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IRVINE — Players raised their arms in triumph. Pitcher Carson Cruz unleashed a scream in the circle. And coach Merissa Guzman wiped away tears of joy.
University’s softball team capped a remarkable turnaround Friday by defeating Rio Hondo Prep 4-1 in the Division 6 final for its first CIF Southern Section championship.
With the tying run at the plate in the bottom of the seventh, University third baseman Alexandra McBride fielded a hard grounder and threw to first baseman Sienna Gillen for the final out.
Oh my! University softball is a CIF champ! Underdogs can rejoice! pic.twitter.com/NSQUev2EGA
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) May 30, 2025
The Trojans celebrated on the infield at Deanna Manning Stadium just two seasons after after finishing 0-11. They lost one game that spring 27-0.
“It’s a crazy, full-circle moment, and we have no seniors on our team,” said University catcher Gidget Smith, a junior who played on the winless team in 2023. “We kept growing. Our coach came. This is history.”
University (16-10) flashed its improvement on defense while supporting Cruz against No. 2 seed Rio Hondo Prep (20-6).
One batter before the game-ending grounder, sophomore center fielder Sophia Weinberg raced to catch a deep fly ball near the fence with runners at second and third. The runners headed back to their bases as the Trojans maintained a 4-1 lead.
Weinberg, who plays travel for the Firecrackers Brashear, threw out a runner at third base to end the fifth inning.
Uni defense making plays! pic.twitter.com/bwoFA7FWCy
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) May 30, 2025
University also received a leaping catch from Gillen in the third inning, a slick assist from shortstop Amela Hoang in the second and a running catch in foul territory from right fielder Maiko Shiraiwa in the first.
“They’ve definitely improved,” said Guzman, a second-year coach who played collegiately at Vanguard. “They never gave up. They show up to practice every day and they’re willing to do whatever it is that I have on the schedule.”
Cruz recorded her ninth and final strikeout in the seventh after the top of the Rio Hondo Prep order opened the inning with a double and single.
The left-handed junior, who calls her own pitches, scattered seven hits and walked two against a team that averaged 14.5 runs in the playoffs.
Cruz escaped several jams as she stranded 10 runners.
“I definitely was a little nervous but in my head, I knew my team had my back, my catcher had my back,” said Cruz, who won her fifth game of the playoffs. “Having (my defense) behind me and making the amazing plays that they did today, really helped and made me feel more confident.”
University’s CIF-championship battery P @Carson_Cruz5, left, and catcher Gidget Smith pic.twitter.com/bZrRY0uB0q
— Dan Albano (@ocvarsityguy) May 30, 2025
University took a 1-0 lead on a one-out triple to right by Smith in the third. The Trojans added three runs in the fifth on an error, hit batter and wild pitch.
“You fought,” Guzman told her players through tears afterward. “You guys left it all out there.”
Both teams stated they will accept bids to the CIF Southern California Regional playoffs next week.
