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CIF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

SATURDAY

DIVISION I

MATER DEI CATHOLIC OF CHULA VISTA (26-7) AT EL MODENA (23-9), 4 p.m.

Tickets: $12 general admission, $8 students/seniors at GoFan.co

Outlook: The top-seed Vanguards face the No. 2 Crusaders in their bid to become only the second O.C. team to capture a regional crown. Mater Dei Catholic won a Division II regional title in 2022.

El Modena, No. 1 in the final Orange County rankings, is expected to make more adjustments after three of its players opted out of the regional.

The Vanguards’ offense is led by Boise State-bound infielder Kaitlyn Galasso (.460, 12 home runs, 31 RBIs) and catcher Parker Mayes (.326, seven home runs, 26 RBIs). Mayes, a sophomore, belted two home runs, including a walk-off shot in the ninth inning, in an 8-6 win against Poway in the semifinals.

Kansas-bound center fielder Jocelyn Alatorre recently returned from a knee injury and went 3 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs against Poway.

Look for junior Ashley Driskill to start in the circle for El Modena, the CIF-SS Division 1 runner-up. Driskill is committed to San Diego.

Mater Dei Catholic is led by sophomore two-way threat Arri Romero, who is 23-4 with a 1.56 ERA and hitting .425 with 31 RBIs. Another sophomore to watch is catcher Charlize “Chuck” Masingale (.378, 28 RBIs).

The Crusaders, the San Diego Section’s Open Division champion, edged rival Bonita Vista 5-4 in the semifinals on a walk-off hit by senior Lilia Alpuche.

El Modena can join Fullerton’s Division III team in 2023 as the county’s only regional champions in softball.

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