SAN DIEGO – Point Loma High’s girls softball team made history by winning the school’s first CIF championship on May 30 — and also erased a personal frustration for the team’s head coach.
CIF records in the sport date back to 1976, and the Pointers had never hoisted a trophy in the intervening 49 years. That ended when the No. 1-seeded girls gave up two early runs to No. 2 West Hills before coming back to score just enough and escape with a 3-2 victory that ignited a celebration by the players and Pointer fans at SDSU’s softball field.
Pointer head coach Billy Hunyady had been frustrated as a Pointer baseball player in 1981 when his team lost a CIF title game in a 1-0 heartbreaker to Mt. Carmel. Now, 44 years later, he has a championship.
“Four years ago, we were 7-21,” Hunyady said. “It’s a tribute to the Peninsula youth softball program in Point Loma and the talent they are sending us, and we are the beneficiaries. We have most of our team coming back next year and the year after.”
Hunyady and his assistants tapped Ella Poulin to pitch, and the freshman had some control issues in the early innings, walking four batters and hitting four others. But she settled down, eventually yielding four hits, two earned runs, walking four, and striking out two while holding the Wolf Pack to a .160 batting average on 107 pitches and a complete game win.
Freshman Ella Poulin pitched a complete game to give the Pointers their first CIF championship in school history. (Photo by Scott Hopkins/Special to Peninsula Beacon)Coaches and fans were squirming when the Pointers came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning of the seven-inning game, as the team had only one hit against Wolf Pack starter Gianna Burgin. But the tide was about to turn.
“In all three playoff games we came from behind,” Hunyady noted. “Down 1-0 twice and 5-0 once, but we belted a two-run home run in one and scored six runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings in another. I had confidence we’d get going, but I was a little nervous because we were running out of time.”
Senior Annika Isaacson belted a long fly ball to left field that went over the fielder’s head and reached the fence on one bounce. Junior Avery MacPherson ripped a ball up the middle that deflected off Burgin’s leg for a single. Senior courtesy runner Isabella Giaquinto replaced Avery MacPherson at first base. Leyton MacPherson then drove another deep fly ball to left field, landing fair by just feet before it rolled into the corner. Both runners scored, tying the game and igniting both the Pointer players and fans.
In the fifth inning, freshman Siena Balistreri socked another double to drive in what became the winning run and chasing Burgin from the game.
A brief rally by the Wolf Pack in their last at bat ended when their runner was hit by a teammate’s batted ball, resulting in the final out and Pointer players rushing from the dugout to begin a wild celebration.
After all, they’d only been waiting 49 years.
Game notes
The Pointers finished the season with an outstanding 25-6-1 record. They began SoCal Div. III playoffs at home on June 3 with a 9-2 win over No. 8 Port of Los Angeles High School of San Pedro. Next up is a June 5 game at home against No. 4 Olympian from Chula Vista, with a win sending them to the June 7 title game.
For the six seniors on the Pointer roster, it was a busy week. Their graduation ceremony ended only 45 hours before the championship game began.
The CIF Sportsmanship Award for the Pointers went to senior Bella Lopez.
On hand were PLHS vice principal Randee Matuk, whose toddler daughter passed out CIF championship patches, and athletic director Manny Diaz, Jr.
Six seniors have graduated, but the Pointer roster includes four freshmen, four sophomores, and four juniors, which should translate to several years of highly talented and competitive teams.
All of the Pointer coaches are PLHS alums, including Hunyady (1981) and his varsity assistants Steve Vargas (1974) and Scott Berndes (1969). Chris Ghio (1981) is the junior varsity head coach.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Pointer girls make history with first softball title )
Also on site :
- Trump announces new round of US-China trade talks
- Iconic ‘80s Actor, 76, Is Unrecognizable Nearly 35 Years After 'Dallas’
- 'Days of Our Lives' Star, 53, Makes Plea to Fans Ahead of John Black's Funeral