ROUNDUP: Eagles, Hillers, Vaqueros win

By ECS Staff
Updated: March 27, 2019

2019 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

East County Sports staff report

CARMEL VALLEY (3-27-2019) – Granite Hills catcher Haley Johnson had registered just one multiple-hit game all season, getting relegated to the bottom of the Eagles batting order.

The lineup card may look different after Johnson with her best offensive performance of the season.

The junior went 2-for-4, keyed by a bases-loaded triple in extra innings, as the No. 3 Eagles skated past host Cathedral Catholic, 9-6 in 8 innings, in Tuesday’s (Mar. 26) featured non-league contest.

Johnson sent her drive deep to right field. Moments later, her courtesy runner, Chloe Knepp, made it a 4-run inning when Eagles leadoff batter Baily Wallace intentionally grounded out to the right side for a 9-5 advantage.

The rally made a surprise winner of Granite Hills relief pitcher Staci Chambers, who gained the victory.

Chambers pitched the final 2.1 innings, but allowed two Dons runs in the 7th to prevent Eagles starting pitcher Catie Dobbs from gaining a victory.

One strike away from a save, Chambers allowed a game-tying, 2-run double to Cathedral Catholic right field Julia Walsh.

However, Granite Hills bounced right back to re-secure the triumph.

In the 8th, pinch hitter Julia Tysling led off by reaching on an error. One out later, third baseman Amaya Esparza walked, then second baseman Brooke Bertussi singled to center, but the line drive went directly to the Dons defense, forcing Tysling to hold up at third base to load the bases.
Fortunately, Johnson delivered on a 3-2 pitch.

Cathedral Catholic (2-7), which is on its poorest start since relocating from Alcala Park in Linda Vista, saw senior first baseman Abby Tanuma smack a 3-run homer in the 3rd to open the scoring. She batted 2-for-2 with two runs and a pair of walks.

However, Chambers ignited the comeback an inning later, hitting a one-out solo home run, her fourth of the season. Chambers also doubled, raising her slugging percentage to a mighty 1.065 this season.

For Granite Hills (8-3), Cobbs struck out nine Dons in her 5.2 innings but also walked seven.

GROSSMONT 10, POINT LOMA 5: At Point Loma, moments after the host Pointers got even at 3-all in the 3rd inning, the Foothillers’ Halle Sweiss and Issy Cervantes each bombed 2-run homers in the 4th as part of a 5-run outburst to defeat Point Loma. Both home runs went to right field.

In addition, Samaria Roope belted a 3-run homer in the 3rd for a short-lived 3-2 lead. The blast to left field was Roope’s fourth of the season.

Roope finished with four RBI and was the winning pitcher in firing a 4-hitter. She struck out five batters.

Meanwhile, Contreras, the third baseman, finished with three RBI on 3-for-5 hitting and scored three times.

Grossmont (7-4 overall) also saw catcher Jessica Medlin bat 3-for-4 with a double plus a walk.

Point Loma (5-6) cleanup hitter Cassidy Saunar recorded half of the team’s four hits, including a double.

EL CAPITAN 6, UNIVERSITY CITY 0: At Lakeside, Vaqueros pitcher Alexa Williams fired a shutout and belted a home run Tuesday (Mar. 26), over-whelming the visiting Centurions in a non-conference game. The victory avenges a loss to UC at the Hilltop Tournament from 10 days earlier.

Williams registered 8 strikeouts in limiting the Cents to just three hits.

Meanwhile, Williams batted 2-for-3, including her 2-run homer to right field, capping a 4-run rally in the 5th innings to expand a close 1-0 lead into a comfortable 5-0 cushion.

The big inning started on consecutive, out-out singles by Hannah Davis (2-for-2) and Madison Rosalis with both Vaqueros advancing into scoring position on a Katie Collier sacrifice bunt.

Bailey Olaveson followed with a 2-run single, then Williams went yard for El Capitan (7-4 overall). University City fell to 6-5.

SAGE CREEK 6, MOUNT MIGUEL 4: At Trude Field in Spring Valley, the visiting Bobcats rallied from a 3-1 deficit, scoring four times in the 3rd inning to down the Matadors in Tuesday’s (Mar. 26) non-league ballgame.

Junior corner infielder Rebecca Gee successfully placed a safety squeeze bunt to bring home the go-ahead run.

Kendal Cliburn batted 2-for-4 for Sage Creek (3-4).

For Mount Miguel (2-3), senior shortstop Jackie Espinoza, the leadoff batter and co-captain, registered three of the Matadors’ five hits.

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