East teams sweep Falcon Fiesta games

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 21, 2021

Steele Canyon following its win on Wednesday. / Steele Canyon Softball

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EL CAJON – A one-out clutch RBI single by Breanna Diaz (1-3, 2 RBI) in the bottom of the seventh inning scoring Jenna Haynal (1-4, 2R, RBI, 2B) propelled the Eagles to victory, 6-5, on Wednesday (Apr. 21) afternoon.

The bats for the Eagles (2-7-1) would come alive early on as Haynal drove in Kiki Sandoval (2R) in the bottom of the first inning with a double to left field, an RBI single by Kayla Fox (1-2, RBI) in the bottom of the second inning allowing Paige Baird (1-3, R, SB) to come around and score, which would make it 2-0.

Moving to the bottom of the third inning leadoff hitter Taylor Rose (2-4, R, RBI, 2B) singled to left field, she would later score in the inning when Diaz hit a ball that was misplayed to make it 3-0, the next batter Baird would follow by reaching on an error that scored Haynal to extend the lead to 4-0.

Mission Hills (8-3) though would cut the Eagles lead in half in the top of the fourth inning with a pair of RBI singles.

Despite the runs by the Grizzlies the Eagles were able to answer in their half of the fourth inning thanks to Rose who laced an RBI double to left field to make it 5-2.

The Grizzlies despite trailing wouldn’t go down without a fight as they hit a solo home run in the top of the sixth and a one-out, two-run home run in the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-5.

Granite Hills despite losing the momentum went back to business in the bottom of the seventh as Haynal led off by reaching on an error, Sofia Muica (1-3) followed with a base hit and Chloe Knepp sacrificed both runners over.

Diaz who previously was hitless on the day would come thru to win the game for the Eagles.

Taylor picked up the complete-game win for the Eagles. She allowed five runs on nine hits over seven innings, walking one and striking out three.

STEELE CANYON 6, SCRIPPS RANCH 2

SCRIPPS RANCH – A big day at the plate for Jazmin Williams (4-4, 2R, 3 RBI, 2 HR) that included two home runs helped propel the Cougars to victory on Wednesday afternoon.

Steele Canyon(7-6) got the offense going with two outs in the top of the first inning when Jazmin Williams hit her third home run of the season a solo shot to center field to make it 1-0, Janea Wilson (2-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR) followed with her second home run of the year a solo shot also to center field to make it 2-0.

The Cougars went back to business in the top of the third inning as Tayler Thomas (1-4, R) led off with a single, she advanced to second on an error, Iryana Oliver (1-3, 2R) followed by walking and Williams singled to load the bases, the next batter Wilson would drive in Thomas on a sacrifice fly to left field and Breanna Lakin (2-3, RBI) singled to right field scoring Oliver to make it 4-0.

Later in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Falcons finally got on the board with a solo homerun which made it 4-1.

But the little momentum the Falcons had was wiped away in the top of the seventh inning when Williams who had already homered in the game came up and jacked her second home run of the game over the center-field fence. The two-run blast that also scored Oliver was Williams’ fourth of the season.

A meaningless run in the bottom of the seventh for Scripps Ranch (2-7) would be all they would get as Emma Shellstrom retired the next three batters in a row to end the game.

Shellstrom garnered the complete-game victory as she only allowed the two runs on four hits in her seven innings of work, walked two, and struck out three.

HELIX 3, UNIVERSITY CITY 0

UNIVERSITY CITY) – Pitching was the name of the game on the day as runs were scarce but the visiting Helix Highlanders would break through with three runs in the top of the eighth inning to win an extra-innings affair,3-0, over University CIty on Wednesday afternoon.

Early on Helix (10-1) had an opportunity to put something together in the top of the third as both Ashton Isbelle and Audrey Kull walked to start the third inning. However, Centurions ace Ashley Legler was able to induce a double-play ball and strike out the following batter to end the inning.

Neither teams pitching was giving an inch as both Sophia Ramuno for Helix and Legler for University City went toe-to-toe in a dual.

With neither team able to score the game went into extra innings where the Highlanders would take advantage of various Centurion miscues.

The leadoff batter in the top of the eighth inning for the Highlanders was Isabelle who was able to reach on an error, Ivy Greene who was placed on second base advanced to third, she would score when Kull hit a ball that was misplayed.

Another error by the Centurions (7-2-1) would lead to another run for the Highlanders which would give them a 2-0 lead and still no outs in the top of the eighth inning. Helix would tack on another run with one out thanks to Amber Young who was able to get a bunt down which was misplayed allowing Kull to come in and score.

After getting out of the inning it was the Centurions turn with a runner at second base to start things off. The lead of batter would pop out, the next batter would hit into a fielder’s choice but both runners would be safe.

With runners on first and second and one out, Ramuno was able to get the ground ball out and would follow that with another ground ball out to end the game.

Legler would end up with the hard luck loss as she only allowed two runs in her days work. She also walked three and struck out twelve.

Ramuno, on the other hand for the Highlanders picked up the win as she allowed zero runs on two hits while walking two and fanning seven on the day.

“We fought hard and minimized the mistakes,” Ramuno said. “By doing that, we kept it as a duel of the offenses. It felt good to beat a good team. We can use this momentum to carry us into another tough three games this week.”