Worked like a charm.

It was a crucial moment in a hotly-contested contest as Mary Star High softball looked to seal up an outright Camino Real League championship leading 1-0 with one out in the top of the sixth inning with a runner on first base for visiting St. Monica of Santa Monica.

Junior third baseman Isabella Samperio fielded the drag bunt by St. Monica junior outfielder Aliza Chacon, but bobbled the ball slightly before recovering to throw to first base for an out. Senior second baseman Lexie Geich, who covered first on the play, would then throw a bullet towards third base to retire St. Monica senior shortstop Emma Soto for a crucial inning-ending double play. All during that time, junior catcher Gianna Fletcher ran from behind the plate to cover third base and make the tag on Geich's perfect throw.

That was the play that kept the Stars in the lead, and would ride that momentum in the bottom of the sixth on RBI-singles by Fletcher and sophomore shortstop Amanda Vitalich on the way to a 3-0 victory over the Mariners at San Pedro Softball Complex to capture the outright Camino Real League championship.

George Mason-bound pitcher Marina Vitalich was on point as usual, firing a one-hit shutout with a pair of walks and ten strikeouts for Mary Star (20-3 overall, 8-1 league) who captured their fourth league crown in five years and 17th league championship overall for the program. It was the second victory in three meetings over St. Monica (16-6-1, 6-3), following up a 2-1, 10-inning win on April 28 and avenging a 1-0 home loss to the Mariners on April 1.

Once St. Monica called timeout after Soto's one out single in the sixth, Geich knew what was coming next.

"Before (Chacon) laid the bunt down I knew I had to execute the out at first to pop off and throw to third," Geich said of the double play. "We've practiced that play 100 times and I'm happy to say that it all paid off. Knowing the game mentally is truly vital to victory and that situation required mental strength, and we came through."

Mary Star also exhibited mental strength in the bottom of the sixth inning along with patience and execution at the plate when they needed it most.

Sophomore designated player Natasha Lomeli drew a leadoff walk, then freshman right fielder Miranda Marquez sacrificed sophomore pinch-runner Kaylee Rucker over to second base with a bunt. Fletcher then came through with a solid single to center field, driving home Rucker for a 2-0 Stars lead.

"It felt really good to be able to put another run across the board," said Fletcher, who went 2-for-3 at the plate. "It also gave Marina a cushion so she was able to pitch without worrying they might tie the game."

Another sacrifice bunt by freshman center fielder Jillian Duran moved sophomore pinch-runner Danielle Svornich over to second base, and then Amanda Vitalich drilled a first-pitch single to right-center field to bring her home for the final run of the game, allowing her sister Marina to exhale and strike out two of the final three batters to seal up the league championship.

Sandwiched in between the two strikeouts, Amanda made an incredible dive on a short pop-up to make a spectacular catch for the second out of the top of the seventh inning.

"I was actually a little nervous the ball would have fallen in 'no man's land'," Marina Vitalich said of her sister's amazing grab. "Seeing her lay out and catch it was energizing, and her RBI was crucial for us."

St. Monica senior pitcher Katie Kaufman did all she could to keep the Mariners in the game, striking out four while scattering three earned runs on six hits with five walks, and she also got out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam to end the fifth inning when Mary Star threatened to pad on its slim one-run edge.

However, Marina Vitalich was unflappable once more, hurling five no-hit innings and retiring the first nine batters she faced to put herself in an early groove, and got constant key defensive plays from seemingly everyone on the field. Marina also brought in the game's first run with an RBI-ground out in the bottom of the first inning that drove in Amanda with two outs.

"Marina really picks us up defensively and pitches outstanding games," said Samperio, who singled in the fourth inning for the Stars. "So when the ball gets into the infield or outfield we try to pick her up as well, get outs, and keep her loose and pitching great."

With their ninth consecutive victory since the loss to St. Monica on April 1, the Stars now await their destiny in the CIF-Southern Section Division V playoffs as the pairings will be revealed on Monday. All three of Mary Star's defeats, the other two to St. Anthony of Long Beach and Ontario Christian, ended with a 1-0 final result.

Even so, the Stars still battled their way and earned this league championship.

Both Geich and Marina Vitalich, the two lone seniors, said the feeling of a third league title in four years each for them is "indescribable."

"I had faith in my team that we could pull out the win and that's exactly what we did," Marina Vitalich said. "We worked hard to be in this position and there's no greater reward than seeing it all pay off."

Geich had even more concrete, and deeper thoughts on the title. 

"I love the game, my team and my school with all my heart and I am extremely proud to represent Mary Star as league champs!" Geich said with glee.