Mustangs finish strong

Christen D’Alessandro

COSTA MESA -- Crosstown rivals Costa Mesa High and Estancia battled

each other in their last softball game of the season Wednesday, as

both teams will not play in the postseason. The Costa Mesa Mustangs

won the battle and defeated the host Estancia Eagles, 8-4.

Pitcher Jackie Butler threw a complete game even after she was hit

in the knee with a line drive in the seventh inning. She got the win

with four strikeouts and seven hits. Butler had good defense to back

her up.

“There were many good plays at second base [by Christy Gregory]

and some big plays by our third baseman Ellen Rose,” said Mustangs

Coach Sharon Uhl, whose team improved to 12-10, 6-6 in league.

Along with good defense came good offense. Costa Mesa right

fielder Deanna Sanchez capped the Mustangs’ five-run third inning

with a bases-clearing triple. Sanchez finished with two hits and four

RBIs. Mesa’s Janae Rivera added two hits. Venesi Enesi, Rose and

Sanchez all had RBI singles in the seventh inning to ensure the win

for Mesa.

“Neither team is going to CIF so this game was more for pride,”

Uhl said.

The Eagles (10-12, 3-9 in league) didn’t give Mesa an easy game,

though. Estancia’s Hilary Ockey hit a grand slam in the bottom of the

third inning to pull the Eagles within 5-4. The score remained the

same until the seventh inning.

Josie Flores started the game for Estancia and was relieved by

Muriel Mason in the fourth inning. Ockey took over for Mason and

finished out the last inning.

“We pitched real well in the beginning,” Eagles Coach Alan

Caouette said.