Smale, Mujica, Jolt Eagles Into First

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 30, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EL CAJON (4-30-24) – For the first time since league play began there will be a new team in first place as the Granite Hills Eagles defeated rival Steele Canyon 8-5 on Tuesday afternoon to move into first place in the Grossmont Hills league.

Granite Hills improved to 11-8 overall and 6-1 in league while Steele Canyon fell to 14-6-1 and 5-2 in league.

For Granite Hills, after a recent coaching change their mojo has been sparked and it showed as junior center fielder Audrey Smale, senior slugger and UCLA bound Sofia Mujica and freshman Mia Downes propelled the win over the Cougars.

Granite Hills would score the game’s first run when Mujica after a few pitches crushed her ninth home run of the season and San Diego section leading a solo shot deep over the center field fence.

However, Steele Canyon would come back to take the lead in the top of the third inning when Kamea Seunarine belted a two-run home run over the center field fence for a 2-1 lead.

Smale who on the day would go 4-for-4 at the plate would tie the game 2-2 when she drove in a run in the bottom of the third inning.

The Eagles would retake the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning after Smale singled, and Downes doubled in runs to lead 4-2.

Granite Hills would add some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning courtesy of Downes who cleared the bases with a hard-hit double to center scoring Mujica, Kaley Sandoval, and Smale to push the lead to 8-2.

The insurance runs would come in handy for the Eagles as the Cougars didn’t go down without a fight in the top of the seventh inning.

Leading off Danika Lakin singled to left field, later with two outs Seunarine singled and was followed by Lauren Becker singling to center to load the bases. The very next batter Marina Gonzalez with two outs hit a ball to right field that allowed everyone to come in and score and Gonzalez at second base for a double. The next batter Hailey Trujillo hit a ball to center field where Smale made the great grab for the final out of the game.

Picking up the win for the Eagles, Kaleigh Baugher allowed eight hits and five runs over seven innings while walking two and striking out five.

For the Cougars, Bailey Evans would be tagged with the loss. She allowed eight runs on nine hits over six innings while walking two and striking out one.

According to Max Preps, this was the first 4-for-4 day in her prep career for Smale.

For Mujica, her first-inning home run was the 56th of her varsity career which leaves her four shy of the all-time state record of 60 held by Tannon Snow of Chino Hills who played from 2012-2015 according to Cal-Hi Sports.

As for the coaching change that has given new life to the Eagles. That would be Katie Salisbury who was an assistant coach and who since taking over for Sarah McGrath is 3-1 and has them in a position to win the league which is something that the Eagles haven’t accomplished since 2019 when they finished with an undefeated 10-0 record under Curtis Barnes.

EL CAPITAN 5, HELIX 4 – With the game tied in the bottom of the sixth inning Alanna Christiaens drove in what proved to be the game-winning run to give El Capitan the victory over the visiting Helix Highlanders on Tuesday.

Christiaens who provided the game-winning hit would finish 3-for-4 with three singles and a run scored for the day.

Helix early on would lead 1-0 thanks to Ta’Tiannah Wright who belted a solo home run in the top of the first inning over the center field fence.

They would add another run in the third when Leilah Jones doubled in a run to make it 2-0.

El Capitan would answer with a run in the bottom half of the third inning when Christiaens drove in Aubrey Thorne and in the bottom of the fourth inning tie the game thanks to Sofia Simone who singled in a run to make it 2-2.

The Highlanders answered back with a pair of runs in the fifth inning to retake the lead thanks to Jones who singled with two outs to make it 4-2.

However, the lead didn’t last long as the Vaqueros behind a pair of singles along with a base hit by Addison Leone would tie the game at 4-4.

Shelby Vars would pick up the win for the Vaqueros as she allowed four runs on seven hits over seven innings I which she walked three and struck out nine.

LaNiah Broom for Helix took the loss as she allowed four runs on thirteen hits over five innings.

El Capitan improves to 11-10-4 overall and 4-4 in league while Helix falls to 8-13 and 2-5 in league.

SANTANA 6, VALHALLA 5 – Trailing by four runs the Santana Sultans would rally thanks to five runs scored over the fifth and sixth innings to claim the road victory over Valhalla on Tuesday afternoon.

Leading the charge for the Sultans, McKenna Miller who in her three at-bats tallied three hits along with scoring three runs in the contest.

Miller would score the game’s first run when Emma Schneider flew out to right field allowing a tag up by Miller which gave them a 1-0 lead.

Valhalla though would pull all the momentum their way in the bottom of the third inning when they accumulated four hits which led to five runs being scored giving them a 5-1 lead. Dealing the big blow for the Norsemen was Emma Sloan who doubled in a pair of runs.

Trailing by four runs in the top of the fifth inning the Sultans slowly slinked their way back into the contest. An RBI single by Delaney Smith made it 5-3. They would add another run in the inning to cut the deficit 5-4.

Santana in the top of the sixth inning would take the lead for good when Ashlyn Darrow singled in two runs.

Aurelia Dawson who came into the game in relief would finish things out as she retired the Norsemen in order in the sixth and seventh innings.

Bella Zuckerman who started for the Sultans tossed five innings in which she allowed five runs on five hits over two innings in which she walked four. Dawson came in and tossed five innings of shutout ball allowing one hit as she garnered the win in which she struck out six.

On the other side for Valhalla, Devyn Mack would take the loss in which she tossed seven innings allowing six runs on thirteen hits while walking four and striking out three.

The win by Santana snaps their four-game losing streak and also their nine-game road losing streak dating back to last year in which their last win previously was a 3-2 decision over Helix on May 3rd of 2023. Their record now sits at 9-13 overall and 2-5 in league while Valhalla falls to 4-19 overall and 3-4 in league play.

GROSSMONT VALLEY LEAGUE

WEST HILLS 13, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 (5 inn) – Ava Goodman tallied three hits and drove in four runs to help lead the West Hills Wolf Pack to the convincing win on Tuesday afternoon.

Four singles in the first inning by the Wolf Pack led to five runs that included an RBI single by Katy Spargo.

Both Spargo and Goodman would extend the lead for West Hills in the second inning as each drove in runs in the three-run inning to give them an 8-0 lead.

West Hills would extend their lead further thanks to five runs on five hits in the bottom of the fourth inning. Goodman singled, scoring a run, Abby Farmer doubled in a pair of runs, Raelyn Gagnon grounded out which led to another run-scoring and an error by the Braves led to another run-scoring.

Maddie Aylesbury who started for West Hills picked up the win. On the day she went all five innings in which she allowed zero runs on four hits while walking one and striking out seven.

West Hills moves to 14-9-1 overall and 6-0 in league play while El Cajon Valley falls to 12-8 overall and 3-3 in league play.

GROSSMONT 13, MOUNT MIGUEL 1 (5 inn) – Needing only nine hits the Grossmont Foothillers took advantage of their opportunities and came away with the win over Mount Miguel on Tuesday afternoon.

The Foothillers’ first opportunity came in the top of the first inning which led to a 2-0 lead thanks to Nakhia Lee who singled in a run and an error by the Matadors that led to another run.

The second opportunity came in the top of the second inning as Madison Busch led off drawing a walk and back-to-back hit by pitches. Lee and Jenna Ennis followed with consecutive walks leading to two more runs. Another run came when Samaria Roope scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.

Leading 6-0 the Foothillers would tack on six more runs thanks to an Eliana Vasquez single, Ashley Beard single, Carleigh Wenck single, Busch drawing a walk, and Skyler Glover singling all leading to runs scored.

Roope earned the win for the Hillers. On the day she allowed one hit and zero runs over two innings in which she struck out two. Beard tossed three innings of relief in which she allowed one run on one hit while walking one and striking out four.

Grossmont moves to 8-9-1 overall and 4-1 in league play while El Cajon falls to 12-8 overall and 3-3 in league play.