The Mayfield Senior varsity softball team lost to visiting Artesia High of Lakewood, 7-3, in a CIF-Southern Section Division IV quarterfinal game last Thursday. “We’re a young team and I think we’re in a good position to build in the coming years. We’re excited to see what’s going to happen next year,” Mayfield head coach Barry Evans said. The two squads were locked in a pitchers’ duel through the first four innings as Cubs freshman starter Mackenzie Taylor yielded just a single run. She worked out of jams with runners in scoring position for most of the outing until Artesia produced a four-run outburst in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. Despite allowing multiple runs in the fifth and sixth innings, Mackenzie Taylor tossed a complete game with four strikeouts while allowing seven runs (five earned) on 12 hits and three walks. “We always say that walks turn into runs. We had a couple walks in that inning, a couple errors and [Artesia] turned over the lineup with nine batters at the plate,” Evans said. Sophomore Jaz Johnson was the Cubs’ offensive sparkplug out of the leadoff spot. She collected a pair of hits in her first two trips to the plate before adding another in the seventh. She scored a run all three times she reached base while moving herself into scoring position with three stolen bases. “She struggled the last couple games and it was important to get her going,” Evans said about Johnson’s performance at the plate. “A single turned into a triple with her speed and it’s nice to have her back for two more years.” Sophomore Sophia Page went 2-for-3, freshman Bridgette Carroll collected a hit and an RBI, and sophomore Kennedy Taylor tallied a base hit. Junior Madilyn Domingo registered a pair of RBIs and a walk while sophomore Peyton Pegram walked once. The Cubs concluded the season fourth in the Prep League with a 7-5 record (18-9 overall).
MAYFIELD 6, VALLEY CHRISTIAN 4
The Cubs picked up a CIF second-round victory at Valley Christian High in Cerritos last Tuesday. Kennedy Taylor went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run, senior Francesca Agliolo went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a steal, and Johnson went 2-for-5 with a run. Mackenzie Taylor, who had a hit, an RBI and a run, pitched a complete game with 10 hits and no walks. Sophomore Chloe Cobian registered a hit and two RBIs, Domingo tallied a hit, two runs and a steal, and Page produced a hit, an RBI and a run. Carroll had a base hit, Peyton Pegram finished with three walks and freshman Keegan Roggero walked once.
MAYFIELD 13, NOTRE DAME 0
The Cubs recently shut out host Notre Dame High in Riverside in a CIF first round matchup. Mackenzie Taylor, who went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run, pitched a five-inning complete game shutout with six strikeouts, three hits and one walk. Johnson went 3-for-4 with a triple, two doubles, three RBIs, two runs and a steal, Cobian went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and a run and Page went 2-for-2 with three runs, an RBI and a steal. Domingo slugged a three-run home run, Agliolo registered a double, two runs and an RBI, and Kennedy Taylor finished with a double and a run. Roggero recorded a hit and a run while Carroll produced a hit, a run and a steal.
MAYFIELD 13, RIVERSIDE PREP 5
The Cubs previously opened the CIF playoffs with a victory at Riverside Prep in Oro Grande in a wildcard game. Mackenzie Taylor, who had a triple, three RBIs, a run and a steal, racked up nine strikeouts in a complete-game performance. Kennedy Taylor went 2-for-3 with two doubles, three runs, an RBI and a steal, Domingo went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and two steals and Agliolo went 2-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run. Carroll finished with a hit, two RBIs, two runs and two steals while Page tallied two runs and an RBI. Cobian recorded an RBI and a run, Roggero scored once and stole a base, and sophomore Penelope Pegram walked once.
First published in the May 18 print issue of the Pasadena Outlook.
