Addison Moorman may lastly breathe. The senior pitcher couldn’t maintain her feelings again. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she embraced her teammates on Cal State Northridge’s softball diamond.
A 12 months in the past, she struck out 19 batters — solely to fall quick 1-0 in14 innings. Two years earlier, Granada Hills was one run away from Metropolis Part glory.
On Saturday in Northridge, so near dwelling, the Metropolis Part Open Division title, this system’s first since 1981, was Moorman’s — and the Highlanders — to have a good time in an 11-2 drubbing of archrival Carson. Moorman put the staff on her again, hanging out 11 whereas giving up simply 4 hits and two earned runs throughout her complete-game efficiency.
“It feels so good to go out on top, especially against [Carson],” stated Moorman, who signed with Lehigh in November. “To finally beat them, overcome that hurdle and then leave as a champion, feels really great.”
Carson held a 1-0 lead early within the sport when Atiana Rodriguez and Letu’u Simi mixed for back-to-back doubles within the second inning, however from the underside of the second onward, it was all Granada Hills on the plate.
Addison Moorman delivers a pitch in opposition to Carson on Saturday.
(Craig Weston)
The Highlanders capitalized off of two Colts errors within the second inning. Second baseman Lainey Brown and proper fielder Elysse Diaz singled dwelling runs, whereas Giselle Merida tripled to deliver dwelling one other.
“I’ve been waiting,” stated Diaz who went two for 4 with two RBIs and a double. “It was just boiling and boiling and then here, [the offense] just exploded.”
By the point Moorman returned to the circle for her third inning of labor, Granada Hills had scored seven runs on six hits in opposition to Carson pitcher Giselle Pantoja — who shut the Highlanders down in 2024 — constructing a cushion for its star pitcher to exit and do what she’d performed all season: dominate.
“‘Every time a pitcher always feels that burden of carrying the team, and [Moorman] dealt with it well,” said Granada Hills coach Ivan Garcia. “Her character is greater than her talent, the way she handles her teammates, the way she leads by example. I mean, you wouldn’t know that she’s a star pitcher, the best way she places bases away, the best way she cleans up.”
Moorman made only one huge mistake on Saturday — leaving a pitch over the plate to Colts middle fielder Rylee Gardner, who desposited the ball over the center-field wall for a solo dwelling run (her eighth of the 12 months) within the sixth inning.
In any other case, Moorman saved Carson off stability all sport. She set down 13 consecutive batters between the second and sixth innings, hanging out her eleventh batter of the sport because the penultimate at-bat of her highschool profession.
Giselle Merida slides security into the bottom for an RBI triple in opposition to Carson within the second inning Saturday.
(Craig Weston)
For Moorman, profitable a CIF title simply 10 minutes away from Granada Hills Excessive, was a second value savoring, she stated. For Garcia — who stated he was comfortable to see his staff goofing off and having enjoyable at a pregame lunch, loosening up earlier than the most important sport of his teaching profession — he’s wanting ahead to the 1981 title now not lurking round his shoulders.
“Third time’s the charm,” he stated.
Earlier within the day in Northridge, Taft received its first Metropolis Part title within the softball program’s historical past with an 8-3 victory over Marquez within the Division II closing. Legacy made little question of its Metropolis Part Division I title triumph later Saturday afternoon, shutting out Port of Los Angeles 5-0.
