GLENDORA -- The Cal Baptist La Verne softball team won its first league title in 38 years and had roared through the CIF Southern Section Division 8 playoffs, shutting out its first three opponents while piling on 29 runs.
But Cal Baptist met Hueneme, a team just as hot in Saturday's semifinals at Louie Pompei Park in Glendora, and the outcome was not a surprise.
Hueneme pitcher Jaucelynn Ayala, who had three hits and two RBIs in her previous four at bats, broke a tie in the seventh inning with an RBI fly to left that scored Marina Diaz, and the Cougars held on for a 4-3 victory to advance to next week's championship on Friday or Saturday at Deanna Manning Stadium in Irvine.
The Cougars' Isabella Macias produced a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh and stole second base to represent the tying run. But Kaylin Crewse grounded out to short to end the game.
Hueneme, who had outscored its opponents 39-7 through its first three playoff wins, will take on either Lennox Academy or Cathedral City in the championship game.
For Cal Lutheran, who was making its first semifinals appearance in more than four decades and hoping to reach its first championship game, finishes 16-5.
"All of us couldn't be prouder of this team," Cal Baptist coach Amy Keelin said. "The effort, the time, they played through rain, injuries and we had time's when we only had nine players. We've got only two seniors and one junior, so it's a young team and hey, we've got next year."
Three Cal Baptist freshman, pitcher Reagan Hanson, second baseman Bri Rosales and catcher Isabel Chatoney helped turn the Cougars program around.
Hanson not only bats over .500 with 49 RBIs, but she entered Saturday's game with a 0.81 ERA and 178 strikeouts.
Hanson battled some control problems. She walked four, hit two batters and allowed 10 hits, but still kept her team close with 13 strikeouts.
Rosales, who bats .692 with 42 RBIs, had two singles and scored twice, including the game-tying run in the sixth inning that made it 3-3.
Still, it was a tough one to take that went back and forth.
"It was just one of those rough days," Keelin said. "So, we appreciate that they (team) did everything they could, and we just want to get them ready for next season."
After Hueneme's Angie Flores walked and moved over to third on two wild pitches in the second innning, Ayala singled her home for a 1-0 lead.
Cal Lutheran's Isabella Macias smacked a two-out triple to right in the third inning. Crewe's grounder to short was mishandled for an error, allowing Macias to score to make it 1-1.
Cal Lutheran took a 2-1 lead on three straight singles to open the fourth inning, with Madison Glass' RBI single scoring Rosales.
The Vikings rallied to take the lead in the sixth.
After a walk and hit batter to lead off the inning, Ayala singled to left to bring in Diaz to tie the score, 2-2.
After loading the bases, a walk forced in Jackie Uribe for the go-ahead run to make it 3-2.
It could have been worse. The Cougars loaded the bases with no outs after pulling ahead, but Hanson limited the damage with a pair of strikeouts and a force out at home.
That was huge, because Cal Lutheran's Brianna Even belted a two-out single to left that scored Rosales in the bottom of the sixth to tie the score, 3-3.
RIO HONDO PREP 23, ADELANTO 11
After holding on for a 13-12 victory over Katella in the Division 6 quarterfinals, the Kares kept putting up football-ball like numbers against Adelanto in Saturday's semifinal victory.
The Kares tallied 23 hits, three home runs, two doubles, a triple, and now have scored 59 runs over four playoff games to improve to 20-5.
Rio Hondo Prep will take on University in next week's championship on either Friday or Saturday at Deanna Manning Stadium.
The Kares scored six runs in the first inning, then pulled away with five runs in the fifth and four more in the sixth inning.
Sam Montez was 3 for 4 with a double, triple and four RBIs. Tara Riley was 2 for 4 with a home run, four RBIs and scored four runs.
Allie Scott homered was 3 for 4 with a home run and Madison Burl added a two-run home run and scored three times.
UNIVERSITY 10, RAMONA CONVENT 2
The Tigers trailed only 4-2 after five innings, but gave up sixth runs in the sixth to watch the Trojans pull away and advance in Saturday's Division 6 semifinals.
University, who pounded out 23 hits, will take on Rio Hondo Prep in Friday or Saturday's championship at Deanna Manning Stadium.
Ramona Convent's Madison Garcia was 2 for 3 with a double, RBI and Citlali Garcia had a double and two hits.
Mariana Figueroa also had two hits and scored a run for the Tigers, who finish, 19-10.
Jaycee Meza singled in a run in the second inning that briefly tied the score, 1-1, but the Trojans scored three runs in the third inning to go ahead 4-1.