Griffins take advantage of Mesa miscues

2016 GROSSMONT COLLEGE SOFTBALL

 

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com

 

EL CAJON (4-13-16) — Someone must have erected a circus tent over the Grossmont College softball field.  San Diego Mesa committed errors in three of the six innings that the 14th ranked Griffins batted in on Tuesday (April 12), when they defeated the Olympians 5-0 in a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference game.

 

Grossmont (22-10-1, 8-5 PCAC) scored only two of their five runs without the aid of an error.  That doesn’t mean that the Griffins were not the better team because they were.

 

With one out in the bottom of the first inning, KATIE SCHMIDT (Valhalla) singled down the left field line.  RACHEL EVERETT (Bonita Vista) laid down a sacrifice bunt that the Mesa (20-12, 7-7 PCAC) third baseman fielded the ball and fired it to the first baseman.  Schmidt realizing that no one was covering third continued running to the vacated base.  The first baseman threw the ball to third as the pitcher was running over to cover.  The throw went awry allowing the left fielder Schmidt to score from first on a sacrifice.

 

Two innings later, JESSICA RUBIO (Patrick Henry) was nicked by an inside fastball to get on base.  She then stole second, her seventh in eight chances, to get into scoring position.  AMANDA IZZO (Hemet) singled when she laid down a bunt that didn’t travel more than 10 feet.  The bunt allowed Rubio to get to third.  Izzo stole second, her team-leading 23rd of the season (which puts her in the top 10 in the State in that category) to avoid any chance of a double play.  Schmidt, who had a game-high three hits, singled through the right side to drive in Rubio and push Izzo over to third.

 

The scouting report that the Griffins had must have read something along the lines of “STEAL AT WILL!” because Schmidt on the first pitch to Everett stole second without even getting a throw to second.  Everett singled through the left side on the third pitch of the at bat.  She advanced to second on the throw home.  That throw did not reach the plate in time to get Izzo as she was safe.  However, the throw did beat Schmidt home.  The catcher attempted to get a throw to third to attempt to get Everett, but the throw came loose and Everett was safe.  After the circus music was done playing it was 3-0 Grossmont.  SIERRA SALAZAR (Helix) reached on a fielder’s choice as the third baseman threw the ball home to get Everett.  But the stolen base train continued as Salazar stole her 19th of the year.

 

As a team, the Griffins have stolen 62 bags this season.  You would think that would be near the top of the State’s leaderboard.  Well, the Griffins are tied for 12th with Chabot in the North with the 62.  If it were not for Santiago Canyon, the Griffins would only be 17 off the lead.  But Santiago Canyon does exist and they are quite literally running away with the stolen base crown in the State of California.  Through 33 games, one fewer than the Griffins, they have an astounding 132 stolen bases.  That is an average of four stolen bases per contest.

 

In the fifth, the rally began with two outs.  Everett worked a walk out of Olympian pitching.  Everett likes to run and it showed the very next batter.  Salazar hit a fly ball to left field.  The left fielder dropped the ball and Everett was already touching third at that point, and beat the throw to the plate for the fourth run of the day.  DIAMOND MEJIA (West Ranch) walked to put runners on first and second.  SOPHIA SAHAGUN (Heritage Christian) singled through the left side to load the bases up.  MACKENZIE REYNOLDS (Santana) reached on a fielding error by the third baseman, allowing Salazar to score to make it 5-0 and put Mejia on third and Sahagun on second.

 

The Griffins will host Imperial Valley today (April 13) before traveling to Mt. San Jacinto on Friday (April 15).

 

Grossmont is a game ahead of Southwestern (21-13-1, 7-6 PCAC), Mesa and Mt. San Jacinto (20-15, 7-7 PCAC) are all within a game and a half behind the Griffins.  The Green and Gold are in second behind Palomar (25-4, 15-0 PCAC) who have locked up the PCAC for the 34th time.

 

Pacific Coast				Overall
	GP	Record	Win %		GP	Record	Win %	Last 10	Streak
Palomar	14	14-0	1.000		29	25-4	0.862	7-3	Won 3
Grossmont	13	8-5	0.615		34	23-10-1	0.691	7-3	Won 1
Southwestern	13	7-6	0.538		35	21-13-1	0.614	6-4	Won 5
San Diego Mesa	14	7-7	0.500		32	20-12	0.625	6-4	Lost 4
Mt. San Jacinto	14	7-7	0.500		35	20-15	0.571	6-4	Won 1
San Diego	14	4-10	0.286		31	13-18	0.419	3-7	Won 2
Imperial Valley	14	1-13	0.071		25	9-16	0.360	1-9	Lost 8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Diego Mesa  0

Grossmont  5

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