IRVINE – The stage was set for a proper sendoff and Edison’s trio of seniors made the most of their opportunity Tuesday night.
Jenna Bloom, Jaelyn Operana and Serena Starks all shined under the lights at the Orange County Softball Coaches All-Star Classic, almost three weeks to the date that the Chargers were the odd team out in the CIF-SS playoff draw.
The Arkansas-bound Bloom struck out a game-high five batters. The Tennessee-bound Operana sparked a bizarre triple play with a circus catch in right field. And the Princeton-bound Starks stole second base in the eighth inning with the score tied.
The score ended tied 1-1 after nine innings but it was a huge win for Edison at Bill Barber Park.
“It’s good to play one more game with the girls for Edison,” Starks said. “Just to tie everything together.”
Edison, ranked in Orange County’s Top 10 throughout the season, missed the Division 2 playoffs because there was no room in the 32-team bracket for an at-large entry.
“It was a bummer because we had a good team,” Starks said. “I thought we could have done great things in CIF.”
But the Edison trio found some solace playing for the Green team in the annual all-star game.
With the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, Operana raced back to catch a drive by Kennedy catcher Samantha Ferguson. Operana stumbled to the grass with the first out and then fired from her knees to second base.
Costa Mesa shortstop Katie Belmontes recorded the out at second and threw to Brea Olinda third baseman Nicole Stark for the final out to complete a triple play, much to the surprise of Operana.
“I was just trying to get the ball out of my hand as quick as I can because I knew there were runners on,” she said.
“I kind of misread (the ball) a little bit because it was going pretty high. I was like, ‘Ok, I’m going to come in a little bit’ and then the wind started taking it back and I’m, ‘Oh, God, OK.’ … It was pretty exciting.”
Added Green coach Rob Weil of Los Alamitos, “(The Orange) thought that ball was going to go over her head and just put their head down and took off. (Operana) made a circus catch. … Incredible.”
Operana ended the second inning by charging to make a diving catch on a line drive with runners at first and second.
Bloom allowed only one hit in three innings of relief.
“I thought it was important for us to come out here and show them what we could have done in CIF,” Bloom said. “It was a good night for Edison.”
MARK CAMPBELL REMEMBERED
The legacy of Mark Campbell lived on at the Orange County Softball Coaches All-Star Classic.
The late Pacifica coach, who died in mid-March, was introduced as an honorary coach for the Orange team and remembered with a moment of silence at Bill Barber Park’s Deanna Manning Stadium.
One of Campbell’s proteges, Pacifica pitcher Julia Cabral, started in the circle for the Orange. She and the Mariners dedicated their season to Campbell, 57, who died after falling ill while coaching an Orange County-based travel team, the Batbusters.
Pacifica recaptured the Empire League title and reached the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs, losing 3-2 to Orange Lutheran.
“Honestly, I think he’s proud of us,” Cabral said before the game of Campbell, who took the reins at Pacifica in 2009. “Even if we did lose that last game, we fought until the end. … We got the league (title) back, undefeated. Cypress (was) good.”
The Colorado State-bound Cabral pitched two scoreless innings. She struck out three, including two on change-ups, and didn’t allow a hit.
SCORING PLAYS
Marina first baseman Shayla Thomas of the Green tied the score in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-out triple, which scored Villa Park’s Skylar Chavez.
Ferguson, who hit .461 with 12 extra-bases hits this season, laced a double to the fence in left to lead off the fourth for the Orange.
The senior bound for Illinois of Chicago was replaced by pinch-runner Kate Lim of Woodbridge, who reached third on a wild pitch and scored on a foul ball lifted down the left field line by Miranda Johnson of Santa Margarita.
OC VS. IE ON WEDNESDAY
Another team of Orange County all-stars will take on the Inland Empire on Wednesday at Big League Dreams Sports Park in Chino Hills at 6:30 p.m.
The county squad includes Bloom among others.
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