West Hills, Helix, take league triumphs

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 20, 2023

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Late runs by West Hills Wolf Pack allowed the Wolf Pack to claim a slugfest over the Valhalla Norsemen, 13-8. on Wednesday )Apr. 19) in Grossmont Valley League play at Leto Family Field.

West Hills (11-6-1 overall, 3-0 GVL) trailing 1-0 in the top of the second inning would take advantage of their opportunities starting with Sophia Martinez reaching on an error and Ava Goodman coming into score on an error by the Norsemen to tie the game at 1-1.

The Packs Amaya Angeli would drive in a pair of runs to give them a 3-1 lead, she would later score on a passed ball and Kristina Deal would score on another Norsemen error to extend the lead to 5-1.

Valhalla (6-8-1, 1-1 GVL) though wouldn’t fret as Aubrielle Mckee drove in a run in the bottom of the fourth, Isabella Moscoso drove in a run and would later score on a passed ball to pull them within a run 5-4.

But the bats of the Pack didn’t slow down as they would put on a two-out scoring rally. Goodman would start things off with an RBI double that scored Raelyn Gagnon, Martinez singled in Goodman, and Addi Vela singled in Faith Balistreri to push the lead to 8-4.

The Norsemen in the bottom half of the inning would push across three runs courtesy of an error by the Pack, Mckee driving in a run and would come into score on another error to cut the deficit to one run.

West Hills would score a run in the sixth inning on a leadoff solo home run by Deal to give them a 9-7 lead but the Norsemen again would answer as Devin Mack drove in a run to make it 9-8.

The Wolf Pack would eventually put the game away with runs scored in the top of the seventh inning.

Amaya Angeli who had 4 RBI on the day would drive in two runs on a triple to left field scoring both Chiara Burgin and Veli, Angeli would come into score when Deal doubled to left field and later Samiya Wright singled in Maddie Aylesury to round out the scoring.

Alyssa Thornton would shut down the Norsemen in order to finish out the victory.

Mack would take the loss for the Norsemen as she allowed five runs on three hits over an inning and a third

Thornton garnered the win going the full seven innings allowing eight runs on nine hits and striking out three

Helix 5, Granite Hills 4

LA MESA – Despite a small, late-inning rally by the Granite Hills Eagles, the Helix Highlanders managed to hold on for the 5-4 victory on Wednesday (Apr.19) in a crucial Grossmont Hills League contest.

With both squads looking for their first league win any advantage was sought after.

Helix (10-8-2, 1-2 GHL) would lead 1-0 early as they took advantage of an error to lead 1-0 in the bottom of the second inning.

Granite Hills (10-4, 0-2 GHL) though would get going offensively in the third when Sophia Mujica drove in Kamryn Flath to tie the game and later Makayla Tileia would give them the lead with a two-run double to center field scoring both Marilynn Lewis and Kiki Sandoval to give them a 3-1 lead.

The Highlanders though would come back as they scored on an error by the Eagles and Angel Riggins would drive in both Valeria Avila and Kamryn Evans to retake the lead 4-3. They would tack on a needed insurance run in the fourth inning when Clarissa Torres singled to left field in which the ball was misplayed allowing Lauren Farace to come into score to make it 5-3.

The insurance run scored by Helix was necessary as the Eagles would pull within 5-4 in the top of the seventh inning on a double by Tileia.

Peyton Wells for the Eagles would take the loss, she would allow five runs on four hits over three and a third inning while striking out two.

Her counterpart Farace picked up the victory going all seven innings giving up four runs on eight hits while fanning six in the contest.

El Capitan 12, Steele Canyon 0

SPRING VALLEY – The El Capitan Vaqueros continued their winning ways behind freshman Mackenna Burton, who fired a two-hit complete game gem victory over the Steele Canyon Cougars on Wednesday (Apr.19) in Grossmont Hills League action.

Dominique Garcia would drive in the first run for the Vaqueros in the second inning to make it 1-0, Addison Leone would also drive in both Kylee Frazier and Garcia which was followed by Ava Gall driving in Ciara Bernardini to make it 4-0.

Both Aubrey Thorne and Alyssa Fierro would drive in runs in the fourth inning. The El Capitan Vaqueros (20-3, 2-0 GHL) would score two more in the sixth inning to extend the lead to 9-0.

Alanna Christiaens would belt a three-run home run to center field in the seventh that would score both Leone and Gall.

A single in the third inning by Kamea Seunarine and a single in the fourth by Marina Gonzalez would be the lone hits for Steele Canyon (11-5, 1-1 GHL).

Emma Shellstrom, who went four innings, allowing seven runs on twelve hits, would take the loss.

Elsewhere

Mount Miguel 14, ECVHS 7

EL CAJON – El Cajon Valley held an early 5-2 lead, lost the advantage, then moved to within 7-5 through five innnings in an attemplt to snap a lengthy losing streak in league play. However, Mount Miguel responded ny scoring seven runs ovrt the final two innings to win by a touchdown, 14-7, in Wednesday;s (Apr. 19) Grossmont Valley League ballgame.

MountMiguel’s Klarissa Soto earned the hardest part of a cycle, gaining a triple and a double to produce a game-best three RBI.

Meanwhile, Sami Jelowdar posted three hits, including a double, and a pair of RBI.

Grossmont 27, Monte Vista 2

SPRING VALLEY – In a game called after six innings (not five), Grossmont registered the third-highest run total in Grossmont Valley League history by pasting host Monte Vista, 27-3.

The record is 34 by Granite Hills in 2015, while Mount Miguel once scored 29 that same season.

Speaking about runs, in the City Conference, Lincoln would out-last Crawford, 33-23, in Central League play.

Borrego Springs 12, Julian 6 (4 inn.)

JULIAN – Borrego Springs freshman Anavey Gonzalez belted a pair of doubled, allowing the Rams to double up the host Julian Eahles, 12-6, in a Manzanita League ballgame on Wednesday (Apr. 19)

Gonzalez finished with three hits, while Mariana Torres (Jr) whipped a double and scored three times. Another frosh, Janessa Nehrer, also scored twice, as the Rams scored five times on their first two trips to the plate to mount a 10-0 cushion.

According to statistics posted by two computer scoring services (they mirror each other0, Borrego Springs stole 31 bases. If later proven to be accurate following an audit, the total would be the third-largest in CIFSDS history and the most in the 21st Century.

Scoreboard

Grossmont Hills League
Helix 5, Granite Hills 4
El Capitan 12, at Steele Canyon 0
Bye – Santana
Grossmont Valley League
West Hills 13, at Valhalla 8
Mount Miguel 14, ECVHS 7
Grossmont 27, Monte Vista 2 (6 inn., not 5)
Avocado League
Ramona 6, Valley Center 1
Central League
Lincoln 33, Will C. Crawford 23
Manzanita League
Borrego Springs 12, at Julian 6 (4 inn.)