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ALISO VIEJO — Aliso Niguel’s softball team showed the confidence and motivation Friday of a group that is ascending as the postseason approaches.
Freshman catcher Tessa Cowsill and Penn commits Chloe Lesko and Gigi Ganje each belted home runs and Katie Dunakin fired four scoreless innings of relief as the Wolverines cooled off visiting Tesoro 6-2 to move into a tie for first place in the South Coast League.
“It was monumental,” Lesko said of the victory. “I’ve never had a team, especially for my senior season, to work so hard every day and it shows. It shows so true through all our efforts and all our energy.”
“Honestly, this win, it was expected,” the first baseman added.
Aliso Niguel (17-4, 3-1), ranked No. 16 in Orange County, missed the playoffs last season after finishing third in the four-team South Coast League. The Wolverines were 15-13 and applied for an at-large berth in Division 2 but didn’t receive one.
Now in its second season under coach Randie Baldwin, the Division 3 team is heating up. Aliso Niguel recently won the Gold Division in the Dugard Classic.
With the victory Friday, the Wolverines moved into a first-place tie with Tesoro (12-5-1, 3-1) in the South Coast, which now features five teams.
The Titans, ranked 11th in Orange County, were coming off 12-2 victory against defending league champion Mission Viejo (3-2 in league) and had ace Loula McNamara in the circle.
Tesoro opened a 2-0 lead on a solo home run by Kassidy Moore in the second and a sacrifice fly by McNamara in the third.
Aliso Niguel responded in the fourth with three runs to take the lead for good. Cowsill led off the inning by launching a 2-1 pitch over the fence for a solo homer, her fourth of the season.
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Four batters later, Ganje smashed a pitch to center for a two-run home run, her fourth.
Tesoro center fielder Sammy Weiss crashed hard into the fence pursuing the drive and left the game. Titans coach Leena Blake later said Weiss suffered a concussion.
“Great effort,” Ganje said of the pursuit by Weiss, a junior.
Lesko belted a two-run home run in the fifth.
Dunakin later added a RBI single to go 2 for 3. The junior didn’t allow a hit in the circle in relief of sophomore Olivia Kuhnel.