Christian’s Barrios With Another Gem

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 16, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

Christian 10, Holtville 1 – A dominating pitching performance by Ava Barrios procured a 10-strikeout no-hitter as the Christian Patriots won convincingly over Holtville in Hilltop tournament action on Saturday.

The performance by Barrios on Saturday was her second dominant outing of the month as she threw a perfect game against Fallbrook back on the fifth.

Holtville would get on the board first when they hit into a double play and a runner plated to make it 1-0.

Christian though would tie the score in the bottom of the second inning when Kayleigh Martin grounded out which allowed Ashley Wood who led off the inning with a triple to come in and score.

They would later break the game wide open in the bottom of the fourth inning scoring five runs on the four hits they accumulated in the inning. Sienna Staite would break the tie score with an RBI single scoring Martin giving them a 2-1 lead. BI singles by Lucy Sherburne and Kaitlyn Moody would stretch the lead further.

The finishing touches on the big inning was an RBI triple by Keels Carrizosa to make it 6-1.

Moody would finish 2-for-2 with 3 RBI, and Tyler Krystek also would go 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.

Christian 8, Hilltop 1 – Ava Barrios who had already thrown a no-hitter earlier in the day gave an encore dominating performance in the circle in the afternoon game victory in Hilltop tournament action.

Barrios while not obtaining a no-hitter the second time around stifled the Hilltop Lancers as she limited them to one run on three hits while fanning 8 and walking 1 over six innings to pick up her second victory of the day.

Not only was the pitching on point but the offense as well as the bats for the Patriots continued their ways knocking out 12 hits which resulted in 8 runs.

Christian would get the ball rolling in the bottom of the first inning when Ashley Wood hit into a fielder’s choice, and Sammy Baca, and Kayleigh Martin both singled which resulted in runs scoring.

Lucy Sherburne, Wood, and Martin collected 6 of the team’s 12 hits as they each had two this apiece.

Sherburne would also score twice while Wood drove in three runs and scored three runs of her own while Martin would drive in a pair and score a run.

Christian in both games tallied 18 runs and 23 hits.

With two victories the Patriots move their record to 7-0-1 on the season.

El Capitan 1, Bonita Vista 0 – Strong pitching performances on both sides led to a duel in which the El Capitan Vaqueros came away with a 1-0 victory over Bonita Vista in the first game of the day in the Hilltop tournament Saturday.

The only run of the contest came in the top of the fourth inning when Kylee Frazier led off hitting a ball to left field that allowed her to come all the way around for an inside-the-park home run.

Alyssa Cole started for the Vaqueros. The sophomore starter would only allow five hits over seven innings as she shut down the Barons. She would also walk one and strike out one.

Frazier who knocked in the only run of the contest would go 1-for-3 while her teammate Ciara Bernardini led all Vaquero hitters with her 2-for-3 day at the plate.

El Capitan 2, Clairemont 2 – Both teams’ early scoring was all that was on the docket as the Hilltop Tournament contest ended up a tie after seven innings.

El Capitan who was the visiting team in the second contest of the day jumped out early courtesy of Aubrey Thorne who roped in an RBI triple and Alanna Christiaens followed up with an RBI double.

The two-run lead would only last a little as Clairemont would tie the game up in the bottom of the second inning.

Drawing the start for the second game was Shelby Vars who went the full distance in which she allowed the two runs on six hits. She would walk two and strike out two.

Thorne led the Vaqueros in hitting as she would have a 2-for-3 day at the plate which included the triple and RBI.

After both games, the El Capitan Vaqueros are now 3-4-4 overall.

Steele Canyon 14, Southwest El Centro 2 (5 inn.) – A big fifth inning by the Steele Canyon Cougars in which they scored five runs put the game out of reach and would lead to the convincing shortened victory in five innings.

Marina Gonzalez would drive in the game’s first run as she singled and Dannika Lakin would draw a walk that would bring home another run to make it 2-0 in the top of the first inning.

Steele Canyon added more runs in the second inning as Makenzie Myers doubled in a run, Kamea Seunarine who not only scored four runs on the day as she drew three walks would also drive in a run. Another Cougar contributing to the scoring was Bailey Evans with her two-run double.

They would later score six runs in the fifth inning courtesy of an RBI triple by Hailey Trujillo, Isabella Azevedo would come into score after tagging up, an error scored another run, Evans drew a walk that would bring home another run and both Azevedo and Tevia Cohen were struck by pitches that would bring home runs.

Evans started for the Cougars and would get the win. On the day she allowed two runs on eight hits over four and two-thirds innings in which she walked one and struck out one.

She also provided some of the offense in th lineup as she went 2-for-2 with four runs batted in which included a double. Kayala Hopkins also collected a pair of hits as she drove in a run and scored twice.

Steele Canyon 8, Chula Vista 7 (4 inn.) – Trailing 7-2 after an inning and a half the Steele Canyon Cougars offensively stormed back with six runs over the final three innings in Hilltop tournament action.

Marina Gonzalez with the game all knotted at 7-7 in the bottom of the fourth inning would give the Cougars the lead that would be the last with an RBI ground out.

Steele Canyon opened up the game scoring as they took advantage of an error by the Spartans to take an early 2-0 lead.

Chula Vista however in the top of the second would push across seven runs with only two hits as they took advantage of their opportunities.

Trailing, the Cougars would roar back to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning thanks to Bailey Evans who drove in a run and later Danika Lakin who cleared the bases to tie the game with her double to left field.

Steele Canyon with wins in both games is now 5-3-1 overall.

Helix 4, Calexico 2 – After dropping their first contest earlier in the day the Helix Highlanders bounce back and double up the Calexico Bulldogs in Hilltop tournament action on Saturday.

Trailing 2-0 after one inning of play the Highlanders would scratch back a run on an RBI single by Lillianna Benabdeljalil drove in Kamilah Jones to pull them within 2-1.

Helix would take the lead in the bottom of the third inning thanks to Ta’Tiannah Wright who singled and Jones who grounded out as each resulted in runs and a 3-1 lead.

They would add to their lead when Naomi Perra belted a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Lauren Farace would earn the win for Helix. The starter allowed three hits and two runs over five innings of work, striking out seven and walking three.

Imperial 8, Helix 5 – Despite outhitting the Imperial Tigers on Saturday the Helix Highlanders couldn’t overcome a 5 run third inning by the Tigers as they dropped the first Hilltop tournament contest on Saturday.

Jayden Rutledge of Imperial would give them an early 2-0 lead when she roped a two-run single.

Helix would answer back with a run in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of an RBI triple by Ta’Tiannah Wright that allowed Lauren Farace to come in and score. They would tie the game up in the bottom of the second inning on a fielder’s choice by Danette Munoz.

Imperial though would flip the contest with five runs in the top of the third inning with the big blow by Madeleine Magdelano who drove in a pair of runs to give them a 7-2 lead.

Magdelano would also earn the win as she allowed six hits and three runs over three innings, striking out one and walking one.

Katelyn Wood would take the loss for Helix. She would allow eight runs on eight hits over four innings of work while striking out two and walking four.

With the split, the Highlanders record now stands at 5-6.

Mission Vista 6, West Hills 1 – A late offensive surge by Mission Vista propels them to the non-league victory over West Hills on Saturday.

Katy Spargo would put the Wolf Pack on the board first with her RBI double in the top of the third inning.

However, things began to unravel for West Hills in the bottom of the fifth inning as Mission Vista scored five runs only a pair of hits in the inning. Leah Harris would give the big blow with her three-run double.

Ava Goodman for the Pack would be tagged with the loss as she allowed six runs (one earned) on eight hits over six innings.

Offensively, Maddie Aylesbury, Faith Balestreri, Raelyn Gagnon, Goodman, and Spargo all had hits for West Hills.

West Hills falls to 3-4-1 overall.