(July 27) It turns out Governor Jerry Brown will not be coming to Yucaipa next week after all. On July 16, members of the governor’s staff led locals to believe that on August 7, Brown would be in attendance at the festivities being held to honor the Yucaipa High School girls softball team that beat Mission Viejo High’s team on June 5 for the CIF Division II title.
The Yucaipa High nine, coached by David Kivett, beat the odds to take the championship. Twice earlier in the year the Yucaipa Thunderbirds lost to the Mission Viejo Diablos. The Diablos, in fact, had a perfect 30-0 record going into the championship game. The Thunderbirds were 30-3 going into the final contest.
The Thunderbirds eked out a 1-0 victory, on a gutsy call by Kivett, who elected to have pitcher Brooke Bolinger, who had scattered six hits throughout the game while walking one and striking out seven, pitch to the Diablos’ Alyussa Palomino, who is the second leading home run hitter in California history. Palomino lined out to the shortstop.
Offensively, the Thunderbirds were in some measure stymied by Diablos pitcher and Gatorade National Player of the Year
Taylor McQullin, who struck out nine. Nevertheless, they also managed to get eight hits and one run, which was sufficient for the win.
A few days after his office said Brown would be in attendance at the ceremony in Yucaipa next Friday, his schedule was reworked and school officials were informed he would not show up.