Woodland’s Gem Propels Helix

By Adam Paul
Updated: February 22, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

LA MESAa – Helix Highlander junior Katelyn Woodland stifled the Patrick Henry Patriots bats the entire night as she fanned 12 batters in the 5-0 victory in a contest played under the lights. Woodland would only allow one hit over seven innings while walking one.

Helix (1-0) would strike first in the bottom of the third inning courtesy of junior Ta’Tiannah Wright who was able to claim a piece of a pitch that was hit just right so that it would stay fair and out of reach of Patriots pitcher Zoe Rutherford who couldn’t get to it in time which allowed Lauren Farace to come into score.

Rutherford for Patrick Henry (0-1) would take the loss as she allowed two runs (one earned) over five innings while allowing seven hits and striking out five and walking three.

Offensively for the Highlanders, LaNiah Broom, Farace, and Tatiana Hernandez-Valverde led the way as they each collected a pair of hits on the night.

On the other side, McKenna Gieger went 1-for-3 as she collected a lead-off single in the top of the fourth innings for the Patriots.

Helix will next play on Saturday at home against Olympian in a scheduled 10 AM game while Patrick Henry will next play on Monday evening in the Cougar Classic against Coastal Academy at 7 PM up at Kit Carson Park.

Grossmont 5, Holtville 3 – Five runs scored over the third and fourth innings were all the Grossmont Foothillers needed as they beat the visiting Holtville Vikings in San Diego Coastal tournament action on Thursday afternoon.

Leading the charge for Grossmont (1-0) would be the bottom of the lineup who produced on the day as Ashley Beard, Heidi Villa, and Sophie Plunk combined for six of the team’s 11 hits in the game.

Saraya Roop making her varsity debut threw a solid two-hitter over six innings in which she Traallowed one run while walking three and striking out five to get her varsity victory. She not only was solid in the circle but also at the plate as she collected three hits and helped her cause with an RBI.

Sophomore Kenzie Price would lead Holtville (0-1) with two hits that included driving in a pair of runs.

Brooke Strahm would take the loss for the Vikings as she allowed five runs on 11 hits over six innings in which she also struck out four.

The Foothillers will next play on Tuesday at 7 PM against the Coronado Islanders to start the Cougar Classic.

El Capitan 7, Rancho Bernardo 7 – El Capitan’s Ciara Bernardini in the bottom of the seventh inning would drive in Kylee Frazier with two outs to tie the game before the game was called on Thursday afternoon.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning El Capitan would knot the score when Aubrey Thorne doubled in a run.

Rancho Bernardo would retake the lead in the top of the third inning as they scored three runs to lead 4-1. However, the Vaqueros would push across three runs which included a run-scoring walk by Domonique Garcia and an RBI single by Kameron McDaniel along with Alyssa Fierro scoring on an error.

The Broncos once again would retake the lead as they pushed across a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning to lead 6-4.

El Capitan would again tie the game thanks to a triple by Thorne, and another error by the Broncos.

Starting for the Vaqueros was Alyssa Cole who allowed 7 runs on 9 hits over seven innings of work, striking out two and walking four.

Thorne who doubled and tripled on the day also drove in a pair of runs for the Vaqueros while her teammate McDaniel also had a pair of hits and an RBI.

MATER DEI CATHOLIC 10, WEST HILLS 0 (5 INN.) – On Thursday afternoon the Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders score all of their runs in the first three innings to win convincingly over the West Hills Wolf Pack in Falcon Fiesta action.

Offensively at the plate West Hills (0-1) was stymied as Maddie Aylesbury would have the only hit on the day as she doubled in the first inning.

Mater Dei Catholic (1-0) on the other hand would collect 11 hits in the victory.