Vaqueros blank Patriots in Opener

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

EL CAPITAN 5, CHRISTIAN 0

LAKESIDE — A pair of key defensive plays — one converted, one not — spelled the difference in Monday’s (Feb. 14) East County high school softball opener.

El Capitan accepted an important, lucky bounce for an important out, while the defense for Christian barely failed to gain an equally lucky hop, allowing the host Vaqueros to down the Patriots, 5-0.

It was the earliest start to the CIF-San Diego Section softball season since the sport switched from the winter sports season in the mid-1980s.

In the fourth inning, the break for El Cap saw the first baseman barely get a piece of a hard grounder, but the ball rolled behind her.

Fortunately, the ball deflected directly to the second baseman. And when the first baseman recovered in time to collect the throw and register the out, it ended a budding Christian rally ad keep the contest scoreless.

In the bottom half of the inning, Vaqueros batterAlyssa Fierro  sent her own hot grounder up the middle. The Christian High shortstop attempted a diving stop and also got a slice of the ball.

However, this time the ball skipped beyond the reach of the second baseman and trickled into right field for a Fierro  basehit.

Moments later, D0n Garcia  went deep with an RBI double off the wall to right-center field. Garcia would score on a sacrifice bunt and by Ava Gall, then a single for a 2-0 lead.

An inning later, El Capitan added three additional markers, which was enough for the Vaqueros pitcher, who tossed a 2-hit shutout.

For Christian, freshman Tyler Krystek collected both of the Patriots’ hits.

El Cap’s Alyssa Fierro is sent home by veteran coach Joe Cota.