McKee’s walk-off gives Norsemen win

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 29, 2021

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Every player always dreams of coming to the plate and smacking the hit that scores the game-winning run. Well on Friday (May 28) Valhalla’s Aubrielle McKee (2-2, RBI, 2B) did just that as she doubled in what was the game-clinching run to defeat the West Hills Wolf Pack, 7-6, in Grossmont Hills action.

West Hills (4-10, 0-8) got the scoring started in the top of the second inning when Marina Morales (1-3, R, RBI) drove in Lily Youndale (1-4, R) to give them a 1-0 lead. Also advancing on the base hit was Emily Byrd (1-3, R) who ended up at third base. She would race home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 and Brianna Bentley (3-4, RBI) would follow with a base hit that brought home Morales to extend the lead to 3-0.

The momentum was short-lived though as Valhalla (11-11, 4-5) scored runs on consecutive fielder’s choices. Scoring on the first one with one was Cadyn Ruffer (1-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB, HR) followed by Bella Moscoso (RUN) on the second one to pull within 3-2.

Aubrey Baker would come home to tie the game at 3-3 on an error by the Wolf Pack.

With the score tied at 3-3 the Wolf Pack would regain the lead in the top of the third inning when Naomi Kai (1-3, RBI) with one out was able to lace a single to left bringing in Amaya Angeli (1-5, R, SB) to make it 4-3.

But the Norsemen again would come back and take their first lead of the contest in the bottom of the third inning when Cadyn Ruffer belted a two-run homer over the center-field fence that also scored Abby Johnston (2-3, R, 2B) to give them a 5-4 lead.

Valhalla would add to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when with two outs Maryn Jordan (2-3, R, RBI, HR) hit a solo home run over the right-field wall to make it 6-4.

Callia Rooks (1-2, RBI) would pull the Wolf Pack within 6-5 in the top of the fifth inning when she bunted for a base hit that brought home Ava Trenkle (RUN).

Moving to the top of the seventh inning and still trailing by a run the Wolf Pack would again tie the score when Freshman Faith Balestreri (1-1, R, RBI, HR) hit her first-ever Varsity home run over the center-field fence to make it 6-6.

The Pack would threaten for more in the inning with one out thanks to Bentley who singled and Sabrina Brown who also singled but Emily Van Der Zalm (1-3) was able to retire the next two batters to end the threat.

For the Pack, Thornton took the loss, she allowed ten hits and four runs over four and two-thirds innings, while striking out two.

Van Der Zalm on the other side for the Norsemen picked up the win going the distance. On the day she gave up six runs on eleven hits.

GRANITE HILLS 9, GROSSMONT 4
GRANITE HILLS – In a back and forth affair the Granite Hills Eagles (7-16-1, 3-5 GHL) would score runs late in the game to secure the victory on Friday (May 28).

Grossmont (7-15, 3-5 GHL) would use early momentum to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Jade Daley (3-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR) hit a three-run homer over the left-field fence. Scoring on the home run were both Caitlyn Potts (3-4, 2 R) and Katelynn Parent (2-4, R) who hit back-to-back singles.

However, the momentum would be short-lived as Granite Hills in the bottom of the inning would take advantage of opportunities and tie the game up at 3-3.

The Eagles first run came when Brooke LaFalce (2 R) scored on a wild pitch, Breanna Diaz (2-3, 3 RBI, 2B) would hit a ball that was misplayed allowing Makenna Hines (3-4, 3 R, 2 RBI) to score and Paige Baird (RBI) would hit a sacrifice fly to left field allowing Angilana Casillas (RUN) to tag up and race home.

Granite Hills later in the bottom of the second inning with one out and East County home run champion Sophia Mujica (2-3, 2B) at-bat would start off with a double to left field, Kayla Fox (3-4, R) followed with a base hit and LaFalce who came in as a courtesy runner for Mujica would race around and score when the ball was misplayed to make it 4-3.

Grossmont in the top of the third inning had a golden opportunity to do some damage with one out as Parent singled and Daley would rope a double advancing Parent to third base. With runners at second and third and one out Eagles pitcher, Chloe Knepp buckled down and was able to get the next two batters to ground out which ended the inning.

Later in the bottom of the fourth inning with two outs, the Eagles would rally with a pair of runs to extend their lead to 6-3. Those runs came when Hines drove in Kiki Sandoval and Brianna Diaz doubled in Hines.

The Foothillers answered with a run in the top of the fifth inning when Alexis Fleischer grounded out allowing Potts to plate to make it 6-4.

But the Eagles again put some distance between them and Grossmont in the bottom of the sixth inning as they scored three runs to make it 9-4.

Hines would double in Gianna Casillas for the first run, Knepp followed with an RBI single scoring Kayla Fox and Diaz hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Hines.

Grossmont had one more opportunity in the top of the seventh inning but Knepp wasn’t having any of it as she retired the side in order to end the game.

Taking the loss for the Foothillers was Sunny Miller who went five innings in which she allowed six runs on twelve hits and struck out two on the day.

For the Eagles, Knepp went all seven innings for the win as she gave up four runs on eleven hits while striking out one on the day.

EL CAPITAN 7, MOUNT MIGUEL 1
SPRING VALLEY – The El Capitan Vaqueros (14-6, 5-1 GVL) received a big day by Siana San Vicente (3-4, R, 4 RBI, 3B) who drove in four runs and had three hits on the day in the victory over Mount Miguel (6-10-1, 3-3 GVL) in Grossmont Valley League action on Friday (May 28).

The first runs for the Vaqueros came in the top of the second inning when San Vicente hit a ball right field that rattled for a two-run triple scoring both Alex Burrough (2-3, 2 R) and Alexis Mc Daniel (1-4, 2 R) to make it 2-0. Later in the inning Katy Hicks (2-3, 3 RBI) would drive in both San Vicente and JoJo Christiaens (RUN) to extend the lead to 4-0.

San Vicente would push the Vaqueros lead to 6-0 in the top of the third inning when she drove in both Burrough and Mc Daniel with a base hit center field.

The final run for the Vaqueros would come in the top of the fourth inning when Hicks singled to center to bring home Dom Garcia (RUN) to make it 7-0.

Mount Miguel would finally get on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ro Riggins (1-3) hit a ball that was misplayed allowing Alex Schneider (2-3, R, 2B) who led off with a double to score to make it 7-1.

The Matadors would threaten in the bottom of the fifth inning when with one out Gigi Valencia (1-3, 3B) tripled to right field but Alyssa Fierro would retire the next two batters to end the inning.

Fierro would finish the game out by not allowing a hit after the bottom of the fifth inning including retiring the side in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game.

Picking up the win for the Vaqueros was Fierro who in her five innings of work allowed one run on two hits and struck out eight on the day.

Also contributing to the Vaqueros win was Madison Field who had a double in the game.

With the win, the Vaqueros stay on track for their big game on Friday, June the fourth when they host Santana in what should be a winner take all showdown for the Grossmont Valley League crown.