Initial Valhalla Win is Simply Dramatic

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 13, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Valhalla who was still looking for their first win of the season was able to earn it dramatically as they scored the 5-4 walk-off victory over Ramona on Wednesday. Taylor Mack (1-3, RBI) came to the plate with the score knotted up and was able to get a hold of one for the game-winning RBI single scoring Avery Voth (1-4, R).

Despite committing six errors in the contest the bats for Valhalla came alive as they tallied 10 hits in the come-from-behind win.

Lily Moscoso (3-3, R, RBI), and Emma Sloan (2-3, R, RBI, 2B) would combine for five of the ten hits.

Sloan for the Norsemen would start the scoring as she drove in Bailey Lenz to lead 1-0. Ramona would tie the game in the top of the next inning and in the fourth inning would take advantage of a couple of errors and base hit to push across three runs and take a 4-1 lead.

Moscoso would cut into the deficit as she drove in Sloan in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Later in the bottom of the seventh inning, Moscoso would start with a base hit, Preslee Fink followed with a base hit, and Voth singled in Moscoso to pull within 4-3. A couple of batters later Natalia Marco drove in Fink to tie the score.

Devyn Mack would pick up the win as she went all seven innings in which she allowed four runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out seven.

Valhalla with the win moves to 1-7 and will next travel to Santana on Thursday for a scheduled 4 PM start time.

WEST HILLS 12, MADISON 4 (5 inn.) – Big day at the plate for Maddie Aylesbury (3-4, 2R, 2 RBI, 2B, SB) as she parted out three hits in four plate opportunities to help propel the West Hills Wolf Pack to the convincing win over the Madison Warhawks.

The damage done by Aylesbury consisted of a single and a double in the first inning along with a double in the fifth inning.

West Hills would do the majority of their offensive damage in the first inning as Katy Spargo (3-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B) doubled in a pair of runs, Faith Balestreri (2-4, R, 2 RBI) drove in a run, Addie Vela (1-3, R, 2 RBI) drove in a pair of run and Aylesbury who also drove in a run.

Pitching wise Ava Goodman got the win as she allowed four runs over four and two-thirds innings while walking six and striking out six.

The Pack offensively stacked up 15 hits off of Warhawk pitching which included Kristina Deal, Amaya Angeli (1-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 SB), Raelyn Gagnon (1-2, R), Sophie Martinez (1-1) and Kiera Allen (1-1).

West Hills improves to 3-3-1 and will next take on Scripps Ranch on Friday at 4 PM.

GRANITE HILLS 2, OTAY RANCH 1 – Two runs scored by Granite Hills in the top of the first stood up as strong pitching by the Eagles kept Otay Ranch in check in the victory.

Olivia Cirar (1-1, 2 RBI) would give Granite Hills their two runs in the first inning when she drove in both Sofia Mujica (2-3, R, 2B) and Kailey Sandoval (1-4, R) with two outs in the inning.

Otay Ranch would cut the lead with a run in the bottom of the second inning to pull within 2-1.

Kaleigh Bougher who came into the game in relief for the Eagles would get the win as she surrendered three hits and no runs over five and two-thirds innings while striking out six Mustangs in the contest. Cirar who started the contest wouldn’t factor into the decision. She allowed one hit and one run over one and one-third innings.

Mujica and Ariana Heninger (2-3) led the Eagles offensively as they each collected a pair of hits.

Granite Hills with the win evens their record at 3-3 and will next play on Tuesday at home at 4 PM against Mater Dei Catholic.

PATRICK HENRY 9, STEELE CANYON 4 – Sophomore Belle Will struck out 12 as she helped lead the Patrick Henry Patriots to a road victory over the Steele Canyon Cougars.

Will on the day allowed six hits and four runs over seven innings in the win.

Patrick Henry offensively would jump out early thanks to Sophia Sanchez who singled in a run and Will who helped her own cause with a two-run blast to right field giving them a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

McKenna Geiger would stretch the lead out for the Patriots with a solo shot over the right-field fence in the top of the third inning.

Despite trailing 4-0 the Steele Canyon Cougars did their best to get back into the game thanks to Marina Gonzalez who like Will helped her own cause as she belted a three-run bomb deep to center field to pull within 4-3.

Gonzalez would take the loss as she allowed 9 runs on 12 hits over seven innings while striking out five and walking five.

Offensively the Patriots tallied 12 hits. Izzy Ervin, Leila Ludwig and Will led with three hits apiece. Ludwig would lead the day with three RBI.

Gonzalez at the plate would lead as she went 2-for-3 with three runs batted in. The other Cougar to have multiple hits in the game was Hailey Trujillo.

Patrick Henry even its record at 4-4 and will next play at Grossmont on Friday at 4 PM while Steele Canyon is now 2-3-1 and will play Hilltop tomorrow at 3:30 PM.

GROSSMONT 10, BRAWLEY 5 – A long road trip down to the valley leads to a double-up victory in Falcon Fiesta action for the Foothillers over the Wildcats.

Grossmont offensively jumped out early with eight runs scored in the top of the first inning.

Eliana Vasquez would drive in a run, Sophie Plunk drove in a run, Carleigh Wenck drove in a run, Jordan Leon walked which scored a run, Madison Busch drove in a pair of runs, Saraya Roope drove in a run and Nakhia Lee doubled in a run.

The Foothillers would add another pair of runs in the top of the third inning courtesy of a Brawley error to give them a 10-3 lead.

Vasquez picked up the win for the Foothillers. She would go five innings in which she allowed five runs on seven hits.

Jenna Ennis and Roope each had a pair of hits for the Hillers.

Grossmont improves to 4-2-1 and will next take on Patrick Henry at home on Friday.

EASTLAKE 4, EL CAPITAN 2 – Early runs scored by the Eastlake Titans were all that were needed as they doubled up the El Capitan Vaqueros despite being outhit 12-9.

El Capitan would score their only runs of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning as Alyssa Fierro and Aubrey Thorne each drove in a run. Sofia Simone would collect a pair of hits and Ciara Bernardini would lead the Vaqueros with three hits.

Alyssa Cole started for the Vaqueros and would be tagged with the loss. She would allow four runs on nine hits over five and one-third innings while striking out three and walking two.

El Capitan is now 2-3-3 on the season and will next travel to Mission Hills on Thursday for a 4 PM start time.

MIRA MESA 4, HELIX 2 – Two runs scored by the Mira Mesa Marauders in the bottom of the sixth inning would be the difference as they doubled up the Helix Highlanders in tournament action.

Ta’Tiannah Wright would double in a run in the top of the third inning and Clarissa Torres would be hit by a pitch in the fifth inning that would score a run.

Lauren Farace took the loss for the Highlanders. She would four runs on six hits over six innings in which she struck out six and walked five.

Helix is now 4-5 on the season and will next take on Mt. Carmel on Thursday at 3:30 PM.