Softball: Wilson upsets Kennedy to become Carew Classic darling

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Four different regions of the Southland will be represented in the championship semifinals Saturday at the Michelle Carew Classic at Peralta Park.

Tournament host Anaheim Canyon (14-3), No. 11 in The Times ranking, will play Oceanside El Camino (14-4-1) in one semifinal, and No. 4 Norco (17-3) will play No. 12 Long Beach Wilson (12-4) in the other.

Wilson turned in the performance of the day on Friday with a 1-0 victory over No. 2 La Palma Kennedy (15-2). The Bruins got a bases-loaded single by Marti Reed for their only run. The damage could have been worse, but Kennedy pitcher Allee Allen got out of the inning with a double play. Wilson pitcher Callie Nikoletich struck out six.

That gives Wilson another crack at Norco in the semifinals. The two faced each other on the final day of the Nike Faster to First tournament and Norco won a wild one, 9-8, in eight innings.

Wilson’s victory was a significant step forward because earlier this week -- on April 1, no less -- it lost a Moore League game to Long Beach Poly, 2-0.

Norco reached the semifinals by beating No. 18 Vista Murrieta, 1-0, in a pitcher’s duel between junior Teagan Gerhart and sophomore Tatum Edwards.

Canyon got another big outing from freshman Cheyanna Tarango, who pitched a three-hitter against No. 19 Garden Grove Pacifica and broke up a 0-0 game with a two-run triple. Canyon won, 5-1.

Oceanside El Camino, which has been the most impressive hitting team in the tournament, advanced to the semifinals by virtue of a run differential tiebreaker. El Camino beat No. 3 Valencia, 6-1, Valencia beat No. 10 El Toro, 4-3; and El Toro beat El Camino, 7-5.

All the great games aren’t limited to the championship semifinals. In the fifth-place semifinals, Kennedy plays No. 6 Ayala, and El Toro plays Pacifica at 11:30 a.m.

Here’s the schedule for Saturday’s final day:

Championship semifinals
Wilson vs. Norco, 1:15 p.m.
El Camino vs. Canyon, 1:30 p.m.
Championship, 7:30 p.m.; third place, 7:15 p.m.

Fifth-place semifinals
Kennedy vs. Ayala, 11:15 a.m.
El Toro vs. Pacifica, 11:30 a.m.
Fifth place, 5:30 p.m., seventh place 7 p.m.

Ninth-place semifinals
Valencia vs. Yucaipa at Anaheim Canyon, 11 a.m.
Sonora vs. Vista Murrieta, 11 a.m.
Ninth place, 5:15 p.m.; 11th place, 5 p.m.

13th-place semifinals
Lakewood vs. Colton, 9:30 a.m.
Murrieta Valley at Esperanza, 11 a.m.
13th place, 3:30 p.m.; 15th place, 3:15 p.m.

17th-place semifinals
El Dorado vs. Don Lugo, 9 a.m.
Cypress vs. Peninsula, 9:15 a.m.
17th place, 3 p.m.; 19th place at Canyon, 3 p.m.

21st-place semifinals
Chino vs. Villa Park at Canyon, 9 a.m.
Garden Grove vs. California at Esperanza, 9 a.m.
21st place, 1 p.m.; 23rd place at Canyon, 1 p.m.

-- Martin Henderson

-- Image from www.wilson83.com