Vaqs, Hillers show who is boss

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 16, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

LAKESIDE (3-16-22) – A big explosive third inning led to seven runs for the El Capitan Vaqueros and that would be all they would need as they beat the Clairemont Chieftains in non-league action, 7-1, on Wednesday.

With neither team pushing anything across the bats in the for the Vaqueros finally came alive starting with a two-run single by Alyssa Fierro (1-3, R, 2 RBI) that plated both Shelby Vars (2-3, R, RBI) and Aubrey Thorne (RUN, SB) to give them a 2-0 lead, later Ava Gall (3-4, 2 RBI, 2B, SB) would drive in both Fierro and Addi Leone (RUN) which was followed by a base hit by Brooke Horn (1-4, R, 2 RBI) that allowed both Hailey Mulligan (RUN, SB) and Dominique Garcia (RUN, SB) to score making it 6-0.

The Vaqueros would push across another run in the inning when Vars drove in Horn to make it 7-0.

Clairemont would finally get on the board in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI single to make it 7-1.

However, the one run wouldn’t make a difference as Peyton Wells would induce an inning-ending double-play ball to end the game.

Maddie Taylor also had a hit for the Vaqueros.

Wells got the win as she only allowed three hits and one run over seven innings of work in which she struck out two on the day.

El Capitan has now won three games in a row and improved their record to 7-4 on the season.

Grossmont 8, Scripps Ranch 0 (5 inn)

El Cajon (3-16-22) – Grossmont hurler Caitlyn Potts was on fire against the Scripps Ranch Falcons on Wednesday afternoon as she threw a five-inning complete-game shutout in which she only allowed four hits and struck out five in the Falcon Fiesta tournament win.

Not only was the pitching on but the bats would also come alive as they pushed across five runs in the fifth inning to procure the victory. Potts would drive in Ashley Beard (2-2, 2R) and a couple of batters later with two outs, Isabel Cervantes (1-1, 3 RBI) would knock in both Jade Daley (1-2, 2R) and Lauren Becker (2-2, 2R, RBI, 2B) to make it 6-0. The other big blow by the Hillers would come when Eliana Vasquez (1-1, 2 RBI, 2B) roped a double to left field that brought in both Malia Lebhar (R, SB) and Natalie Tavarez (RUN) to round out the scoring.

Earlier in the contest, the Hillers would take an early lead in the bottom of the second inning when Cervantes hit a sacrifice fly that allowed Becker to tag up and score to make it 1-0. They would add two more runs in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a Becker single that scored Beard and Daley scoring on a passed ball by the Falcons.

Natalie Emery also had a hit and a stolen base in the contest.

Grossmont has now won two in a row and improved to 6-2 on the season.