Late Williams homer lifts Steele Canyon

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 9, 2023

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

SPRING VALLEY – A third-inning, two-out solo home run by Steele Canyon’s Jazmin Williams would be the difference as they would hold on to beat the Holtville Vikings, 2-,1, in Slugger tournament pool play on Wednesday (Mar 8).

The Cougars early on would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Freshman IIy Barclay belted her first career home run.

Holtville would tie things up in the top of the third inning on an RBI single by Kaitlyn Havens.

The Vikings would have multiple chances to push across runs including a one-out double in the fifth inning but Emma Shellstrom would get out of the inning.

Shellstrom would again face adversity in the seventh inning with two outs as Kamryn Walker tripled to left field which was followed by a walk. However, Shellstrom would get the final out as Brooke Strahm would hit a lined shot back at her which she would catch for the final out to end the game.

She would pick up the victory as she worked all seven innings in which she allowed one run on eight hits and struck out five.

Steele Canyon with the win improves to 4-1 on the season.

Santana 14, Central Union 4 (5 inn.)

EL CENTRO – Santana’s Anabella Heguy’s big day at the plate going three-for-four as she drove in four RBI helped spark the convincing victory over the El Centro-Central Spartans in tournament action on Wednesday.

Early on the Spartans would lead 4-0 thanks to multiple hits including a two-run single by Lani Garcia.

But the Sultans wouldn’t be deterred as they would answer back with eight runs of their own in the bottom of the second inning.

Kaitlyn Ruckle would drive in a run which was followed by a two-run double by Heguy to pull within 4-3. Later in the inning leading 5-4 the Sultans would add more when Delanney Smith drove in a pair of runs and Emma Schneider followed up with an RBI single.

Both Smith and Schneider in the bottom of the fourth inning would go yard back-to-back each over the center field fence, later in the inning, Heguy would double in a run, and Vanessa Ryan singled in a run to give the Sultans a 13-4 lead.

Heguy would finish off her day with another RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning which allowed the mercy rule to come into play.

Kyleigh Aeson would pick up the win as she went four innings in which she allowed four runs on three hits and struck out four, Gracie Johnston came in and tossed an inning giving up no runs on no hits and struck out two.

The Sultans improve to 4-1-1 on the season.

Christian 5, Valley Center 0

EL CAJON – Patriots pitchers Ava Barrios who got the starting nod, and Peyton Grosset combine to shut out the Valley Center Jaguars as they limited them to two hits on the day in tournament action at Roma Dawson Field on Wednesday (Mar 8).

Tyler Krysteks’ two-out RBI single in the bottom of the fourth inning to bring home Chloe Hessom would give them a 1-0 lead.

More two-out scoring for the Patriots in the bottom of the fifth inning would help round out their scoring on the day.

The two-out scoring rally started with an RBI single by Keelayana Carrizosa that brought home, Lucy Sherburne, Ashley Wood would drive in both Kaitlyn Moody and Carrizosa with a base hit to center field and later in the inning Wood would steal home successfully to round out the scoring.

Barrios on the day in the circle went six full innings giving up zero runs on two hits while striking out six, Grosset came in and went an inning allowing no hits.

Helix 7, Westview 5 (8 inn.)

DEL SUR – The Helix Highlanders with the score tied up at 5-5 would push across a pair of runs in the top of the eighth inning to claim the victory over the Westview Wolverines in tournament action on Wednesday (Mar 8).

Kiana Lee Brown’s ground out to bring home Natalya Gallman in the top of the eighth would break the tie and Keala Ruiz would later score on a passed ball to extend the lead.

The Highlanders started off the scoring in the top of the first on a ground out by Lauren Farace that allowed Angel Riggins to race home to make it 1-0. Farace again would come up with another RBI single in the top of the third inning to score Riggins to make it 2-0.

Later in the top of the fourth inning leading 2-1 the Highlanders behind an RBI single by Riggins to score Ivy Greene followed by a two-run triple by Farace that scored both Karli Beagle and Riggins would push the lead to 5-1.

Westview would score runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to pull within 5-3 and would later tie the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Farace got the starting nod for Helix and went six innings allowing three runs on four hits, Katelyn Woodland would get the victory as she went two innings allowing two runs on three hits while striking out four.

Our Lady of Peace 8, West Hills 4

SERRA MESA – Six runs scored over the fifth and sixth innings proved to be the difference as the Pilots rallied to beat the West Hills Wolf Pack on Wednesday (Mar 8) afternoon.

Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third inning the Wolf Pack with one out would get back-to-back base hits by Amaya Angeli and Kristina Deal and both would score on an error by the Pilots to take a 2-1 lead.

Deal with the score tied in the top of the fifth inning would give the Wolf Pack a 3-2 lead with an RBI single to right field scoring Angeli.

Later in the game trailing the Pack would add their final run when Katy Spargo grounded out but in the process, Angeli would race home for the score.

Alyssa Thornton got the nod for the Pack, she allowed ten hits and eight runs over six innings of work, striking out six.

West Hills falls to 6-3-1 on the season.

San Pasqual 5, Patrick Henry 1

DEL CERRO – The Golden Eagles with the score all tied at 1-1 would push across four runs over the final three innings to prevail on Wednesday (Mar 8) in tournament action.

Henry’s lone run of the contest came in the bottom of the third inning when Izzy Ervin who went two-for-four at the plate belted a solo shot for her second home run of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

Brooke Taylor, Jenna Mallari, Leila Ludwig, Maura Evans, and Lily Glenn all had hits for the Patriots.