‘There it is!’ – Mujica sets homer records

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

 

By Adam Paul

EL CAJON – In all sports records are meant to be broken, including long-standing records.

Last season in Major League Baseball, the all-time American League single-season home run record of 61 fell when New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge hit 62 to break the mark previously held by former Yankees standout Roger Maris, who set the standard back in 1961.

Also last summer, Oklahoma Sooners All-American Jocelyn Alo broke the all-time NCAA career home run record of 96 held by another Sooners great  Lauren Chamberlain, going on to crush the mark with 122 blasts.

On Wednesday (Mar. 8) in non-league action, Granite Hills junior standout and UCLA bound Sofia Mujica etched her name into the record books with her solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning powering the Eagles past neighborhood rival Valhalla, 7-5.

WATCH SOME HOMER HIGHLIGHTS, HERE

With her 35th career homer, Mujica surpassed both the Grossmont Conference and East County marks.

“What is funny is I didn’t even know I had broken the records until my parents had told me,” said Mujica. “It really is such an amazing accomplishment and we aren’t done yet this season as we have a lot of goals to accomplish.”

The previous conference mark was established by Kayti Grabel of Santana, who was also tied with Patrick Henry’s Olivia Giganti for the East County mark.

Mujica’s record-breaking clout off of Norsemen pitcher Mckayla Fish.

“I was in attack first pitch strike mode and it was nice and inside,” noted Sandoval. “I was set on it and hit it out. I had also faced her freshman year and I had watched video recently of Valhalla.” Said Mujica when asked about the pitch and also facing Fish who came into the contest in relief of Villalva.

Early action

Mujica was only part of the Eagles’ scoring. Kailey Sandoval would get things started in the third with a leadoff triple, scoring on a ground out by Kamryn Flath to make it 1-0.

The Eagles would tack on more runs in the fourth inning starting with Esther Cerda leading off reaching on an error, Jenna Haynal followed with a double to center field and Audrey Smale would reach on another error allowing Cerda to race home for a 2-0 lead. After a walk to Mujica, Sandoval would strike again this time with an RBI double to left field scoring both Haynal and Smale, Marilyn Lewis who came in as a courtesy runner for Mujica would score on another error by the Norsemen and Sandoval would also score on the same error.

Valhalla would finally get on the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning as Naomi Villalva led off with a walk, Cadyn Ruffer doubled to left field and Villalva raced all the way around for the score which also advanced Ruffer to third, she would come into score on a ground out by Devyn Mack.

Villalva would take the loss as she lasted only four innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and striking out one, Fish who came into the game in relief went two innings giving up one run on one hit and striking out two.

Peyton Wells who was given the starting nod for the Eagles went the distance, giving up two runs on six hits and striking out four.

With the victory, Granite Hills (6-1 overall) raised its winning streak to six straight. Valhalla fell to 2-3-1.

• ECS Senior writer Nick Pellegrino contributed to this report.

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