COUGAR CLASSIC ROUNDUP: CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION (3-13-18)

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 14, 2018

PLATINUM BRACKET CHAMPION CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC / photo by Don De Mars

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EastCountySports.com

COUGAR CLASSIC

PLATINUM BRACKET SEMI-FINALS

STEELE CANYON 4, CLAIREMONT 2

The Cougars who came into the contest off their big win over league foe West Hills looked for more against the Chieftains who upset the highly ranked Mater Dei Crusaders on Tuesday evening.

However the offense for the Cougars would get rolling until the top of the third inning when Audrey Bagge (2-2, 2R, RBI, HR) led off with a walk, JJ Venzor (2-3, R, 2B) roped a double and Bagge moved to third, Maggie Carpenter (1-3, 2 RBI) came up and laced a single that scored both Bagge and Venzor to make it 2-0, she would be advanced to second on a sacrifice, DJ Demeng (RUN) in to run for Carpenter, Tayler Thomas walked and a couple batters later with 2 outs Elizabeth Bott (2-3, RBI) singled which scored Demeng to make it 3-0.

However, the Chieftains climbed back into the contest thanks to a base hit and a couple other opportunities which led to two runs making it 3-2.

Leading by the slim margin the Cougars garnered another run in the top of the fifth with one out when Bagge crushed a solo blast deep over the center field fence to make it 4-2. The next batter Venzor would single but she would be stranded to end the inning.

Cougar’s pitcher Grace Richter would allow a couple hits in the bottom of the fifth but neither would score.

She would give up a single in the bottom of the seventh with two outs but retired the final batter to end the contest and get the victory.

On the day she went 6 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits, walked 0 and struck out 4 to get the victory.

PLATINUM BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP

CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 11, STEELE CANYON 0

The Cougars unfortunately in the championship game ran into the buzzsaw known as Cathedral Catholic and UCLA-bound Megan Faraimo.

Faraimo who was coming off the dominant performance in her semi-finals victory over Bonita Vista continued that dominance against Steele Canyon as she retired the side by strikeout in the top of the first inning.

The Dons in the bottom of the first inning would score three runs to go up 3-0. A couple innings later they added three more on a home run by Sara Rusconi to extend their lead 6-0.

In the bottom of the fourth besides dominating in the circle, Faraimo contributed to her cause as she hit a grand slam.

Steele Canyon would finally get on the board in the hit department when in the top of the fifth Tayler Thomas roped a lined single to right field.

For the Dons in the victory, Faraimo went 5 innings, gave up no runs on 1 hit, walked 1 and fanned 12 in the nightcap.

GOLD BRACKET SEMI-FINALS

SANTANA 7, MT. CARMEL 6 (8 INNINGS/ITB)

Early on for the Sultans, things didn’t look good as the Sun Devils took advantage of a miscue and a couple base hits to take an early 2-0 lead.

However, the Sultans would tie the game at 2-2 on a 2-run jack by McKenzie Bennett (2-2, R, 2 RBI, HR) that scored Madison Mendez (1-3, R) who walked to leadoff.

With the game tied it was a brand new game and for Santana, they sent out freshman Joey Barkhimer to pitch who got into a little trouble in the top of the second inning as the Sun Devils hit back to back singles with one out. However, she was able to get out of the inning and threat when she induced the always friendly ground ball double play.

Santana in the bottom of the second inning would put together a string of runners starting with Ashley Madrigal (2-3, R, RBI, 2B) who singled, Emma Leggett walked, both would move up after being sacrificed, a couple batters later with two outs Bennett would be intentionally walked to load the bases. Up stepped Krysten Service (1-2, 3 RBI) who worked the count full before being walked and Madrigal came into score to make it 3-2.

Mount Carmel would again tie the game in the top of the third when again they took advantage of opportunities to knot it at 3-3.

Another lead change as the Sultans would score a couple more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. With one out, Lakaila Aquiningoc-David lined a single to center, a couple batters later with two outs Bennett is again intentionally walked. Erica Reid in to run. So with runners at first and second with two outs up came Service who singled which scored Aquiningoc-David to make it 4-3. Both Service and Reid would steal and Nicole Madrigal would draw a walk to load the bases, Natalie Sims came into bat for Barkhimer and she walked which scored Service to make it 5-3.

Mount Carmel wouldn’t go away as they again would string together some opportunities and scratch together a couple runs to tie the game at 5-5.

The game would stay tied until the top of the seventh when the game went to International Tie Breaker rules in which each team would start out with a runner at second base.

Mount Carmel with two outs in the top of the seventh took advantage of a Sultans miscue to retake the lead at 6-5. However that lead didn’t last as Natalie Sims was put at second base, she would be sacrificed over by Shelby Holmquist. The next batter Ashley Madrigal roped a triple that scored Sims to tie the game at 6-6.

In the top of the eighth inning the Sultans brought in Madison Mendez to pitch and she shut down the Sun Devils in order.

So with the game still tied at 6-6 and Leggett put at second base, she would be sacrificed to second, both Mendez and Bennett would be intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. So with one down Service came to the plate and hit a ball to center field that was caught which made Leggett tag from third and come into score the game-winning run.

Barkhimer tossed 4 innings, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits, walked 3 and struck out 1. Sims tossed 3 innings, giving up 2 runs on 1 hit, walked 3 and struck out 1. Garnering the victory for the Sultans was Mendez who went 1 inning, giving up 0 runs, 0 hits and 0 walks.

GOLD BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP

SANTANA 2, POWAY 0 (GAME CALLED – NO CONTEST)

After a grueling victory in the semi-finals of the Gold Bracket the Sultans turned around to take on the Titans of Poway who are ranked in the top 10 in San Diego County in the Gold Bracket Championship game.

The Titans after getting out of the top of the first thought they had something going with a lead single. The runner would be caught stealing by Bennett and despite a walk, the next two batters would be retired to end the inning.

After the first inning the skies opened up and it rained a pretty good rain which prompted a discussion to possibly stop the game. It was decided to let the game go on as all the other games were going on.

It looked like it would be a 1-2-3 inning for the Titans in the top of the second when Ashley Madrigal came to the plate and smashed a double to left field, Mackenzie Sims followed with a single that scored Madrigal to make it 1-0, Erica Reid would single, Madison Mendez came up and hit a rocket shot that hit off the Titans pitcher allowing Sims to come in from third to make it 2-0. The Titans would get out of the inning a couple batters later on a fielder’s choice and a throw out at home.

However, the umpires in the bottom of the second would halt the game and call it due to wet conditions.

With the game called the championship was declared a no contest.

SILVER BRACKET SEMI-FINALS

ESCONDIDO 4, PATRICK HENRY 1

The Cougars of Escondido took advantage of some opportunities in the top of the first inning to push across a couple runs to lead 2-0.

Trailing by a couple of runs in the bottom of the first inning, the Patriots had a golden opportunity to cut into the deficit. With one out, Ari Rios hit a ground ball that was misplayed, Lili Pena followed with a pop fly that was misplayed, and Maddie Simmons grounded into a fielder’s choice which advanced Rios to third. Unfortunately, the next batter would be retired to end the inning.

Escondido would push across a couple more runs as they hit a two-run home run to extend their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third inning.

Another error led to Rio reaching base but the bottom of the third inning would end on a double play ball.

The Patriots would have another opportunity in the bottom of the fourth when Simmons led off with a single but again the inning would end.

An inning later in the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots would push across a run. With one out Jessica Dewitt reached on an error, a couple batters later Lauren Nett singled which scored Dewitt to make it 4-1, Rios would single but would be stranded to end the inning.

Another big opportunity for the Patriots to cut more into the deficit came in the bottom of the sixth with one out. Up stepped H. Jenks who laced a single, Andrea Wright roped a double, Maggie Zimmerly in to run. However, Dezianna Patman would pop up into a double play as Escondido would throw out Jenks trying to advance to third base.

Jenks in the loss went 6 innings, giving up 4 runs which were all earned on 4 hits, walked 6 and struck out 11.

BRONZE BRACKET SEMI-FINALS

GROSSMONT 2, TORREY PINES 1

Neither team was having it as each team shut the other down until the Foothillers finally broke through on the board.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Foothillers strung together multiple hits against the Falcons to take a 2-0 lead. With one out, Katie Appenzeller (1-3, R) singled, Kimmy Bond (1-1, R) sacrificed Appenzeller to second, a couple batters later with two outs Samaria Roope (1-1) was hit by a pitch, Jamie Medlin into run, Jessica Medlin (2-3, 2 RBI, 2B) followed with a smash double to score both Appenzeller and Bond to make it 2-0.

The Falcons would push across a run in the top of the sixth to cut the Foothillers lead 2-1. Torrey Pines would have one more opportunity to do something in the top of the seventh inning.

However, Roope made sure that didn’t happen as she retired the first batter, the second batter singled but Roope was able to retire the next two batters to end the contest and punch the Foothillers ticket into the championship game.

BRONZE BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP

BRAWLEY 7, GROSSMONT 4

The Foothillers would actually strike first in the top of the first inning when Katie Appenzeller (1-2, R) led off with double, a couple batters later K. Contreras (2-3, R, 3 RBI, 3B) singled to center which scored Appenzeller to make it 1-0.

A couple innings later the Foothillers would push more across. With one out Appenzeller walked, Kimmy Bond sacrificed Appenzeller to second, Contreras roped a ball to center field which went for a triple and scored Appenzeller and Bond to make it 3-0, Contreras came into score on a passed ball which made it 4-0.

Brawley would get on the board in the bottom of the inning with a run to cut the lead 4-1. In the bottom of the fourth inning, they took advantage of various opportunities including a miscue and multiple doubles to tie the game at 4-4. With the game tied the Wildcats continued the inning with a couple walks which led to more runs and in the end would give them a 7-4 lead.

Grossmont had an opportunity in the top of the fifth when Roope walked with one out, Jamie Medlin in to run, Jordan Brown reached on an error but the next two batters would be retired to end the threat and the inning and the contest.