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Aliso Niguel’s softball team experienced two memorable days last week.

The Wolverines beat Pacifica — the two-time defending CIF-SS Division 1 champion — and JSerra — a Division 1 semifinalist last season — in consecutive road games to continue their surprising start.

Aliso Niguel (8-5-1), which wasn’t a preseason Top 10 team in Orange County, has jumped No. 6 in this week’s rankings.

“It was a big week for us,” fourth-year Aliso Niguel coach Randie Baldwin said. “(I’m) proud of our progress. They are a really tight group who work incredibly hard. A lot more softball left to be played, though.”

Aliso Niguel’s early-season success, which includes a victory against No. 1 El Modena on Feb. 27, arrives as it retools following the graduation of standouts Taylor Nelson (Stanford) and Gigi Ganje (Penn).

The Wolverines return All-South Coast League catcher Tessa Cowsill (BYU) and pitcher Olivia Kuhnel (Rhode Island) but have developed several new players.

In rallying from a three-run deficit to beat Pacifica 7-3, senior Ella Haugo (Cal State San Marcos) and junior Sloan Lorenzo each had two hits and freshman Lila An drove in two runs. Freshman pitcher Amanda Elkins scattered eight hits and struck out four in a complete game.

In a 3-2 triumph against JSerra, Cowsill and sophomore Rylie Long each had two hits as the Wolverines faced the high-octane pitching duo of Abby Ford and Liliana Escobar. Long had a double and drove in three runs to support Aliso Niguel pitchers Kuhnel and Charlotte Giler, a sophomore.

Long leads the team with 10 RBIs.

Opposing coaches have described Aliso Niguel as “scrappy.”

“Aliso plays the game the right away, with a ton of energy and fight,” Pacifica coach Tony Arduino said. “One of the loudest dugouts we’ve played against this year. Randie has them playing well.”

Aliso Niguel is part of the Woodbridge-hosted Dugard tournament that opens Saturday. The field also includes No. 4 Mater Dei and No. 10 Santa Margarita among others. The championship game is March 29.

CRESTVIEW LEAGUE OPENERS

UC Davis-bound Ellena Ediss of Pacifica scattered seven hits and struck out two in a 5-0 win against No. 3 Canyon in the teams’ Crestview League opener on Tuesday.

Loyola Marymount-bound Sara Pinedo of El Modena fired a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory against Cypress in another Crestview League opener. San Jose State commit Delaney Faus allowed only three hits and struck out five in the pitching duel.

TOP GAMES THIS WEEK

On Thursday, Canyon (9-3, 0-1) plays host to El Modena (9-1, 1-0) in the Crestview League. On Friday, Mater Dei (7-4-1) plays host to Fullerton (7-4) at Fountain Valley Sports Complex.

NOTES 

Orange Lutheran encountered snow on a team retreat earlier this week to Lake Arrowhead, The Lancers departed Monday morning and returned Wednesday afternoon. “Fun, team-bonding activities,” coach Steve Miklos said. … Gabriella Marchetti (Babson College) had three hits and Sawyer Denser (Loyola Marymount) and Payton Kennedy (Mississippi) combined for 13 strikeouts in Santa Margarita’s 10-1 win at El Toro on Tuesday.

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