Memorable season ends for Foothillers

East County Sports staff report

 

POWAY (5-24-2019) – In a season which will be better remembered for individual achievements rather that of any one team, the final GUHSD softball ballclub was eliminated from the CIF championships after the Grossmont Foothillers fell one game short of the Division I championship after falling to Scripps Ranch, 6-2.

One game short? Actually, it was one inning short when the Falcons tallied three unearned runs after there were two outs in the sixth inning when the top-seeded Hillers nearly lost contact in the challenger bracket final.

Grossmont (21-13) bounced back with a pair of runs on a Kati Contreras double, eventually loading the bases. However, the Falcons’ bullpen came on to register a pair of strikeouts to end the Hillers’ final threat.

Scripps Ranch (20-13) gained a rematch with San Marcos in Saturday’s title games, to be held at UC San Diego. Earlier in the day. Scripps Ranch dropped the winner’s bracket final to the Knights, 3-2.

Meanwhile, Grossmont just edged University City,4-3, to continue its run through the challengers’ bracket after dropping last week’s opening game of the tournament.

Foothillers pitcher Samaria Roope thought she escaped the decisive sixth inning with a ground ball to allude a bases-loaded situation. However, not only was the ball booted, an error on the ensuing fly ball to the outfield allowed a 2-0 ballgame expand to a 5-run margin.

The comeback saw Nataly Emery stroke a lead single, replaced at first base on an Aly Allmann fielder’s choice. Scripps Ranch pitched around Roope on a four-pitch walk, but Contreras launched her double to left field to tilt the shutout bid of Scrips Ranch pitcher Ashley Tong.

Walks would load the bases, but Juliana Lane entered in relief to register the inning-ending strikeout.

An inning later, the Falcons got one run back when Alyssa Vilke doubled, scoring on a two-out single by Julia Cornelissen.

Scripps Ranch received two hits each from center fielder Mayca Brown, first baseman Sarah Nakahara and Vilke.

For Grossmont, Roope finished with eight strikeouts.

GROSSMONT 4, UNIVERSITY CITY 3: In the challenger bracket semifinals, the sixth inning was also the difference maker. Ted at 2-all, the Centurions scored to take the lead, but Grossmont answered with a 2-spot to win.

After the Cents reclaimed the lead on an error, the Hillers responded with a two-out rally to secure the lead for keeps.

The Roope-Contreras connection tied it with a single and RBI double.

Jessica Medlin followed with another run-scoring double for what proved to be another game-winning RBI in postseason play by the senior.

Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, back-to-back home runs by Aly Allmann (her 4th) and Samaria Roope (No. 9) tied the contest.

Roope batted 3-for-4 to lead a 10-hit attack, while Allmann, Medlin and shortstop Kimmy Bond added two hits each. Roope also posted nine strikeouts.

University City scored twice in the second, including an RBI single by Alexi Wyckoff.

Including both of Thursday’s ballgames, the Hillers have posted a 104-59-1 (.637) record over the past five seasons.

DIVISION V

MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 13, MARANATHA CHRISTIAN 8: The RedHawks (16-4) swept both of Thursday’s (May 23) challenger bracket ballgames to advance to the CIF Division V championship against Montgomery.

They first out-slugged Maranatha Christian, 13-8, then avenged an earlier loss to San Ysidro in 10-9 nail-biter.

In the winner’s bracket finale, Montgomery downed San Ysidro, 8-3, for the Aztecs’ first-ever title game appearance in the 45-year history of San Diego Section sanctioned softball competition.