Oaks Christian’s busy day on the diamond




ALWAYS ON THE GO—OC’s Taylor Schlopy slides safely into

ALWAYS ON THE GO—OC’s Taylor Schlopy slides safely into


Season statistics tell us that every time Oaks Christian standout Taylor Schlopy gets on base there’s an 80 percent chance she’s coming home to score.

The trend held true in Tuesday’s 2-1 win over La Serna as the sophomore leadoff hitter went 2-for-4 with two doubles and scored two runs, including the game-winning run in extra innings, to help Oaks Christian advance to the Div. III title game.

The Lions will face Long Beach Millikan (26-6) Saturday at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine. It’s Oaks Christian’s fifth-straight appearance in a CIF championship game, but first in Div. III. Millikan lost last year in the first round of the Div. I playoffs before CIF moved the Rams to Div. III in the offseason.

Schlopy, who enticed La Serna catcher Ariel Van Hook into the game-ending error by stealing third base, said her team is confident heading into the finals.

“This was a huge win for us because it was one of our toughest games of the season,” said Schlopy, who pitched four shutouts in relief of starter Ashlee Veilluex, striking out eight and walking none. “We proved we can beat a good team in a close game. We faced some adversity and pulled it out anyway.” After scoring in the first inning when Veilluex followed up Schlopy’s first double with a hard hit ball that got by the shortstop, the Lion offense went silent for the next six frames, registering just one hit off La Serna senior starter Devin Lindsay and failing to capitalize on five walks.

The Millikan Rams advanced to the finals by knocking off No. 1 seeded Cajon, 2-0. The Rams have won 19 of 21 games and only two of their six losses came against Div.

III opponents (Lakewood, 0-2; LB Wilson, 1-2).

Millikan is led by the pitching of senior Kara Harper (20-5, .856 ERA) and the all-around play of outfielder Belinda Payne (.495 BA, 15 stolen bases). As a team they’ve hit 12 home runs, compared to 10 for the Lions.

As always, the Lions will look to the first third of their lineup (Schlopy, Veilleux and senior catcher Amber Peterson) for most of their production, but it could be the play of the rest of the order, batters like Courtney Lee, Kaslin Tucker and Tiffany Lookabill, that ultimately makes the difference against a top-notch opponent like Millikan. One-perfectly placed sacrifice bunt and a throwing error could be enough with the dynamic duo of Veilleux and Schlopy taking the mound.

Oaks Christian has won two straight title games. Their hoping those numbers hold true, even in Div. III.

The game in Irvine is scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m.

Oaks Christian’s magical postseason run came to an end Tuesday afternoon as the Lions were on the losing end of a 15-10 semifinal shootout at home against St. Paul, the top ranked team in Division V baseball.

The Lions (12-18) erased an early 1-0 deficit in the bottom of the second inning when Chris Auten and Joe Dembesky scored on Ryan Haddock’s sacrifice bunt attempt that was mishandled by the St. Paul defense.

Joey Navarro singled in Haddock later in the inning to make the score 3-1 in favor of Oaks Christian.

St. Paul (26-6-1) tied the game in the top of the third when Anthony Aguilera drove in Estevan Hernandez. Hernandez went 5-for5 on the afternoon with an RBI and three runs scored.

In the top of the fourth inning, Hernandez started a two-out rally with a single and stolen base that eventually saw the Swordsmen push across five runs for an 8-3 lead before relief pitcher Tim Johnston reBaseball corded the final out of the inning.

St. Paul’s lead swelled to 11-4 until Auten crushed a three-run home run over the 400-foot mark in dead center to bring the Lions to within 11-7 in the bottom of the sixth.

Auten, one of five Oak Christian seniors playing the final game of their high school careers, was 3for-4 on the afternoon with four RBI and two runs scored.

Oaks Christian was unable to shut down the potent St. Paul offense in the top of the seventh, as the Swordsmen pushed across four more runs for a 15-7 lead.

The Lions showed the type of never-say-die attitude that led them to three playoff upsets in the bottom of the seventh, with Navarro, Jimmy Dunn and Johnston all collecting RBI hits with two outs to keep hope alive. However, St. Paul hurler Justin Pooler was brought in for relief and struck out Auten to end the game and the season for Oaks Christian.


NOT WELCOME HOME—Oaks Christian junior catcher Ryan Haddock tags out a St. Paul runner trying to score in yesterday’s 15-10 loss to St. Paul in the Div. V semifinal

NOT WELCOME HOME—Oaks Christian junior catcher Ryan Haddock tags out a St. Paul runner trying to score in yesterday’s 15-10 loss to St. Paul in the Div. V semifinal

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