Sherburne, Moody lift Patriots softball

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 14, 2023

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EL CAJON – It was a big day at the plate for Christian High’s Lucy Sherburne. The senior drove in four runs along with the 11 hits the Patriots collected to come away with an easy 13-2, 5-inning victory over the Brawley Wildcats in Slugger Madness action at Roma Dawson Field on Monday (Mar.13).

Allyson Moody (1-3, R) who got the start went four innings, allowing four hits and two runs while striking out two to pick up the win.

Christian offensively belted two home runs on the day. Sherburne (2-3, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR) with her two-run home run that scored Tyler Krystek (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR) in the bottom of the second inning and later Krystek would match that with a two-run shot of her own in the bottom of the fifth inning that plated Payton Grosset to trigger the mercy rule.

Four Patriots on the day had multiple hits including Ashley Wood (2-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B), Keelayana Carrizosa (2-3, 2 R, RBI), Sherburne and Krystek.

The Patriots (6-3) will next play on Wednesday down in Chula Vista as they take on the Eastlake Titans for a 3:30 start time.

Steele Canyon 3, Canyon Hills 2

JAMUL – Jazmin Williams who is making a case as an early contender for Player of The Year in the East County had another big day at the plate as she drove in all three runs for the Steele Canyon Cougars as they held on to beat the Canyon Hills Rattlers in tournament action on Monday (Mar. 13).

Williams would provide all the run-scoring punch as she belted a two-run shot over the left field fence in the bottom of the first inning that brought home Ily Barclay and in the bottom of the second inning would triple to center field scoring Makenzie Meyer.

Canyon Hills trailing 3-1 would score a run in the top of the seventh inning to pull within a run and put the game-tying run at second with two outs before Marina Gonzalez struck out the final batter to end the game.

Gonzalez struck out seven while allowing two runs on nine hits in her seven innings of work as she picked up the victory.

Steele Canyon improves to 6-2 on the season and will next travel to take on Bayfront Charter on Wednesday (Mar. 15) for a scheduled 3:30 start.

Grossmont 5, Valhalla 3

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Despite being outhit 11-10 the Grossmont Foothillers behind a three-run third inning would go onto beat the Valhalla Norsemen on Monday (Mar.13) afternoon in Falcon Fiesta tournament action.

An early RBI single by Katelynne Parent (1-4, R, RBI, 2B) that brought in Nakhia Lee (2-3, 3 R) would give the Hillers a 1-0 lead. However, the Norsemen would even the score in the bottom of the first when Devyn Mack (1-2, RBI) would drive in Naomi Villalva (2-4, R, RBI) on a base hit to left field. Despite the bases still being full the Hillers would get out of the jam as Cadyn Ruffer (1-3, R, 2B) was thrown out at third on the steal attempt and another runner was caught in the base paths to end the inning.

Both teams not being able to capitalize on early opportunities would change in the third when Jade Daley (1-4, R, 2 RBI, HR) belted a two-run shot over the left field fence that also scored Lee to give the Hillers a 3-1 lead.

Later in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Norsemen would try to rally as they would push across another run courtesy of Mckayla Fish who would drive in Ruffer with two outs to make it 3-2. Valhalla would put the game-tying run on at second base after Liliana Alvarado was hit by a pitch but Vasquez would retire Avery Voth (2-4) to end the game.

Vasquez would get the win for the Foothillers as she struck out a pair over seven innings in which she allowed two runs on eleven hits.

On the other side, Fish would take the loss for the Norsemen, allowing seven hits and three runs while striking out two over her five innings of work.

Other Foothillers to have multiple hits besides Lee was Carleigh Wenck who also drove in a run and Jenna Ennis who also drove in a run.

Grossmont improves their record to 2-3 while Valhalla falls to 2-4-1.

Imperial 12, West Hills 2 (5 inn.)

IMPERIAL – A long road trip was made even longer as the Imperial Tigers used a six-run third-inning burst ato pull away for a convincing win over the West Hills Wolf Pack on Monday (Mar. 13) afternoon down in the desert in tournament action.

Despite getting eleven hits on the day the Pack couldn’t capitalize as the Tigers took advantage of their opportunities.

Early on Kristina Deal (3-3, R, 2B) led off the game with a double and would come around to score when Maddie Aylesbury (1-3, R, RBI) lined a triple to left field for a 1-0 lead, she would come into score as Katy Spargo (1-3, RBI) singled to center field to extend the lead to 2-0.

Alyssa Thornton would go a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate and Ava Goodman had a pair of hits.

Torrey Pines 3, Helix 0

la mesa – Early runs by the Torrey Pines Falcons were all they needed as Georgia Bilski fired a two-hit complete-game shut-out in Falcon Fiesta action on Monday (Mar. 13) .

Taking advantage of an error for the first run the Falcons would add a second run when Mina Crouch blasted a solo shot over the center-field fence to give them a 2-0 lead.

Torrey Pines would late tack on a run in the fifth inning when Crouch again came thru with an RBI single to round out the scoring.

Lauren Farace and LaNiah Broom collected the only hits for the Highlanders.

Farace would take the loss as she allowed three runs on four hits over her five innings of work that would see her strike out three.

Bilski in the win for the Falcons would strike out four on the day.

With the loss, Helix falls to 3-2-1, while the Falcons move to 7-1.

Scoreboard

Grossmont 5, at Valhalla 3
Mount Miguel 9, Classical 8
Christian 13, Brawley 2 inn., walk-off)
El Capitan 7, Otay Ranch 0 (5
Imperial 12, West Hills 2 (5 inn.. walk-off)
Torrey Pines 3, Helix 0