Sultans upset Vaqueros; Cougars clip Eagles

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

 

By Adam Paul

SANTEE (5-3-22) – Early runs scored by the Santana Sultans (11-12, 3-4 GHL) this time around despite being out-hit 10-5 proved to be the difference on Tuesday in their 5-1 victory over the first-place El Capitan Vaqueros (19-6, 6-1 GHL) in Grossmont Hills action.

The last time these two teams met back at the end of March in Lakeside the Vaqueros would erase a three-run lead as they scored five runs late in the contest to claim a 6-5 victory.

Not so this time around as the Sultans who would score a run on a ball hit by Madison Jordan that was misplayed allowing Samantha Sullivan who led off with a triple to score would later add another run on a base hit by Haley Oceguera to give them a 2-0 lead.

Despite the Vaqueros being able to load the bases in the top of the second inning via a single by Maddie Taylor, a walk by Brooke Horn, and a two-out base hit by Peyton Wells the Sultans would get out of the inning without any harm done.

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the third inning the Vaqueros would have another opportunity as Alyssa Fierro led off with a base hit followed by Dominique Garcia reaching on an error. Once again though the Sultans would get out of the inning unharmed.

Santana would go on to add on to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Taylinn Warren tripled in Sullivan and Jordan followed with an RBI double that plated Warren to make it 5-0.

El Capitan would finally get on the board in the top of the fifth inning as Hailey Mulligan singled with two outs, she would advance to second on a passed ball and come around to score when Ava Gall singled. Coming into run for Gall was Shelby Vars, the next batter Taylor would rip a double to center field giving them runners on second and third and two outs. But once again the Vaqueros would come up empty.

Sultans starter Ashtyn Niemiec in the seventh inning only allowed a single to Garcia before she would retire the next batter and get the last two outs on a lined double play.

Wells would take the loss for the Vaqueros as she allowed five runs on five hits while walking two and striking out two.

Niemiec despite allowing ten hits on the day only allowed one run over seven innings in which she walked one and struck out three on the day.

 

Steele Canyon 5, Granite Hills 1

EL CAJON (5-3-22) – A pair of home runs in the early innings by the Steele Canyon Cougars (15-9-1, 3-4 GHL) helped them jump out and propel them to a victory over the Granite Hills Eagles on Tuesday in Grossmont Hills action.

The Cougars jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Jazmin Williams belted her fourth home run of the season over the right-field fence.

Steele Canyon would add to their lead in the top of the second inning when Mariah Mata hit her first home run of the season over the center-field fence for a two-run shot giving them a 3-0 lead. Also, scoring on the home run was Kamea Seunarine who led off the inning with a walk.

Another run for the Cougars would extend their lead to 4-0 in the top of the third inning. This time the run would come courtesy of Abby Curran who doubled in Allyson Haessly.

Granite Hills though wouldn’t be shut out as they would answer with a run in the bottom of the third inning when with two outs Audrey Smale drove in Kailey Sandoval to make it 4-1.

However, later in the top of the fifth inning, the Cougars would tack on a run when Curran drove in Williams.

That would be all Emma Shellstrom needed as she only allowed a Breanna Diaz single over the next couple of innings in the bottom of the seventh before finishing things off for the win.

Kaleigh Bauer who got the start for the Eagles went two and one-thirds innings in which she allowed four runs on three hits while walking two and striking out two, Taylor Rose who came into the game in relief went four and two-thirds of an inning, she allowed a run on three hits and struck out three.

Shellstrom who got the win allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in which she struck out eight on the day.