Freshmen Breanna Pelaez and Olyvia Rutter helped Providence reach the CIF Southern Section semifinals in one of the program’s most successful seasons. The Pioneers finished the season with an 11-5 record.
By Eric Owens
Special to the Burbank Leader
Second-seeded Providence had a tough CIF-SS Division 7 playoff semifinal against visiting Lakeside High of Lake Elsinore, suffering an 11-5 setback at Burbank’s Olive Park.
Freshman Olyvia Rutter pitched six relief innings for Providence (11-5 overall record) and surrendered six runs (only three of which were earned) on seven hits while striking out four Lancers.
Rutter was red-hot at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a two run inside-the-park home runs to center scoring Breanna Pelaez, who finished with a double and two runs scored.
Belen Benito went 2-for 3, including a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch in the fifth inning; she also doubled and knocked in two runs. Lucia Mosquera went 2 for 4 and scored a run.
Providence finished its COVID-abbreviated season with a second-place finish in the Prep League and their first playoff campaign since 2017 in one of the best finishes in the program’s history.
