The562’s high school softball coverage is sponsored by Playmakers. Visit LetsBePlaymakers.org for more information on their adaptive sports programs.
The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
They don’t make high school rivalries like they used to but Millikan and Lakewood kicked it old school on Wednesday night at Lisa Fernandez Field in the Moore League softball regular season finale.
An exciting pitchers duel in front of a loud crowd ended with impeccable defense, an emotional celebration and heated postgame words between coaches. As it should be.
Millikan used a complete game gem from pitcher Ava Schaffel and three plays at the plate from catcher Jocelyn Owen, to beat Lakewood 1-0. The win finishes off an undefeated league title and the fourth consecutive league title for the Rams. According to Millikan it’s the first undefeated league title in program history.
“We really wanted it,” Schaffel said of the undefeated league title. “These games are what we’re looking forward to the whole year. So when it’s game time we want to win.”
Schaffel scattered five hits and three walks while striking out six. The San Diego State commit leaned on her defense in the late innings and it paid off thanks to Owen.
“I felt like we had something to prove after losing to Poly last year,“ Owen said. “We wanted to be undefeated this season and we did just that.”
It would’ve been easy for Millikan to mail in their performance with the league title already clinched, and coach Michelle Lehr was well aware of that in preparation for the rivalry before the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
“It’s more about pride,” Lehr said. “We feel like we’re a better team so don’t let them slide in and take any of our thunder away. It was more like, ‘Let’s make it personal.’ Let them know that we’re still the best team in the Moore League.”
Both teams left runners in scoring position throughout the game, but Millikan used small ball in the fifth inning to score Hailey Fematt on a ground ball that resulted in another play at the plate that went the Rams’ way.
“They needed this, they wanted this, and I feel like it’s going to fuel them for (CIF Playoffs),” Lehr said of her team.
Lakewood pitcher Star Tapia matched Schaffel in the circle and went the distance while giving up nine hits and leaning on her defense like when shortstop Cat Calzada turned a double play in the second inning.
Both teams stranded a few runners at second base, but the first runner to reach third base was the top of the fifth inning when Lakewood landed the bases thanks to a couple walks. Schaffel got out of the jam with a ground ball.
The second runner to reach third base was Fematt in the bottom of the fifth after she led off with a single. An infield single from Kayla Cisneros and intentional walk of Katie Knarr loaded the bases before Owen chopped a grounder to the right side and Fematt beat the throw home for the only run of the game.
Lakewood responded in the top of the sixth with a leadoff triple from Katelynn Lewis. The Lancers tried to squeeze bunt the run home, but third baseman Morgan Zimmerman charged it and scooped it to Owen for the tag at the plate.
With a pinch runner on second base and two outs, a looping single fell in front of right fielder Cisneros. She caught the hit on one bounce and quickly fired it home in more than enough time for Owen to tag the runner out and end the inning.
Lakewood threatened again in the seventh inning when Kenzi Brisbin led off and reached on an error and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Schaffel got a strikeout for the second out before she got Clazada to pop up to the right side.
The ball fell in front of diving first baseman Katie Knarr, but second baseman Riley McAndrew backed her up and scooped the bouncing ball in time to get it home for Owen to apply the game-winning tag.
“I just kept my eye on the ball,” Owen said of the plays at the plate. “I knew that if I caught the ball and got the tag there it was more likely to get those outs. I just work down right away. When I get the ball I just move down and adjust from there.”
“She looked composed,” Lehr said of Owen. “What I was most impressed with is that on all of those plays she let the ball get deep so she didn’t have to travel far for the tag. She’s really seasoned back there and she’s comfortable and she’s become a big leader for our team.”
Millikan stormed the field in celebration after the final out, and then during the postgame handshake Lakewood and Millikan coaches exchanged words about the manner in which both teams ended the game, but cooler heads would prevail.
The CIF playoff brackets will be released on Saturday, and Schaffel knows what her team needs to do in order to compete in the postseason in an effort to reach a championship game for the second straight season.
“We just need to keep doing what we’re doing,” she said.
Millikan softball won fourth consecutive league titles was 1986-89 and then Rams were co-champions with Lakewood in 1990. The last time a Moore League team won at least four consecutive titles was Lakewood from 2013-17, and the last undefeated league champion was the Lancers in 2017.
