Make it four in a row for the Otay Ranch High School softball team, and in thrilling fashion.
The Mustangs came from behind with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth and held on to claim their fourth sectional title in a row, edging Steele Canyon 4-3 Friday night in the CIF San Diego Section Division 1 final at UCSD.
Sophomore right fielder Kalina Sangalang singled to left with two outs in the sixth, driving in Nataly Lozano, who reached on a walk, and Kaylin Phillips, who singled ahead of her winning hit with the tying and winning runs.
“It was nerve-wracking, I was really, really nervous, but the team really picked me up,” said Sangalang of her big hit. “When I hit it I thought to myself, ‘My gosh, I finally got it.’”
The Mustangs (17-12) add this title to the Open Division crown won last year, Division 1 crown in 2022 and Division 2 title in 2021.
Asked if he thought his team was capable of winning against after struggling so much at the start of the season, Mustangs’ coach Jorge Vargas replied: “Yes, but only because I knew these girls.”
Three Otay Ranch players were members of all four championship teams – Vivianna Vargas, Nataly Lozano and Isabel Cintron.
“At first I didn’t think about (winning four titles) when I was a freshman, but seeing the players we had then and the players we have now I knew we could,” said Viviana Vargas.
Otay Ranch took the early lead in the bottom of the first. Itzel Soto doubled to left with two outs and came home on Lozano’s one-hop double off the right field fence.
The Cougars (22-8-1) answered right back in the top of the third. Bailey Evans walked and came around to score on Kamea Seunarine’s double.
Otay Ranch regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth when Cintron drew a one-out hit-by-pitch and scored on Vargas’ double to left center. Vargas was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a triple.
Steele Canyon again answered right back and took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth behind RBI singles from Hailey Trujillo and Dannika Lakin.
That set up the Mustangs final dramatic finish.
Steele Canyon left the potential tying run on third in the top of the seventh, after Lauren Baker was hit by a pitch with two outs. Marina Gonzalez followed, flaring a single down the first-base line. Gonzalez attempted to take second as the throw coming flew over the cutoff player’s glove but was alertly picked up by Otay Ranch third baseman Soto, who nailed Gonzalez for the final out of the game.
Phillips finished the night going 3-for-3 for the winners with two singles, a double and a run scored. Gonzalez had a pair of hits and a run scored for the Cougars.
This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune .
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