NEWS AND NOTES FROM PRESS ROW: Young Artesia softball squad roughs up Avalon in Ocean View Tournament

March 12, 2025

By Loren Kopff • @LorenKopff on X

HUNTINGTON BEACH-The Artesia High softball team had a feeling it was going to be a good day when the Pioneers faced Avalon High last Saturday in the first of two games in the Ocean View Tournament. The wind was howling at 20 miles per hour at game time, and the Lancers, who had lost their only two games played this season, arrived at the Ocean View High junior varsity field less than 15 minutes before game time, having to take the Catalina Express to Long Beach, then a bus to the Orange County school.

With little preparation for the players to warm up, especially pitcher Aubree Figueroa, the Pioneers took advantage and cruised to a 14-3 win that was called after four innings. Artesia collected just four hits, but Figueroa walked six batters, hit two and saw three batters reach on errors.

“It was just discipline,” said Artesia head coach John Shapiro. “We’ve been working a lot on our zones and what to anticipate on certain counts. Obviously, we didn’t get that type of pitching today, so it was just getting the girls to understand [that] she was going to come at you on every pitch; just sit on it and anticipate it.”

Artesia stranded three runners on base through the first two innings and had nothing to show for while freshman pitcher Danika Vega struck out five of the first nine batters she faced, also leaving three runners on base. But the Pioneers broke the scoreless tie in the top of the third inning when freshman third baseman Sophia Campos got to second on an error after striking out. Figueroa then walked sophomore second baseman Brisyeda Munoz and both runners would advance on a wild pitch before Campos scored on another error.

Avalon took a 2-1 lead in its half of the inning on a pair of unearned runs thanks to consecutive two-out errors. But Artesia went to work on Figueroa in the fourth, and when it was all done, the Pioneers had sent 19 batters to the plate. They loaded the bases eight times and sophomore first baseman Pacifica Hamilton had the biggest hit, lacing a double to the left field corner, allowing Campos and Munoz to score. Danika Vega also had a double down the left field line to bring home Hamilton and Garcia reached on an infield single to plate junior second baseman Celeste Alvarez.

All nine starters scored at least a run, and Hamilton drove in three runs. Danika Vega, one of seven freshmen on the team, allowed five hits and struck out seven while walking four.

“She’s a great freshman for us [with] a lot of pitching experience,” said Shapiro. “I think the stage gets big, but she doesn’t let it get too big for her. She goes one batter at a time; one pitch at a time and the results show it. It’s just trusting her pitches. If it’s not working one, we make a slight adjustment and talk about it, come back with the same pitch and we have it.”

The Pioneers would slam Ocean View 14-1 later in the day, then hold off Bellflower High 12-8 this past Tuesday to even its record at 4-4. In the four victories, Artesia had scored 62 runs but in the four losses, it has managed to touch home plate 13 times.

Artesia has five returning players, three of whom are sophomores, and is waiting for senior pitcher Abbygail Perez, a transfer from Gahr High, to become eligible. Mia Soto, who did not see action against Avalon, is the only other senior on the team.

“Things are happening faster than they’re used to at the varsity level,” said Shapiro on the youth of the team. “The ball comes at them faster; their reaction time is slower. It’s definitely our young age that’s causing [the record] right now.”

The Pioneers went to Paramount High on Mar. 12 and is not scheduled to play again until Mar. 25.

In other softball action, Cerritos High (2-2) went to North Torrance High on Mar. 12 and will visit Sunny Hills High on Friday, and Kennedy High on Tuesday and Gahr on Thursday.

John Glenn High edged Samueli Academy 12-11 this past Tuesday to improve to 2-3. The Eagles will host Calvary Chapel Downey High on Thursday.

La Mirada High had a streak of 38 innings in which its pitchers didn’t allow a run. That was snapped by JSerra High last Saturday in the sixth inning of its semifinal game in the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions Tournament in Bullhead City, Nevada. The Matadores would lose that game 5-2, then bounced back to defeat Pacifica High 8-5 in the third place game. La Mirada improved to 10-2 and will host Segerstrom High on Tuesday and Valley Christian High on Thursday.

Norwalk High dropped a pair of games to San Dimas High last Saturday in the Santa Fe Tournament, losing 14-1, then 12-6 as the Lancers are 4-3 with home games against Whittier High on Mar. 12, Warren High on Tuesday and St. Joseph High on Wednesday.

V.C. was all over San Leandro High last Friday in a 17-2 victory, improving to 3-2. The Defenders will welcome Lakewood High on Monday ahead of its meeting with La Mirada.

BASEBALL

Artesia was doubled up by Bolsa Grande High 4-2 this past Tuesday to see its mark go to 2-5. The Pioneers will host St. Anthony High on Saturday and Long Beach Poly High on Tuesday.

Cerritos got by Long Beach Poly 6-5 last Thursday, then lost to St. Anthony 6-2 this past Monday and Poly again 7-6 to fall to 4-3. The Dons will go to Paramount on Monday and Garden Grove High on Wednesday.

After winning the first three games of the season, Gahr has dropped the last three, including a 3-0 decision against Norco High this past Wednesday. Gahr will face Berkeley Prep on Monday in the first game of the Bishop Gorman Invitational, which goes through Thursday.

Glenn had no problems with Saddleback High this past Tuesday in an 11-4 conquest for its second win in seven games. The Eagles went to Tustin High on Mar. 12 and will host Mountain View High on Tuesday.

La Mirada, which fell to South Hills High 4-3 last Thursday, will open the Anaheim Lions Tournament on Friday against Campo Verde High out of Gilbert, AZ. The Matadores (4-3) will then face Etiwanda High on Tuesday, Riverside Prep on Wednesday and Aliso Niguel High on Thursday.

Norwalk’s 4-3 loss to Paramount this past Tuesday kept the Lancers winless through three games as the Lancers hosted Kennedy on Mar. 12 and will go to Dominguez High on Friday and Lynwood High on Tuesday.

V.C. defeated Campbell Hall High 15-7 last Saturday for its second win in five games this season. The Defenders will host South Gate High on Saturday and Bishop Montgomery High on Monday before going to Sunny Hills on Tuesday.

Finally, Whitney High breezed past Westminster High 12-5 this past Monday to improve to 3-5. The Wildcats will travel to Western High on Saturday in a makeup game that was rained out on Feb. 20, and host Ambassador Christian High on Monday.