EL SEGUNDO - No one thought it would be possible... but Port Of Los Angeles High softball would beat ANOTHER Marine League power.

If you thought their comeback win over in-city neighbor San Pedro last year was something, then wait until you hear about this El Segundo Tournament quarterfinal against Banning of Wilmington at Recreation Park in El Segundo. This was almost too good to believe if you were there, and would find very hard to believe if you weren't there.

Down 1-0 early, the Polar Bears would score three runs in the top of the third inning with some heads-up base running after hitting into two straight inning-ending double plays, take a three-run lead into the bottom of the fourth, then somehow held off the red-hot Pilots down the stretch and won, 4-3, in a rare battle between two of the top six teams in the CIF-Los Angeles City Section according to MaxPreps.com.

Banning came in with an 11-game winning streak, and POLA had an eight-game winning streak after both teams won their El Segundo Tournament openers, but on this day, the Polar Bears (19-7 overall) would prevail and advance to next Saturday's semifinals against Agoura.

Sophomore pitcher Nicolle Miranda was in the zone for POLA, hurling a gutsy three-run, six-hitter with a walk and 12 strikeouts against a dangerous hitting Pilots team.

In true fashion, Banning (20-3) would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on senior right fielder Mary Gonzales' RBI-single, and the Pilots would thwart POLA with two straight double plays to end the first two innings.

POLA, however, never wavered.

In the top of the third inning, sophomore third baseman Briana Valencia and sophomore left fielder Tiffany Torres hit back-to-back one-out singles, and junior center fielder Sarah Maldonado walked to load the bases. Valencia would tie the game at 1-1 by scoring off a passed ball. 

Then when Gonzales was inserted in to pitch and relieve Banning senior pitcher Alanna Mendoza, freshman designated player Emily Ibarra would hit a bloop single to center field, easily scoring Torres with the go-ahead run but... that is not all.

A pickle ensued, and Maldonado would break out and head for home plate. Banning junior shortstop Noelani Boyer fires a dart to junior catcher Jazmin Ruvalcaba, who wasn't able to hold on to the ball as Maldonado slid towards her, and the ball popped free. Maldonado would then 'swim' on the dirt with a fluid motion to touch home plate and give the Polar Bears a 3-1 edge.

Valencia's RBI-single in the top of the fourth inning that drove in sophomore second baseman Rosemary Garcia would put POLA up 4-1, but the Pilots would answer with two runs in the bottom of the fourth off a towering triple to center field from sophomore designated player Sara Lopez, and a Garcia fielding error.

Even after that, it didn't faze a POLA team who played without one of their most potent weapons in junior shortstop Kelsea Short, last year's hero in the victory over San Pedro. Short bruised her foot in practice leading up to this game two days prior.

Nor did it faze Miranda, who befuddled the Pilots with her deadly array of pitches.

Junior first baseman Allison Bayer went 3-for-4 with a double for POLA, who beat Culver City, 13-0 in three innings earlier in the day. Valencia went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Garcia added a double.

POLA continues their season on Monday with a Crosstown League game at Animo Venice Charter of Los Angeles.