Cyman’s record day leads Sultans to win

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 6, 2021

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

DEL CERRO – Santana High first baseman Isabella Cyman (2-5, R, 8 RBI, 2B) drove in eight runs on the day helping the Sultans claim an all-important non-league game against Patrick Henry 21-13 on Wednesday (May 6).

With both teams jockeying for playoff positioning and each ranked so close to each other in the MaxPreps Divison I poll the win today would give an edge for playoff seeding purposes.

Patrick Henry (9-4) would strike first in the bottom of the first inning starting with an RBI double by Dezianna Patmon (3-3, R, 2 RBI, 2B) scoring Kaiah Altmeyer (3-4, 4 R, RBI, 2 2B, 3B, SB), the next batter Olivia Gigante (3-4, R, 3 RBI, HR) followed with a two-run home run over the left-field fence for her eighth of the season.

With the Patriots leading 3-0 in the top of the second inning the Santana Sultans knew they had to get something and indeed they did as they would score six runs to take a 6-3 lead.

The first run came on an error by the Patriots that allowed Jordyn Beatty to score, a couple of batters later Gilliane Johnson (2-4, 4 R, RBI, SB) would drive in Hailey Phillips (2-4, 2 R) making it 3-2, an RBI single by Taylin Warren (4-5, 5 R, 3 RBI) scoring Haley Oceguera (R, 3 RBI, SB) tied the game at 3-3, the next batter Sammi Sullivan (3-6, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2B) roped a double to right field scoring both Johnson and Lainie Brown (2-4, 3 R, RBI) to give them a 5-3 lead, and finally, Cyman grounded out but Warren was able to score.

Santana (14-6) would add more in the top of the third inning when Brown drove in Hailey Phillips (2-4, 2 R, 2 SB) which was followed later in the inning with a bases-clearing double by Cyman to make it 10-3.

Now all the momentum was in favor of the Sultans but the Patriots whose offense was of the high scoring variety was able to get a run back in the bottom of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Jessica DeWitt (2-4, 3 R, 5 RBI, 2B) that brought home Altmeyer to make it 10-4.

They would cut more into the Sultans lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Sydney Newton reached on an error, she would come all the way around to score due to multiple errors made by the Sultans on the play. The following batter McKenna Gieger (2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR) doubled, she would advance to third on a base hit by Jenel Mallari, she would be caught stealing second for the first out.

Still, the Patriots had Newton at third base and Lily Glenn (1-1, R) came up and drew a walk to put runners at the corners, the next batter Altmeyer roped a double bringing in Newton and advance Glenn to third base. With runners on second and third and only one out, DeWitt came up and belted a three-run home run over the center-field fence for her third of the season.

All of a sudden it was a brand new ball game as the Patriots had pulled within a run at 10-9.

But Santana would score four more runs in the top of the fifth inning thanks to an RBI single by Warren, Cyman would drive in Johnson on a sacrifice fly and Joey Barkhimer (2-6, R, 3 RBI, 2B) would drive in a pair of runs with a double to center field to make it 14-9.

Patrick Henry though would answer back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning starting with a leadoff solo homer by Gieger for her first of the season, later with two outs Altmeyer doubled and she would score when DeWitt followed with a double, the next batter Patmon singled to center scoring DeWitt to make it 14-12.

With the game close the Sultans would answer as Cyman would drive in three runs, Barkhimer would drive in a run and Oceguera would knock in a run on a line out in which Kassidy Harper (3-6, R, 2B) tagged up and scored to make it 19-12.

Santana would round out their scoring as Warren had an RBI single and Cyman drove in another run.

An RBI single by Gigante would be all the Patriots would get in the bottom of the seventh inning as Brown finished things out for the Sultans.

For the Sultans, Cyman and her 8 RBIs on the day will cement her name into the CIF record book for fourth all-time in section history. Her big day also was tied for fourth all-time in East County history behind Jenny Ray of Christian who is tops in CIF and East County history with 12 RBI against Hoover back in 2000, Ashliegh Hartwig who drove in 11 RBI against Montgomery in a Hilltop tournament contest back in 2018, former Steele Canyon All-American Lorena Klopp who had 9 RBI against High Tech in 2007 and tied with former Patrick Henry standout Sierra Altmeyer who drove in 8 RBI against Christian in 2015.

As for Grossmont Conference history, Cyman’s 8 RBI are tied for second with Klopp and behind Hartwig who set the mark a couple of years ago. Also, her 8 RBI on the day set a new Santana record for most in a game that was previously held by both Amanda Grable against Monte Vista in 2009 and Kayti Grable against El Cajon Valley in 2013 who each drove in 7 runs.

Scoring & Allowing 10 runs, Same Game

SANTANA Win: Sultans 21, at Patrick Henry 13 Loss: El Capitan 14, at Santana 11 Loss: Hilltop 12, Santana 10 (8 Iinn.) Win: Sultans 25, at Mount Miguel 10	Date 5-6-2021 5-5-2015 4-13-2015 5-5-2014
PATRICK HENRY Loss: Santana 21, at Patriots 13 Win: Christian 11, at Patriots 17	5-6-2021 5-7-2015