Future UCLA Pitcher Megan Faraimo Dominates Michelle Carew Classic

UCLA-bound Megan Faraimo had thrown four shutouts to get Cathedral Catholic of San Diego to the finals Saturday night of the Michelle Carew Classic held in Anaheim, California, which is considered by many to be the toughest high school tournament in the nation.

Dons coach Margaret Mauro told So Cal Sidelines before the championship game that Faraimo had thrown so many innings this week that she was going to let her pitch one inning and then rest her. Faraimo had other plans.

The 6-foot right-hander continued her march of domination, pitching a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts in a 2-0 triumph over Orange Lutheran (18-2), ranked Top 10 nationally, to lead Cathedral Catholic to the Carew Classic championship.

“I’m obviously pretty excited that we won this huge tournament,” Faraimo said. “We all have so much respect for OLu. They’re great girls and great coaches. I knew that when I was pitching I had to do the best for my teammates, who scored two runs right off the bat, so that’s pretty cool. I’m glad we came out with the dub.”

The Dons (13-3), ranked No. 3 in San Diego by So Cal Sidelines (but that’s about to change), jumped on the Lancers (18-2), ranked No. 2 in the OC and No. 2 in So Cal, in the bottom of the first. Jayden Cunningham led off with a single, Kaelene White sacrificed her to second and USD-commit Sara Rusconi drove her in with a single for a 1-0 lead.

“I thought it was really cool to jump on them early and get that run that we needed and Megan just did her job and we just played behind her,” Rusconi said. “That’s all we really needed to do.”

Marisa Estrada got a one-out single in the bottom of the second and eventually scored on Cunningham’s two-out single to make it 2-0, which might as well been a three touchdown lead the way Faraimo was pitching.

“I just feel like Megan works really hard,” Cunningham said, “so we just have to do our best to back her up.”

Faraimo gave up a lead-off infield single on a come-backer off her glove to BYU-commit Taryn Lennon in the top of the third, then retired the final 14 batters, striking out nine of them. She went 5-0 with five shutouts, allowing 9 hits and striking out 59 in 27 innings for the tournament.

Earlier in the day, Faraimo tossed a three-hitter with 13 strikeouts and freshman Anna Herrmann delivered a walk-off, ground-rule double in the bottom of the seventh in a 1-0 semifinal win over Gahr (12-4) of Cerritos, ranked No. 1 in LA and No. 4 in So Cal.

LSU-bound Ciara Briggs went 3 for 4 with a two-run single, Kira La Scola had two hits, including a two-run double, Ohio State-commit Mya Rodriguez had two hits, Lennon got the win and Mia Bagatorian picked up the save as Orange Lutheran beat Chino Hills, 5-3, in the other semifinal.

Arizona State-commit Jazmine Hill hit a three-run bomb, Washington-bound Madison Huskey and Jade Wittman had two-run shots and UCLA-commit Taylor Stephens had a solo homer as Gahr picked up an 11-3 win over Chino Hills (17-4), ranked No. 4 in the IE and No. 10 in So Cal, in the third-place game.

FIFTH PLACE
Norco 9, Esperanza of Anaheim 2

SEVENTH PLACE
Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista 3, Amador Valley of Pleasanton 2

FIFTH-PLACE SEMIFINALS
Esperanza of Anaheim 3, Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista 2
Norco 4, Amador Valley of Pleasanton 0

NINTH PLACE
Los Alamitos 6, Cienega of Vail, AZ, 5

11TH PLACE
Huntington Beach 3, Santiago of Corona 2

CONSOLATION CHAMPIONSHIP
Yucaipa 4, Roosevelt of Eastvale 3

CONSOLATION GAMES
Pacifica of Garden Grove 5, Poway 3
Rio Mesa of Oxnard 5, Canyon del Oro of Tucson, AZ, 2
Great Oak of Temecula 11, Cypress 1
Buena of Ventura 3, Murrieta Mesa 0
Buena of Ventura 7, Murrieta Valley 2
Grand Terrace 11, Foothill of Santa Ana 2
Valencia of Magic Mountain 6, Canyon of Anaheim 2
Lakewood 9, Agoura 0
Simi Valley 10, Villa Park 2
Canyon of Anaheim 4, Agoura 0

— story by Carlos Arias (follow Carlos at @SoCalSidelines); photo by Patrick Takkienen