseman Morgan Fitzpatrick grabbed a liner from Torres and threw to first baseman Cienna Kowaleski (2 for 3) to complete the double play.
In the seventh, Alyssa Grajeda belted a two-out, solo home run to trim Los Alamitos’ lead to 7-6. But with Kennedy due up next, Santa Margarita couldn’t send the county leader in home runs (14) to the plate because she had already been substituted and re-entered once.
“(Kennedy) came out when we put Lyla (Morales) in to pitch (in the fifth) and then I put her back in to hit (in the sixth) and then I had to take her out to put Lyla back in (to pitch the sixth),” Santa Margarita coach John FitzPatrick said of Kennedy. “We ran out of time. Los Al is a great program.”
Kimura retired the pinch-hitter the final out and preserve the victory for freshman Jaliane Brooks (11-7).
“I’m a firm believer in next man up,” Weil said of Brooks, who pitched 5 1/3 innings. “Brooks came up and took advantage of the opportunity that she was given and got us to where we’re at.”
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