Softball
WALNUT, CA — The Cypress Chargers jumped out to a 4-0 lead and never looked back, defeating the Cerritos Falcons 5-1 to earn a spot in Sunday's 3C2A Softball State Championship game.
The Chargers (42-7) will face Palomar (43-1), which is undefeated in tournament play at 3-0 and aiming for its sixth title in program history, tomorrow at noon. Cypress, which is playing for its 10th title, must win the first game to force a deciding game at 3 p.m. Palomar needs just one win to claim the title. Cerritos closes its season with a 33-16 record.
Cypress centerfielder Cameron Curiel led the Chargers with a two-for-three performance at the plate including a triple in the third inning that scored Lizbeth Gomez and Mikala Jacobsen to put the Chargers up 3-0. Freshmen first baseman Ashlynn Ortiz added to the lead when she reached on an error that allowed Curiel to score.
Postgame with @CYPRESSChargers Cameron Curiel, 2-3, 2 RBIs, 2 Runs, Triple pic.twitter.com/mDi5VjoRl1
— 3CFCA (@3CFCA) May 21, 2023
Jaiden Stern got Cypress on the board in the second inning on a sacrifice bunt that sent Ortiz across the plate.
Cerritos scored its lone run of the game in the fourth inning off a Miranda Diaz single that brought Brooklyn Bedolla home.
Cypress pitcher Emily Rush retired eight out of the last 11 Cerritos batters for the win. Rush improved to 33-5 on the season with the complete game win and allowed just three hits with two strikeouts.
The Chargers added one more run in the fifth inning on a single by Jaylene Duarte that scored Ortiz for the 5-1 final.
John M. Sherrard (3C2A)
