ROUNDUP: Grossmont, Granite Hills

By ECS Staff
Updated: March 17, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul
© East County Sports.com

EL CAJON (3-17-16) — The Grossmont Foothillers, coming off their Cougar Classic Gold Bracket championship victory the previous night, hosted Clairemont in the Falcon Fiesta tournament and won in 8 innings 5-4, Wednesday (Mar. 16^th).

The Foothillers looking to show that there was no hangover from the consecutive days of games looked to get things going early on. They would retire the Chieftains in the top of the first. Grossmont would score a run in their half of the first without the benefit of getting a base hit.

The leadoff batter and speedster CHLOE CAMARERO (1-4, R, 2B) drew a walk and would come around to score on a couple of passed balls. The last one would rattle around the backstop allowing Camarero to score to make it 1-0.

Grossmont would threaten to put more runs on the board in the bottom of the third as Camarero led off with a double and DESTINY BACON (1-2, R) singled, however they wouldn’t capitalize as Clairemont was able to get out of the jam. The Foothillers finally broke through with more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning as Bacon with one down drew a walk, CARLY PEARSON (1-2, R) reached on an error and Bacon moved up and was able to get to third base, TAYLOR BAEZ would knock in Bacon with a single. Both Pearson and Baez would both come into score to make it 4-0, Grossmont.

Clairemont who struggled the entire afternoon finally broke through with a run in the top of the sixth to make it 4-1. They would eventually tie the score in the top of the seventh thanks to back-to-back hits and a two-run double. The tying run would score on a couple of Foothiller miscues. The Foothillers finally got out of the inning but not before the game was tied at 4-4. Grossmont wasn’t able to get anything in the bottom of the seventh thus sending the game into bonus play.

Everyone in attendance for Grossmont was very knowledgeable about the international tie breaker rules as the Foothillers won their exciting championship game that way. So everyone on the Grossmont side was in anticipation and nervous because it was a here we go again type deal.

Now in the circle for Grossmont was SAMARIA ROOPE who came in the previous inning. She was able to quash the Clairemont threat after the runner at second base had stolen third with no outs. Now it was the Foothillers turn and boy what an adventure it was.

With Schoen at second per the tie breaker rules, MEGAN MALWITZ sacrificed Schoen over, so with one out and the fans on their feet going bonkers up stepped AMBER ALLMAN who looked to be the hero and end the game. She took the first two pitches for balls. With the count in her favor at 2-0 anything was in play. What happened next was one of the gutsiest calls made as the Clairemont pitcher wound up and hurled and Allman turned and bunted for the suicide squeeze in which the third baseman charged in and tried to field the ball and as they did, fell without making a throw. Schoen who was at third ran on contact and would have scored either way crossed the plate for the game winning run. Déjà vu all over again as the Foothillers snatched the victory in dramatic fashion and pushed their winning streak to four games.

For the Hillers the winning pitcher CASSIDY DAVILA tossed 7 innings, gave up 4 runs of which 3 were earned on 4 hits while walking 4 and fanning 1. Roope would toss an inning for the save and in the process strikeout 1.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

SAN PASQUAL 5, GRANITE HILLS 4 (10 inn.) – The Granite Hills Eagles traveled back up to the North County across the street from where they had just completed the Cougar Classic to take on the San Pasqual Golden Eagles. Unfortunately it just wasn’t in the cards for Granite as they dropped a heartbreaker of a decision 5-4 in 10 innings in Jaguar Classic action, Wednesday (March 16).

Both teams went back and forth and with the score tied at the end of 7 innings the contest went into extra innings. Neither team could get anything against each other until the 10^th inning. In the top of the 10^th the Eagles pushed across three runs to take the 4-1 lead.

Unfortunately the lead wouldn’t hold as the Golden Eagles were able to take advantage of their opportunities given that they score four runs in the bottom of the 10^th inning. San Pasqual was able to score two runs with one down and the other two runs came with two outs to end the game.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com