Birmingham Makes Good on Goal

Birmingham High softball Coach Jim Rose set a goal for his team before the season started: Make the playoffs.

The Patriots surpassed that goal by defeating Narbonne, 3-1, in the City Section Invitational championship game on Tuesday afternoon at UCLA.

It is the first title of any kind for a team long associated with losing, and Rose hopes it is merely the first of many.

“This is only my second year and the girls have really responded well to my style and philosophy,” Rose said. “We almost got seeded 16th in the City [Championship] bracket. At first, I was disappointed we weren’t . . . but not now.”

The Patriots hit bottom in 1999, when they completed only two games. They lost the rest through the 10-run rule.

First baseman Valeria Figuereo led the top-seeded Patriots (22-10) with three hits and scored the final run, in the seventh inning, on a single by April Ableser and an error by right fielder Estella Parada.

Birmingham ended a scoreless tie in the sixth when Silvia Rivera singled, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a single by Jamie Flores.

No. 2-seeded Narbonne (16-10) answered in the same inning when Desirae Mares misplayed a sharp grounder, allowing Rosalee Journo to score.

Melissa Santana, Figuereo and Flores hit consecutive singles in the seventh to produce a run and Ableser drove in one more.

Santana pitched five scoreless innings and Pauline Morquecho (11-5), one of four freshman starters, pitched the final two innings.