Norsemen Stun El Cap with late run

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 18, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

LAKESIDE – In a contest where scoring opportunities were hard to come by the visiting Valhalla Norsemen took advantage of a late two-out opportunity as they came away with the 1-0 victory over the El Capitan Vaqueros on Thursday.

What would end up being the game-winning opportunity for Valhalla came in the top of the seventh inning when Danica Reed with two outs drove in Jayden Chiramonte from second base to put the first run on the board.

Devyn Mack drew the start for the Norsemen. She would retire 21 Vaqueros on the day in the complete game victory in which she would allow no runs on two hits while walking three and striking out nine.

On the other side for the Vaqueros, Shelby Vars would take the hard-luck loss as she allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in which she walked two and struck out two.

Reed went 1-for-3 while Chiramonte was 2-for-3 at the plate.

For the Vaqueros, both Kylee Frazier and Domonique Garcia each had hits in the contest.

Valhalla winners of 2 games in a row are now 3-16 overall and 2-2 in league play and move into third place while El Capitan is now after dropping the last two games in a row 7-9-4 overall and 1-3 in league play.

STEELE CANYON 6, HELIX 1 – Scoring six runs over the third and fourth innings proved to be a difference as the Steele Canyon Cougars continued their winning ways over Helix on Thursday.

Steele Canyon after getting one base runner on in the first couple of innings got rolling in the top of the third inning which would lead to the first runs of the game courtesy of Bailey Evans who drove in Makenzie Meyer and Marina Gonzalez followed that with an RBI double to left to bring home Kayala Hopkins to make it 2-0.

Helix though would answer with a run in the bottom of the inning courtesy of Tatiana Hernandez-Valverde who drove in Ta’Tiannah Wright to cut the deficit to 2-1.

However, the Cougars bats continued in the top of the fourth inning as Myers doubled in both Dannika Lakin and Isabella Azevedo which was followed by Lauren Becker knocking in Kallan Shaw with a triple to right field.

Evans who started for the Cougars would pick up the win. She allowed one run on six hits over five innings of work in which she walked three and struck out two. Gonzalez came in and tossed two innings of relief in which she allowed one hit while walking one and striking out four.

Lauren Farace started for the Highlanders and would take the loss as she allowed six runs on nine hits over four innings in which she walked two and struck out six. Katelyn Woodland came in and tossed three innings of relief in which she walked four and struck out one.

Steele Canyon now winners of eleven games in a row move to 13-3-1 overall and 3-0 in league play while Helix has dropped two in a row and is now 7-10 overall and 1-2 in league.

GRANITE HILLS 5, SANTANA 2 – Eagles senior Kailey Sandoval in the bottom of the fifth inning with the score tied at 2-2 would drive in what would end up being the go-ahead run with an RBI double to right field as they would go on to claim the victory on Thursday.

Early on the Santana Sultans would score the first run in the top of the second thanks to Delaney Smith who ripped a double to left field bringing home Faith Francisco to make it 1-0. Santana would add another run in the top of the fourth inning when Emma Schneider belted a solo home run to left field for her third of the season to make it 2-0.

Granite Hills would answer back in the bottom of the inning when Sofia Mujica led off and hammered a solo shot to right field for her sixth of the season to pull them within 2-1. Later in the inning, Kaleigh Baugher would tie the game with a ground ball out that allowed Mia Downes to race home safely.

Downes again would come through as she helped to extend the lead with a sacrifice fly after Sandoval had broken the tie.

Baugher who came into the game in relief earned the win for the Eagles as she allowed two hits and one run over five innings while striking out six. Ashley Yeargin started for the Eagles allowing three hits and one run over two-inning

For the Sultans, Ashlyn Darrow took the loss as she went five innings allowing four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out one.

Both Audrey Smale and Sandoval who doubled twice each had two hits for the Eagles.

Darrow, Lily Sowinski, Schneider, Smith, and Mckenna Miller each had hits for the Sultans.

Winners of two in a row the Granite Hills Eagles move to 8-7 overall and 3-1 in league play and are currently in second place while Santana drops its second straight contest falling to 8-11 overall and 1-3 in league.

GROSSMONT VALLEY LEAGUE

EL CAJON (4-18-24) – Thanks to ten runs scored in the top of the sixth inning the Grossmont Foothillers would go on to win over the El Cajon Valley Braves 18-3 on Thursday.

Providing quite a bit of the punch for the Foothillers was Eliana Vasquez who at the plate went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs including a pair in the sixth inning.

Grossmont would start the scoring as they pushed across four in the top of the first inning after Madison Busch grounded out, scoring a run, Nakhia Lee drew a walk that brought home a run and Skyler Glover also walked which brought home a run.

They would add to their lead in the top of the second inning when Vazquez singled in a run and El Cajon Valley committed an error which led to another run scoring.

Freshman Asia Victoria for the Braves had both hits as she went 2-for-3 including a pair of doubles and a run scored.

Saraya Roope earned the win for Grossmont as she allowed one hit and one run over one and one-third innings while walking three and striking out two. Vasquez pitched three and two-thirds innings in relief in which she allowed one hit and two runs while walking four and striking out two.

Grossmont offensively collected 15 hits that included Carleigh Wenck, Heidi Villa, Glover, Vasquez and Busch each had multiple hits.

The Foothillers with the win have now won two in a row and move to 7-7-2 overall and 3-0 in league while El Cajon sees its two-game winning streak snapped and falls to 10-7 overall and 1-2 in league play.