Softball Fireworks: Cougars rake Hillers

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 14, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

FLETCHER HILLS (4-14-22) – In a contest where both teams lit up the scoreboard the offense for the Steele Canyon Cougars (12-7-1, 1-1 GHL) really amped things up late as they rallied and scored 14 runs over the final three innings to complete the 19-13 victory over the Grossmont Foothillers (11-7, 0-2 GHL) on Thursday afternoon in Grossmont Hills League action.

Early on Grossmont would take advantage of a passed ball that allowed Natalie Emery to race home for the first run, a couple of batters later Isabel Cervantes with one out would double in both Ashley Beard and Jade Daley which was followed by a ground ball out by Jenna Ennis allowing Iryana Oliver to race home to give the Hillers a 4-0 lead.

A couple of innings later in the top of the third inning, the Cougars would score a pair of runs on an error committed by the Foothillers. Scoring on the miscue were Isabella Azevedo and Jazmin Williams to cut the deficit in half 4-2.

The Cougars would again pounce in the top of the fourth inning starting with a leadoff hit by Janea Wilson who would advance to second on an error and would come into score when Hailey Trujillo would reach on an error by the first baseman after laying down a bunt to make it 4-3. Later in the inning, Williams would drive in both Trujillo and Azevedo when she roped a ball to center field for a triple to give the Cougars their first lead of the game 5-4.

But the Hillers would answer back in the bottom of the inning thanks to Daley who doubled in Na’Khia Lee to tie the game and a couple of batters with runners on Cervantes managed to draw the bases-loaded walk to score Beard to give them a 6-5 lead.

However, the momentum would shortly shift back to the Cougars thanks to back-to-back singles by Abby Curran and Kamea Seunarine. With runners on first and second up came Wilson who promptly cranked the offering deep over the center-field fence for the three-run blast and allow the Cougars to retake the lead 8-6. Later in the inning, Breanna Lakin would come into score when Azevedo reached on an error.

Leading now 9-6 the Cougars were in business as they still had Mariah Mata and Azevedo on base and both would advance as they both stole second and third. Now with runners in scoring position Williams would double in both runners to extend the lead to 11-6. She would come into score on a sacrifice by Allyson Haessly to make it 12-6.

The scoring wasn’t done though as Grossmont would climb back thanks to an RBI single by Emery to score Lauren Becker, a couple of batters later with two outs Katelynne Parent would drive in both Lee and Beard which was followed by Parent scoring on an error by the Cougars to make it 12-10.

Now only leading by a couple of runs the Cougars would go on and tack on more runs when Wilson would score on a passed ball before Mata doubled which was followed by Azevedo driving in Mata with a double of her own and later Haessly knocking in Azevedo on a base hit to right field.

Grossmont would take advantage of an error by the Cougars which led to Ennis scoring to make it 16-11.

Steele Canyon leading 16-11 in the top of the seventh inning would add three more runs courtesy of a base hit by Madison Villaescusa that scored Isabella Smith, Breanna Lakin followed with an RBI single to bring home Wilson and Mata grounded out allowing Villaescusa to race home.

Now trailing 19-11 the Hillers didn’t go down swinging as with one out Cervantes singled which was followed by a double by Ennis to put runners on second and third. A couple of batters later with two outs, Lee would hit a ball that was misplayed allowing both Cervantes and Ennis to come in and score. The next batter Emery would single but this would be the closest that the Hillers would get as the next batter would be retired to end the game.