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Two leaping catches at the outfield fence to rob home runs. A strong throw from right field to nab a runner at the plate. A pitcher stabbing a line drive to start a double play. And rallying from a four-run deficit in the sixth inning.
Pacifica’s softball team united to produce all those plays, and a few more, to edge host Cypress 9-8 in nine innings in a thrilling CIF-SS Division 1 second round game Saturday.
Center fielder Mattea Stern robbed a home run in the first inning, went 4 for 5 and drove in the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth to lead the Mariners (19-10).
The clash between Crestview League rivals produced four ties and two lead changes.
“I was speechless at the end of that game,” Pacifica coach Tony Arduino said. “Today was a special day of resilience for our team. There was probably three or four occasions during this game where we could have thrown the towel in and said, ‘You know what, it’s been a good year. We won league.’ But they refused to lose.”
Final: Pacifica 9, Cypress 8, great game! pic.twitter.com/JRa2bFUHgL
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) May 16, 2026
Pacifica plays host to JSerra, which beat Ayala 5-4 in eight innings, in the quarterfinals Wednesday.
The Mariners’ defense sparked their comeback against Cypress (17-13)
With Cypress aiming to extend a 7-3 lead in the fifth, Pacifica right fielder Abigail Amezquita fielded a sharp, two-out single by Callie Kissell and threw to catcher Leyla Ayres, who tagged out the runner trying to score from second.
“I think that really changed the momentum of the game,” said Amezquita, a senior who also threw out a runner at the plate in a league game against Cypress.
Ayres caught the throw from right just before the plate.
“I knew if I let the ball one hop, it was risky,” the senior catcher said. “I just made as big of a tag as I could.”
👀Great defense Pacifica but Cypress leads 7-3 going to 6th pic.twitter.com/MxVP9ACPmV
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) May 16, 2026
Pacifica scored four runs in the sixth to tie the score 7-7. Stern singled in the first run, Natalie Pacheco followed with a two-run single and Serena Antillon tied the score with another single.
The Mariners’ forced extra inning with more stellar defense.
With a runner on second and one out in the seventh, freshman pitcher Raquel Pineda of Pacifica stabbed a liner up the middle and threw to hustling shortstop Natalia Amezquita at second for an inning-ending double play.
Pacifica took an 8-7 lead in the eighth as freshman Jenna Valladares scored Stern by drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs.
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Cypress showed its determination in the bottom of the eighth as Kissell tied the score 8-8 with a home run.
A dramatic play a third base set up Stern’s game-winning sacrifice fly in the ninth.
With one out, No. 9 batter Sanaiyah Cleland, a transfer from Pacifica, singled to center and raced to third on a two-base error on the play. The sophomore was called safe on a play that Cypress coach Terry Thompson discussed with the plate umpire, who met with his base umpires before upholding the call.
Stern, a junior who is committed to Arizona, followed by sending a 1-1 pitch to center for a game-winning sacrifice fly.
“This win was really big for us, especially against Cypress,” said Stern, who had three RBIs, scored three runs and stole two bases. “Once one person starts hitting, I feel like right now, the whole team gets it and we all get going.”
Cypress pinch hitter Hailey Velasco snapped a 3-3 tie with a two-run single in the fourth.
Tia Hernandez followed with a RBI sacrifice fly that a leaping Valladares kept from clearing the fence. Hayden Warner capped the four-run inning with a RBI double.
Pacifica beat Cypress for the fourth time, including the third time by one run.
The Centurions defeated Fullerton, ranked No. 1 in the county, in the first round Friday.
“I praised them for continuing to fight and never giving up,” Thompson said of his team. “It was another, typical Cypress-Pacifica storybook ending. The saga continues. It’s just great games all year long.”
In other Division 1 second round games:
JSerra 5, Ayala 4 (8): Angie Jimenez singled in the winning run in the eighth to lead the host Lions (22-8). Brooklyn Lamb, Zena Edwards and Annabel Raftery hit home runs for JSerra while Liliana Escobar pitched a complete game with 10 strikeouts.
La Habra 6, Murrieta Mesa 4: Rylee Gruener hit a grand slam in the fourth inning and Samantha Cervantes pitched a complete game as the visiting Highlanders (22-7) knocked off the top-seeded Rams (26-2). Alyssa Hernandez went 3 for 4 for La Habra, which plays Orange Lutheran in the quarterfinals.
Orange Lutheran 17, Chino Hills 14: Senior infielders Sierra Nichols and Madelyn Armendariz each went 4 for 5 to power a 16-hit attack as the host Lancers (21-8) scored a season-high 17 runs. Nichols had a triple and home run and Armendariz collected three doubles.
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More results to come.