Roosevelt defeats Pacifica, still on course in D1

EASTVALE » Roosevelt softball coach Mike Smith says two things about his team this season.

“This is the best team I’ve ever coached, and we believe that it’s our destiny to get back to the finals,” said Smith, currently in his 19th season as a head coach.

Emily Carr drove in the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly as top-seeded Roosevelt topped Pacifica 7-6 Thursday in a Cif-southern Section Division 1 quarterfinal game.

“The reality hit us that we might not win this game, so we had to kick into another gear and really go for it,” Carr said.

Carr also doubled and scored a run for Roosevelt (25-3 overall), which extended its winning streak to nine games.

The Mustangs, CIF-SS Division 1 finalists last season, will play at Gahr in the semifinals Saturday.

“Whatever happens in the finals happens, but it’s our destiny to get there,” Smith said. “We know the next game is going to be tougher than this one, but I told the Pacifica coach that his is the best team we’ve played all season.”

Roosevelt starter Priscilla Llamas tossed four shutout innings before allowing two runs in the fifth. A scoreless sixth gave way to the final frame, where Llamas got one out before allowing four consecutive base runners and giving up four runs as Pacifica tied the game.

“She’s been really good for four or five innings,” Smith said. “Credit to (Pacifica); their kids came through and got some hits.”

Ashley Annett doubled to lead off the bottom of the seventh and the Mustangs loaded the bases for Carr, who hit the first pitch of her at-bat in the air to right field. It went far enough for pinch runner Emalee Romero to score from third base ahead of the throw.

“I was a little nervous, but I knew that I was going to be able to flip my switch and pick up my team,” Carr said.

It was a much different game than the two Roosevelt played to begin this postseason. It opened the playoffs with a 17-0 win over Upland before shutting out La Mirada 3-0 in the second round. The Mustangs got out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning against Pacifica but Llamas began to show signs of fatigue in the fourth, although she escaped a bases-loaded situation with a strikeout.

“She ran out of gas a little bit,” Smith said. “She’s real dominant for three or four and then they start to time her up.”

Kaniya Bragg had three hits and scored a run in the seventh-inning for Pacifica (26-5).

The Mariners, who lost at home to Roosevelt in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals last season, didn’t get a hit until the fourth inning.

“We battled back when we could’ve easily laid down and we gave ourselves a chance. That’s all I can ask for,” Pacifica coach Tony Arduino said.

Brynne Nally pitched a complete game and had a two-run single in Pacifica’s seventh-inning rally. The sophomore right-hander was unable to keep the Mariners’ previously perfect 9-0 road record intact.