COUGAR CLASSIC ROUNDUP (3-10-18)

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 11, 2018

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EastCountySports.com

GROSSMONT 5, EL CAMINO 4

Late inning heroics land the Foothillers into the next round of bracket play in the Cougars Classic.

Grossmont right away in the bottom of the first inning put together a string of runners as leadoff hitter Kimmy Bond (1-2, R) started off with a walk, Katie Appenzeller (1-2) singled moving Bond to second, K Contreras (1-2, R) singled to load the bases, Appenzeller was picked off at second base and Bond would come into score on an error by the first baseman to make it 1-0. A couple batters later Candace Henderson (RUN) would reach on an error that scored Contreras to make it 2-0.

The Wildcats threatened in the second inning when they were able to get a couple runners on but Samaria Roope was able to end the threat. However, in the top of the third inning, the Wildcats struck on offense as they got a leadoff double, stole third and scored on a groundball to pull within 2-1. El Camino would advantage of a couple more opportunities including a wild pitch to tie the game at 2-2 and take the lead 3-2 on a single.

The one run lead by the Wildcats would be extended to 4-2 in the top of the fourth inning.

The Foothillers, in the bottom half of the fourth, got a run back but it wasn’t easy. Leadoff hitter Henderson reached on an error after hitting a line drive, the next two batters would be retired. So with two outs up stepped Alyssa Box-Agustin (1-2, RBI, 2B) who took the offering and crushed it for a double that scored Henderson to make it 4-3. The inning continued as Bond followed with a single which moved Augustin to third, Appenzeller walked but the next batter would be retired to end the inning.

El Camino threatened to put more runs on the board in the top of the fifth inning after putting the first couple batters on. However, a fielder’s choice back to Roope who threw home was able to get the runner out. She would then go on to retire the next two batters to end the threat and the inning.

So down to their last at-bat the Foothillers needed something to happen. Leading off was Roope who walked on four straight pitches. Next up to bat was Jessica Medlin (2-3, R, 2 RBI, HR), she took the offering and hammered it over the fence for the game-winning 2-run home run.

In the victory, Roope went 5 innings giving up 4 runs of which all were earned on 7 hits, walked 4 and struck out 8.

TORREY PINES 6, GRANITE HILLS 3

Both teams looked to advance on in the Bronze Bracket portion of the Cougar Classic and neither team was giving an inch early on.

However in the top of the fourth the Falcons put together a string of runners that all reached on errors by the Eagles and were able to push across a couple runs to take a 2-0 lead.

The Falcons would tack on another run in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 3-0.

Running out of chances the Eagles needed to do something and in in the bottom of the sixth inning finally put something together. With two outs, Baily Wallace singled, Kara Blanchard reached on an error and Wallace advanced to second, Haley Johnson walked to load the bases, Staci Chambers came to the plate and promptly lined a single to left field scoring two runs to pull the Eagles within 3-2. This made Falcons coach Jonathan Moore to change pitchers, on the very next pitch the ball went passed the catcher for a wild pitch that scored Johnson to tie the game at 3-3.

So with the game tied at 3-3 things were looking alright. It was now international tiebreaker time where a runner automatically gets put at second base to start.

The lead hitter bunted advancing the runner to third, another bunt which went for a hit, the next batter Makena Macias roped a double scoring two runners to put the Falcons up 5-3. They would add another run to double the lead 6-3.

Granite Hills would have one last crack at it. The runner for them at second was Amaya Esparza. Unfortunately the first two batters were retired. With two outs up stepped Morgan Kelly who got hit by a pitch, Kaylenn Valenzuela singled to load the bases but unfortunately all were stranded to end the game.

On the day, Catie Dobbs went 4 innings, giving up 2 run on 2 hits while striking out 3. Chambers on the day went 3 innings, giving up 3 runs of which 1 was earned on 4 hits, walked 2 and fanned 4.