Top-seeded Titans win 16th straight game, will host No. 2 Oaks Christian in Saturday’s Division 1 regional finals
Every softball season, the preseason goals at Poway High School are as consistent as the way the Titans play the game.
Win the Palomar League. Go deep into the playoffs. Finish with 20 or more wins.
“If we win 20 games, then we’ve competed,’’ said Poway coach Jim Bennet. “This year we hit the trifecta by winning the (San Diego Section) Open Division title as well as a school record for wins in a season.’’
The old mark was 25 victories, but Poway’s record is now 28-3 after Thursday’s 10-2 win over Torrance in the Southern California Regional Division 1 semifinals.
It was Poway’s 16th straight victory since a 2-1 loss to Carlsbad on April 5. The Titans are a perfect 15-0 at home this season.
“We just keep winning,’’ said Mya McGowan, Poway’s starting pitcher. “We just expect to keep winning.’’
The Titans have one final box to check.
On Saturday at 1 p.m., they’ll host No. 2 Oaks Christian in the CIF-Southern California regional finals. Oaks Christian improved to 30-2-1 with Thursday’s 8-0 win over No. 3 Rancho Bernardo.
Poway trailed Torrance (24-6) by a run in the first inning.
The Tartars were in for a shock, though, as the Titans rallied for six runs in the bottom of the first.
After seniors Hailey Burns and Miah Garcia opened with singles, McGowan sent a 1-1 pitch over the left-field fence, scattering the football team watching during a break from spring workouts.
Poway added three more runs on a bases-loaded walk, Kaitlin Surber’s sacrifice fly and Burns’ second single of the first inning for a 6-1 lead.
“Those six runs helped,’’ Bennet said. “Now we could come out and everyone could relax.
“Mya’s homer gave us the momentum, but we were ready to play from the first pitch.’’
McGowan’s homer was her ninth this season, giving her the team lead over sophomore Sophia Burmeister, who has eight.
“I was looking for an inside pitch and got it,’’ said McGowan, who pitched three innings before being pulled. “Runs in the first inning are a gift, and giving myself three runs means I didn’t have to worry.
“I also didn’t have to throw seven innings heading into Saturday.’’
Juniors Kayla Menges and Allie Reese went the final four innings, allowing just one run on three hits.
Back-to-back doubles by Burmeister and Alexis Huey followed by a single from Ryleigh Rinker made the score 8-1 after two innings.
Poway added two more runs in the fifth.
“I expected a good game, but I knew they were in trouble after the homer,’’ McGowan said. “As soon as I hit it, I knew it was gone.”
Burns, Burmeister, Garcia, Huey and Hailey Milgazo coming off the bench each had two hits.
Throw in McGowan’s homer and you have a 12-hit attack that has now scored 196 runs in 32 games, 6.1 average, while giving up just 64.
Now comes one final challenge.
“We just have to play our game Saturday because they’re very good,” McGowan said. “I know we can beat just about anyone.’’
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