Cougar Classic: East County teams take 3

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 1, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

ESCONDIDO – Christian High junior Ava Barrios showed why she is considered one of the best pitchers in the East County on Saturday (Mar. 1) at Kit Carson Park, fanning 13 batters in the 5-0 victory over Mission Vista in Cougar Classic action. Barrios who picked up the win allowed one hit and no runs over five innings of work.

The Patriots offensively tallied 8 hits on the day which included Lucy Sherburne (2-3, 2R, 2 RBI, 3B) tripling in a pair of runs. Sammy Baca (1-3, 3 RBI, 2B) also contributed in the RBI category in the top of the third inning with a ground ball out that pushed across a runner.

Leading 3-0 the Patriots would add two more runs in the top of the fifth inning courtesy of a double by Baca that brought home both Sherburne and Pressly Villalva (2-3, 2R) to make it 5-0.

Other contributors for the Patriots in the game were Tyler Krystek (1-3, R, 2 SB) who swiped a pair of bases and had a hit and scored a run.

Christian moves to 2-0 on the season and will next take on the San Marcos Knights on Monday in Cougar Classic action.

West Hills 6, Patrick Henry 0 (6 inn.) – Taking advantage of their opportunities the West Hills Wolf Pack came away with the victory on Saturday over Patrick Henry.

The opportunities the Pack took advantage of included a two out scoring deal in the top of the third when Katy Spargo drove in a pair of runs scoring both Kristina Deal and Amber Foley to take a 2-0 lead.

West Hills would push across another pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning courtesy of a wild pitch that scored Deal and an error that brought home Reegan Veltre. The Wolf Pack scored two more in the sixth inning to round out their scoring.

Wolf Pack starter Ava Goodman went all six innings allowing zero runs on three hits while striking out four.

Zoe Rutherford got the nod for Patrick Henry. She went all six innings in which she allowed six runs of which three were earned on seven hits while striking out five in the loss.

Izzy Ervin, Rutherford, and Sivan Benami each collected one hit for the Patriots.

Spargo in the two games to start the season with her four hits is the latest in East County to join the 100 hit club.

West Hills moves to 2-0 with the win while Patrick Henry is 0-1.

Granite Hills 4, Westview 2 – Four runs scored over the second and third innings is all the Eagles needed as they erased an early two runs deficit to come out triumphantly on Saturday evening.

Westview would take an early 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning thanks to a pair of run scoring singles.

However, Granite Hills (2-1) would pull away in the bottom of the third inning thanks to Mia Downes who ripped a two-run double. The Eagles would also tack on a run on an error by the Wolverines to give them a 4-2 lead.

Peyton Wells who came into the game in relief for the Eagles would pick up the victory as she allowed zero runs on two hits while striking out six. Kaleigh Baugher who started the game only went two-thirds of an inning in which she allowed two runs on two hits.

Offensively for the Eagles, Downes, Esther Ceda, and Marilynn Lewis each collected two hits on the night.

Poway 2, Santana 1 – A late run by the Poway Titans was all they needed as they broke the tie to come away with the victory on Saturday night.

Poway the defending Open Division champions came into the nightcap looking every bit of a defending champion as they had in their earlier contest demolished Carlsbad by a score of 20-1.

However, the Santana Sultans were up to the task as starting sophomore pitcher Ashlyn Darrow matched sophomore Aubrey Stiritz pitch for pitch.

Poway would take a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a tag up by Natalie Vejtasa after Sophia Burmeister hit a sacrifice fly to right field. Santana would answer back in the bottom of the inning with two outs thanks to Bella Zuckerman who laced a single to left field to bring home Kylee Aziz.

Darrow would take the hard luck loss for the Sultans as she went six innings in which she gave up two runs on two hits while striking out four.

Eastlake 4, Valhalla 3 – Downright hard luck leads to a two out game winning run on an error to give the Eastlake Titans the win over the Valhalla Norsemen on Saturday.

Sophomore Emma Sloan led the Norsemen offensively at the plate as she tallied a pair of hits in three at-bats to go with her two RBI.

Unfortunately, five errors by the Norsemen would be their undoing as Eastlake scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a three run deficit.

Valhalla falls to 0-2 on the early season.

Mater Dei Catholic 9, Steele Canyon 0 (5 inn.) – It just wasn’t the day for the Steele Canyon Cougars as they were limited to one hit on the day by Mater Dei Catholic.

The only hit for Steele Canyon came courtesy of Marina Gonzalez.

Steele Canyon is now 1-1.

Olympian 6, Grossmont 5 – Despite a pair of runs scored in the bottom of the fifth inning the Olympian Eagles would hold off the Grossmont Foothillers to claim the victory on Saturday.

Both Jenna Ennis and Saraya Roope would have productive days at the plate going a combined 5-for-6 and driving in three runs.

Ennis would pound out a pair of doubles and Roope would have a double in the game as well.

Grossmont in the bottom of the fifth inning would pull within 6-5 on an error by the Eagles as Ennis as Aly Vega hit a ball that was misplayed.

University City 6, Grossmont 0 – Four runs scored by the University City Centurions helped propel them to victory on Saturday.

At the plated it was once again the combo of Jenna Ennis and Saraya Roope leading as they each collected a pair of hits in the contest.

Grossmont falls to 0-2 with the loss