When it comes to the 18U Gold title game at the Champions Cup in Irvine, Calif., the Corona Angels have created a mini-dynasty.

For the third time in four years, the Marty Tyson-led team took the crown and looked very strong in the process, beating a solid California Cruisers-Phil team 11-0 in a five inning shortened game.

“It was an overall team effort,” the coach said after the win.  “We stuck to our game plan, facing a drop ball pitcher early in the game and we were hitting her pitch by making adjustments.  When we play like that, we can put some runs up.”

Put up runs they did—in consecutive innings the Angels scored three, five and three runs.

It was a quiet first two innings but in the top of the third the Angels erupted for a trio of runs off Cruisers starting pitcher Sydney Mundell (UNLV).  Interestingly, all three runs came on one play.

Infielder Nikki Udria (Oregon) led off with a walk and stole second before a single by catcher/outfielder Taylor White (Ohio State) put base runners on second and third.  Infielder Kylie Reed (Cal) followed with a double to left field scoring two, but the ball got pass the outfielder and rolled to the wall allowing Reed to round the bases and make the score 3-0.

The Cruisers looked like they could get back in the game in the bottom of the third when catcher Lea Wodach (Oklahoma) reached on an error, but a hard shot down the third base line was stabbed by a diving Ashley Goodwin (Ohio State), who got up and fired a bullet to first.

Instead of two runners on—who may have scored when infielder Chloe Sharaba (Boston College) singled for the Cruisers—the Angels’ starting pitcher, Miranda Viramontes (Utah), was able to get out of the inning unscathed.

The Angels blew the game open in the top of the fourth when they put five runs up, all coming with two outs.

Infielder Sydney Romero (Oklahoma) reached on an error and was driven home when shortstop Marshaylee Knighten (Oklahoma) doubled to the left center fence.  Udria was hit by a pitch, giving White the opportunity to plate two runs when she singled to make the score 6-0.

After a pitching change, the Angels didn’t miss a beat, putting up two more runs when Kylie Padilla (Oregon State) singled with the bases loaded to make the score 8-0 after only three and a half innings.

The Cruisers again missed an opportunity to get a rally going when they put the first two runners on in the bottom of the fourth but a shot to Goodwin at third almost ended in a triple play as she nailed the runner at second and the turn to first was just a hair late.

The final trio of runs came in what would be the final inning as first baseman Merina Illi (UNLV) and infielder Alleah Laxamana (Cal) singled before Knighten clubbed a decisive three-run shot to put the score at 11-0 and give her four RBI for the game.

“I was relaxed and making adjustments on the fly,” Knighten said after the game. “I was seeing the ball well, the (home run) pitch was inside—some type of fast pitch— and I knew it was gone when I hit it.  I wanted it so bad.”

The Angels didn’t have much time to celebrate, having to hurry home to rest before a 4 am wake up call and departure Monday morning for the Reno tournament this week.

“We feel like we’re coming together well, “said Coach Tyson. “We did well in Colorado and now here, it’s been a good two weeks in a row and now on to Reno and see what happens.”

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The Cruisers can’t feel too bad as their roster is almost totally comprised of 2014 players. In fact, the Cruisers have won twice in the 10-year history of the Champions Cup and—adding in the Angels three wins—you have half of the championships between these two programs.

“It’s always about bragging rights,” said Tournament Director Jim Bollinger. “The Cruisers won the first ever Champions Cup in 2004 and again in 2006 and finished second in 2008.  This a team that can compete at any level and win.”

As for the Angels, he said they too are one of the best teams in the nation.

“Marty does a tremendous job developing kids—he doesn’t rebuild, he just reloads.”

Overall, Bollinger said the 10^th edition of the Champions Cup was another success.

“For one thing, we didn’t have any rain outs,” he laughed. “I think we missed 42 games last year which never happens.  But overall, everyone wins here because it’s well organized, the umpires are the best in the country—we have them come from as far away as Washington—and with the rules the teams know what to expect.”