Sultans roll, Granite rallies, Hillers hold

By ECS Staff
Updated: May 10, 2017

CASSIDY DAVILA/DONDEMARS PHOTOGRAPHY

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EastCountySports.com

Grossmont Hills League

Santana 13, Valhalla 3: The Sultans sent their seniors out on a good note as they score early and never looked back to claim the league victory.

Sultan seniors on Senior Day.

The Sultans in the bottom of the first inning took an early 1-0 lead thanks to a MACKENZIE BENNETT (1-3, 2 RBI, R, HR) long shot over the center field fence for the solo shot, CASSIDY MATTHIE (2-3, 3 R, 2B) walked, RACHEL WILSON (1-2, 3 R, 2B) walked and NICOLE MADRIGAL (1-2, R, 3 RBI, HR) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. The next batter LAKAILA AQUININQOC (2-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B) smashed a single to left that scored both Matthie and Wilson to give Santana a 3-0 lead.

Santana extended their lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second thanks to a double by Mendez, BRIANNA JERIG into run, she advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Bennett.

Valhalla would threaten in the top of the fourth with one out when KENNEDY LABSHERE (2-3, 2 RBI) singled and VICTORIA VILLEGAS (1-3) singled but Sultans pitcher MADISON MENDEZ would get out of the inning by retiring the next two batters.

Santana would extend their lead in the bottom of the fourth when ERICA REID (RUN) led off with a walk and Mendez would crush the LILY METSCH offering over the fence and clank the scoreboard to make it 6-0. A couple of batters later Matthie roped a double, Wilson walked, and Nicole Madrigal followed with a high fly ball over the left field fence for the three run jack to make it 9-0.

Looking to break through the Norsemen finally did so in the top of the fifth inning. With one out, SARAH BOTTE (RUN) hit a ball short which was misplayed and she was able to reach, EMILY QUESSADA (2-2, R) singled to right, RACHEL SHELSTROM (1-3, R) lined a single that hit off Mendez to load the bases, JADE HILL (RBI) grounded to short which was misplayed allowing Botte to score to make it 9-1, Labshere followed with a single to right field that scored both Quessada and Shelstrom to make it 9-3, Villegas followed with a ball hit to short which was misplayed allowing her to reach and load the bases. So with the bases loaded and still only one out Mendez for the Sultans was able to strike out the next batter and Bennett was able to pickoff Hill at third to end the inning and threat.

Santana would add their final runs in the bottom of the fifth when Wilson drove in a couple of runs to make it 11-3, a couple of batters later with 2 outs Aquininquoc reached on an error and ASHLEY MADRIGAL laced a double that scored both Wilson and Aquininqoc to make it 13-3 and end the game.

Mendez would also help her cause in going 3-4, scoring a run and driving in 2 runs and also BRIANNA JERIG scored 2 runs while running for Mendez.

For Valhalla, Metsch took the loss as she pitched 3 1/3 innings, giving up 9 runs on 7 hits, walked 4 and struck out 2. DELANEY STETTLER came in and tossed 1 1/3 of relief giving up 4 runs on 4 hits, walked one and striking out one.

Garnering the victory for the Sultans, Mendez who went 5 innings, giving up 3 runs on 6 hits, walked 1 and fanned 3 to pick up her nineteenth victory on the season.

Granite Hills 5, Steele Canyon: In a wild one which saw the Cougars take the lead into the later innings would end up with the Eagles clawing back to win in dramatic extra innings.

The Cougars came into the contest looking to knock off the first place Eagles and started off in the right direction with a lead double by AUDREY BAGGE (2-5, 2R, 2B). She would advance to third on a passed ball, GENTRY HOFFMAN (1-4, 2R, RBI, 2B) would crank a HALLE KYLER offering to center field for another double that scored Bagge to make it 1-0, Hoffman would advance on the MAKAYLA MCCARTHY (1-4, RBI) groundout and came into score on a EMMA DODSON (RBI) ground out to make it 2-0.

Steele Canyon would add to their lead in the top of the third with one out, Bagge would reach on an error, Hoffman would also reach on an error, McCarthy followed with a single to right that scored Bagge making it 3-0, Hoffman advanced to third on the throw, she would score to make it 4-0 when JJ VENZOR hit a ball that was misplayed.

McCarthy for the Cougars was cruising along shutting down the Eagles offense as she was retiring them one by one after giving up a couple of hits early on.

Steele Canyon had another opportunity to tack on more runs in the top of the sixth when Venzor reached on an error, MARIANNA MARTINEZ (1-4) singled, MAKAYLA STROMENGER (1-3) singled to load the bases with one down. However STACI CHAMBERS (3-3, RBI) who had come in to relieve Kyler would get out of the inning.

Trailing 4-0 heading into the bottom of the sixth the Eagles didn’t panic as they had previously comeback a couple of times from deficits in this exact same inning.

With one down Chambers singled, MORGAN KELLY (RUN) into run, KAREN CREECH (3-4, R, RBI) singled, a couple batters later with two outs KAYLA MACK (1-4, R) singled and HALEY JOHNSON (1-3, 3 RBI, 3B) smashed a ball to center field that went all the way for a triple that scored Kelly, Creech and Mack to pull the Eagles within 4-3 and swing the momentum their way.

Chambers would retire the Cougars in order 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to give the Eagles a last shot at doing some more damage.

With one out BRIELLE TYSELING (1-3, 2 R) walked, SYDNEY HUSE would strikeout for the second out and put Steele Canyon in position to give Granite its first league loss. However Chambers had other ideas as she singled and Tyseling advanced to second. Up next was KAREN CREECH (3-4, R, RBI) who would take a 1-2 count before she would take the McCarthy offering and rip a groundball that got through to right in which JESSICA ALVARADO would field and make a thrown in to home but Tyseling would come around in to score to tie the game at 4-4.

Both teams would halt each other and head to the bottom of the ninth inning. Leading off for the Eagles, Tyseling would take the SAMANTHA MILLER offering and lace a single, Huse would sacrifice Tyseling to second and Chambers would come to the plate looking to knock in Tyseling. On the 1-0 count, Chambers would hit a line drive to left and Tyseling would race from second all the way around third and on the throw would beat it and score the game winning run.

For the Cougars McCarthy would go 8 innings, giving up 4 runs on 7 hits, walked 3 and striking out 11. Taking the loss for Steele Canyon was Miller who went 1/3 of an inning, giving up 1 run on 2 hits.

For the Eagles Kyler would go 3 innings, giving up 4 runs on 3 hits, walking 0 and striking out 2. Garnering the victory was Chambers who went 6 innings, giving up 0 runs on 3 hits, walking 0 and fanning 8.

Grossmont 3, West Hills 1: The early scoring by the Foothillers holds up as they use a couple of homers to propel them to victory.

The Foothillers would score what ended up to be all the runs they would need in the bottom of the first inning thanks to a lead CHLOE CAMARERO (HR, R, RBI) long ball over the left field fence to make it 1-0. DESTINY BACON (RUN) followed that by walking and MOANA PISIA (2 RBI, R, HR) would blast a 2-R bomb over the fence for a 3-0 lead.

Grossmont starter CASSIDY DAVILA who was looking to claim the senior day victory worked her magic into the fourth inning. The Wolf Pack finally broke through and put a run up thanks to a RYLEIGH DOBYNS (1-3, R) lead single up the middle, ASHLEIGH HARTWIG walked, CARLY BURSCH (2-3, RBI) would rope a single that scored Dobyns making it 3-1 but Davila would get out of the inning by striking out the next batter to end the inning.

For the Pack, Bursch would take the loss going 6 innings, giving up 3 runs on 5 hits, walking 4 and striking out 8.

Davila would pick up the win for the Hillers as she tossed 7 innings, giving up 1 run, and striking out 4.

Grossmont Valley League

El Capitan 16, Monte Vista 0: The Vaqueros scored in bunches early on and Vasquez dominated in the circle to propel the Vaqueros to victory.

It was pretty much over as the Vaqueros would push across nine runs thanks to many hits in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter MADISYN WIEHER (1-2, 2R, RBI) walked, ZANNDRA RAGOLE (2-3, 3R, RBI) sacrificed but a misplay allowed Wieher to advance to third, AMANDA VASQUEZ (3-3, 4 RBI, 2B) would walk, KAITLYN COLLIER (2 R) into run, she advanced to second on a wild pitch, Wieher would steal home to make it 1-0, ALEXA WILLIAMS (1-2, R, 2 RBI) walked, GRACE BURKETT (2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B) roped a double that scored Collier making it 2-0, HANNAH DAVIS (2-3, 2 R, 2B) walked, MARIA LOTTA (1-2, 2R, RBI) singled which scored Williams to make it 3-0, HANNAH HARVEY (1-3, R, RBI) grounded into a fielders choice which scored Burkett to make it 4-0, SAVANNAH MINSHEW (2R, RBI) walked scoring Davis to make it 5-0, Wieher would bat again and this time she would single bringing in Lotta to make it 6-0, a couple batters later Vasquez smashed a double that scored Minshew, Wieher and Ragole to extend the lead 9-0.

El Capitan added another run in the bottom of the second to make it 10-0. Vasquez who was in the circle fort he Vaqueros retired the Monarchs in order 1-2-3 in the top of the third inning.

The Vaqueros in the bottom of the third would get a single by Ragole, Vasquez would single, and Williams would single to score Ragole to make it 11-0. They would round out their scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 16-0.

Monte Vista would finally get a hit off of Vasquez in the top of the fifth inning on a lead triple but that would be all they would garner as Vasquez would get out of the inning thanks to a pickoff at third.

Vasquez went 5 innings for the victory giving up the 1 hit, walked 0 and struck out 1.

With the win the Vaqueros clinched at least a share of the Valley League Championship going into the winner take all game against Helix on Thursday.

Helix 13, El Cajon Valley 1: A big grand slam in the top of the first sparked the Highlanders to victory.

The highlanders would push across four runs in the top of the first thanks to a grand slam by ALOFA COLLINS to make it 4-0. The Braves would push across a run in the bottom of the first to cut into the lead 4-1 but that would be all they would get.

ALEX PEREZ led off for the Highlanders in the second by reaching on an error, stole second base, she would score on the roped triple by FAITH KING, KASEY CASTRO followed that with a single to score, Collins walked, and both ANGEL ALCOSER and PAULETTE DRAPEAU would have RBI singles.

Helix would score four more runs over the next three innings to round out their scoring.

For the Highlanders, Castro would get the victory as she tossed 6 innings giving up 1 run on 4 hits.

Collins on the day for the Highlanders went 3-3 with a grand slam, double, 4 runs scored and 4 RBI.

City League-Eastern

Christian 16, Madison 9: The bats came alive for the Patriots as they out slugged the Warhawks on the day.

The Patriots would strike the first blow in the bottom of the first inning when SILENT RAIN ESPINOZA (2-3, 5R, 5 RBI, 2 HR, GS) cranked a solo homer over the fence to make it 1-0.

More runs in the bottom of the second inning for the Patriots as ALEXA HENDERSON (2-5, R) started things off with a single, a couple of batters later, TENAY BANEGAS (1-2, R) singled, MALLORY STEELE (2-4, 3R) singled and again Espinoza took the offering and crushed it over the fence for a grand slam to put the Patriots up 5-0, ASHLEY CARTER (3-5, 2R, 2 RBI, 2B) singled, LAUREN SHERBURNE (2-4, 2R, RBI) walked and AUDREY SHEBLOSKI (2-4, 4 RBI, 3B) singled which scored both Carter and Sherburne to make it 7-0.

However the seven run lead wouldn’t last as Madison thanks to multiple hits off Steele in the top of the third inning were able to pull within 7-6.

But the Patriots would score a couple of runs in the bottom of the third to extend their lead 9-7. Madison again pulled within a run in the top of the fifth to make it 9-8.

Again Christian would bounce back and score a couple more runs in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a RBI single by Sherburne and a groundout by Shebloski to make it 11-8. The Patriots would round out their scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning as Espinoza would score, Carter singled and scored, Shebloski roped an RBI triple, ELLE LINDBLAD (2-4, R) singled, Banegas singled and would score as would Steele.

Also for the Patriots, SHANNON MCMAHON would go 2-4 with an RBI and a double.

Steele would toss 7 innings for the victory, giving up 9 runs on 13 hits, walk 5 and strike out 2.

City League-Western

Cathedral Catholic 1, Patrick Henry 0: The pitchers duel went the way of the Dons as they pushed across the only run early on.

The Dons would push across what would end up the only run of the game off Henry starter MADISON JAMES in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a couple of singles.

Patrick Henry would be limited to only a couple of hits on the day by CASSIE VAN TIL and ARIANA RIOS of which both were singles.

James for the Patriots would take the hard luck loss as she went 6 innings, giving up the 1 run on 6 hits, walked 1 and struck out 3.