Pats, El Cap sport offense & defense

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 10, 2023

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EL CAJON – It was runs-a-plenty for the Christian Patriots offense in pounding former Eastern League rival Morse Tigers in non-league action on Thursday (Mar 9) out at Roma Dawson field.

An RBI single by Payton Grosset to score Hannah Mroz followed by a ball hit by Tyler Krystek that was misplayed allowing Grosset to score would give the Patriots a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning.

Kaitlyn Moody in the third inning would extend the lead as she blasted a one-out solo homer over the left field fence to make it 3-0.

Morse would scratch a run back in the fourth inning when Melody Wheatley doubled to center field to pull the Tigers within 3-1.

Christian would add another run in the bottom of the inning when Krystek scored on an error by the Tigers.

Leading 4-1 the Patriots added more in the fifth inning when Keelayana Carrizosa scored on a dropped third strike and Krystek knocked in Jordyn Krystek on a sacrifice fly to left field.

The final run for the Pats came on a wild pitch allowing Samantha Baca to race home.

Lucy Sherburne also had a pair of hits for the Patriots.

Allyson Moody picked up the win for the Pats as she went four innings, allowing one run on three hits and striking out four, Grosset came in and tossed three innings of relief allowing one hit and striking out four.

El Capitan 15, Hilltop 0 (6 inn.)

CHULA VISTA – Hitting and pitching made the perfect combination on the day as the El Capitan Vaqueros not only limited the Hilltop Lancers in the circle, while at the plated exploded offensively in multiple innings as they won convincingly in Hilltop tournament action down on Thursday (Mar. 9). One of those rallies came in the sixth inning when 8 runs were enough to invole the run rule.

Offensively, the Vaqueros pounded out 16 hits and also took advantage of six Lancer errors.

Every Vaqueros hitter registered a hit and scored a run.

In the victory-finishing sixth, Alanna Christiaens would drive in a run, Addison Leone knocked in a pair, Alyssa Fierro drove in a run and Ava Gall would knock in one.

Dominique Garcia at the plate would have three hits and also scored a run and drove in one.

Shelby Vars would get the starting nod in the circle, she went four innings, allowing zero runs on three hits and struck out four, Makenna Burton who came in and went two innings allowed one hit while fanning five on the day.

El Capitan remains unbeaten and has won five games in a row to go 5-0.

Helix 2, Mt Carmel 0

LA MESA – A two-run blast by Kamryn Evans over the left field fence proved to be the difference as the Helix Highlanders would shut out the Mt. Carmel Sun Devils in tournament play on Thursday (Mar, 9).

Scoring on the blast by Evans was Danette Munoz who drew a one-out walk.

Evans would have a pair of hits and Angel Riggins would have the other pair for the Highlanders as sophomore Katelyn Woodland would shut down the Sun Devils offense to make the two runs stick.

Woodland would go the distance as she allowed zero runs on six hits and struck out four in the victory.

Santana 13, Bayfront Charter 0 (5 inn.)

SANTEE – Five doubles and a pair of home runs were included in the 14-hit barrage as the Santana Sultans won convincingly at home on Thursday (Mar 9) in tournament action over the Bayfront Charter Sharks.

Emma Schneider, Anabella Heguy, Carissa Ruiz, McKenna Miller, and Kaitlyn Ruckle each had doubles on the day and Miller and Heguy each homered.

Schneider would drive in a pair of runs in the first inning as the Sultans would put up a six spot to lead 6-0.

Both she and Heguy would drive in three runs.

Aurelia Dawson picked up the win as she struck out three over her five innings of work in which she allowed four hits.

Point Loma 5, Steele Canyon 4

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Trailing by four runs in the sixth inning, the Steele Canyon Cougars tried to make a furious rally with two outs as they scored three runs. Unfortunately, they would come up short as the Point Loma Pointers would hold on for the one-run victory on Thursday (Mar 9).

Steele Canyon would strike first as Marina Gonzalez singled to right field but the ball would be misplayed which allowed Jazmin Williams who led off the inning with a walk to come around for the 1-0 early lead in the first inning.

The momentum would be short-lived as the Pointers erased the deficit with a pair of runs in the top of the second inning thanks to a double by Ryoko Schroth and a single by Avery MacPherson.

They would later add a couple more runs in the top of the fifth and a run in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 5-1.

However, the bats of the Cougars would come alive in the bottom of the sixth starting with Kamea Seunarine who led off with a double, Isabella Azevedo followed with a base hit to right field which was followed by Kayala Hopkins driving in Seunarine on a base hit to left field to make it 5-2.

After Azevedo was thrown out trying to advance to second base and the following batter retired the Cougars continued as Jenna Wilson reached on an error and later Hopkins would score on a passed ball and Hailey Trujillo would drive in Wilson to pull within a run but the rally would be halted as Point Loma would finally get the final out a couple of batters later.

Steele Canyon tried to mount another rally in the seventh inning and was looking good as Seunarine led off with a single but the Pointers would end up squashing it with a game-ending double play.