Shroyer, Bonita defense blank Tesoro for D3 title
Bonita celebrates its win over Tesoro in their CIF-SS Division 3championship game in Irvine on Friday.
IRVINE >> The circle sometimes can be the loneliest place on the softball diamond, especially for a pitcher throwing in a CIF Southern Section championship game for the first time.
Bonita sophomore Brooklyn Shroyer never felt alone Friday afternoon, however.
Shroyer registered only one strikeout against Tesoro’s lineup, but Bonita’s defense made all of the plays behind Shroyer. Bonita grabbed an early lead and Shroyer scattered five hits as the Bearcats cruised to a 6-0 victory in the Division 3 championship game at Bill Barber Park.
Bonita (27-5-1) claimed its first section title in softball in the program’s third trip to the finals.
Shroyer, a junior righthander, has been dominant in the playoffs, striking out at least 10 batters in each of the first four games. Her lone strikeout Friday came in the sixth inning.
“Brooklyn has been there for us every game and came through again today,” Bearcats coach Darren Baumunk said. “I don’t think she had her best stuff today, but she also trusts and believes in her defense.”
Tesoro (20-12) made solid contact throughout the game, but many of those balls ended up as loud outs after landing in the gloves of Bonita fielders.
That might have rattled some pitchers, but Shroyer stuck to the game plan and induced 15 outs through the air Friday afternoon.
“I just really let my defense go to work,” said Shroyer, who improved to 21-2 on the year. “You walk in there with a feeling of wanting to strike everyone out, but (Tesoro) was a really good hitting team. But I knew if I didn’t get a strikeout, my team was there to back me up.”
The top-seeded Bearcats wasted little time in grabbing the lead. Alyssa Doucette led off the bottom of the first with a single to right field, moved to second on a sacrifice and to third on an infield single by Kali Blount with one out. Blount stole second, and Doucette came home when the throw to second got away.
Bonita extended the lead the following frame. Mireya Rico and Bryce Shroyer, Brooklyn’s twin sister and battery mate, opened the inning with back-to-back singles that chased Tesoro’s Kennedy Hobson from the circle.
Aries Alonso, who knocked in three runs in the semifinals, came through once again, as she smacked a double over the head of the center fielder to bring home two more runs.
“That’s our No. 8 hitter coming up big for us once again,” Baumunk said of Alonso’s hit.
Tesoro had chances to get some of the runs back during the third, fourth and fifth innings.
The Titans got a runner to third base in the third inning, but Rico made a diving catch at third base to end that threat. Tesoro had two on with one out in the fifth inning, but Blount made a diving grab in center field to keep Tesoro off the scoreboard once again.
“Brooklyn is an amazing pitcher, but we are going to have her back if she misses a spot,” Blount said. “Our defense was great today.”
Bonita tacked on three more insurance runs in the sixth inning. The first run scored on an error, and then Doucette lined a triple into the gap to bring home another run. Lauryn Ureno dropped down a bunt single with two outs to score Doucette and extend the lead to 6-0.
Bonita’s lineup produced 11 hits Friday, with 8 of the 9 starters getting at least one. Doucette, Ureno and Blount each had two hits for the Bearcats.
“Everyone in the lineup can put the ball in play and make something happen at any given point,” Baumunk said.
Shroyer sealed the deal by retiring the final eight batters she faced.
“It feels great,” Shroyer said of winning the championship. “We have worked so hard for this moment all year.”
Bonita has won 15 of its past 16 games, the only blemish being a tie against Venice last month. Baumunk said the team had a long meeting after a 12-2 loss to Ayala on March 17.
“We had a sit-down and discussed which way are we going to go,” Baumunk said. “They just focused on playing together and playing hard.
“For the seniors to go out on top, after everything they have been through is extra special.”