Sultans rally to top Knights at Cougar

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 8, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

Santana 6, San Marc os 5 (5 inn.) – Trailing by four runs the Santana Sultans in the bottom of the fifth inning managed to tie the game and win it after Bryleigh Britza scored after tagging up and claim the come from behind win over San Marcos on Friday.

Santana would take an early 1-0 lead courtesy of an RBI single by Bri Canty.

San Marcos would take the lead in the fourth inning as they scored five runs to lead 5-1.

However, the Sultan bats were not left for dead as they tallied four hits in the fifth inning that led to five runs scoring. The biggest blow was a two-run double by Ashlyn Darrow.

Darrow would pick up the victory despite giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits over five innings while striking out three and walking three.

Besides Darrow, Kaitlyn Ruckle proved to be potent at the plate as she also drove in a pair of runs in the game. Kaylee Lindahl and Canty each had a pair of hits while McKenna Miller swiped three bases.

The victory moves the Sultans to 3-1 on the season.

West Hills 3, Coronado 0 – Pitching for West Hills was strong for the second consecutive game as Gianna Burgin fanned 11 in the shutout victory over the Islanders on Friday.

Burgin over her last two outings has struck out a combined 24 batters including the 11 against the Islanders. The senior hurler tossed six innings in which she blanked the Islanders on one hit to pick up the win.

The Pack offensively were able to push across runs in the first three innings courtesy of a groundout by Katy Spargo, Burgin would help her own cause in the second inning with an RBI single to left field and the final run coming on an error by the Islanders.

Burgin, Maddie Aylesbury, Kristina Deal and Kiara Rabaya all collected hits in the contest.

The win pushes the winning streak for West Hills to four in a row and a 4-0 record.

Granite Hills 3, Otay Ranch 3, tie – Due to time constraints after the Otay Ranch Mustangs rallied for a pair of runs to tie the game the game was called after the top of the fifth inning.

Granite Hills would score the first run of the game in the top of the first inning on a Taylor Nash solo home run to center field.

Otay Ranch would answer in the bottom of the inning as they would take advantage of a passed ball to tie the game at 1-1.

Later in the top of the third inning Mia Downes would break the tie with an RBI single and a steal of home by Nash would give the Eagles a 3-1 lead.

However, the momentum would be short lived as the Mustangs would score a pair of runs in the bottom half of the third inning to tie the game up.

Peyton Wells for the Eagles drew the start. On the evening she would give up three runs (two earned) on three hits over four innings in which she struck out two and walked one.

Granite Hills moves to 2-2-1 on the season.

Steele Canyon 11, Maranatha Christian 2 (5 inn.) – A huge 6-run offensive explosion by the Steele Canyon Cougars really put things out of reach as they romped to the convincing win on Saturday afternoon.

Sparking the sixth inning six-run outburst were a pair of home runs by Bailey Evans (1-2, 2R, 3 RBI, HR) who belted a three-run shot to left field, and Dannika Lakin (1-2, R, 3 RBI, HR) who hit a two-run shot.

Steele Canyon (2-3) started their scoring in the first inning on a Sophia Jackel (R, RBI) sacrifice fly along with a single down the right field line by Tevia Cohen (2-3, R, RBI, SB).

Maranatha Christian would eventually even things up with two runs of their own in the bottom of the third inning.

All tied at 2-2 the Cougars broke the tie when Isabella Azevedo (RBI) walked which led to Silva coming into score, Lakin was hit by a pitch leading to Evans plating and finally a hard hit ball by Hailey Trujillo that was misplayed allowing Kallan Shaw (RUN) to come into score making it 5-2.

Starting for the Cougars, Marina Gonzalez who would earn the victory for Steele as she allowed two runs on three hits over three innings while fanning four and walking one, Evans would come into the game in relief in which she struck out three while allowing one hit.

Valhalla 9, Valley Center 1 (5 inn.) – After allowing the first run of the game the Valhalla Norsemen never looked back as the bats came alive to easily dispatch Valley Center on Saturday afternoon.

Trailing 1-0 the Valhalla Norsemen tied things up on a Natalia Marco (2-2, 3R, 3 RBI, SB, HR) sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning.

Valhalla (3-2) would break the tie in the bottom of the second inning on an aggressive steal of home by Emma Sloan (1-2, R, RBI, 2 SB) to give them a 2-1 lead. The next batter Preslee Fink (2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR) extended the lead even further as she blasted a two-run home run to left field giving the Norsemen a 4-1 lead.

Another pair of runs scored in the bottom of the third inning made it 6-1. Valhalla would blow out the lead further in the bottom of the fourth inning with three more runs. Avery Voth (1-3, R, RBI, 2B) doubled in a run and Marco homered deep to center field for a two-run shot.

Starter Devyn Mack garnered the win as she only allowed one run on five hits over five innings in which she struck out five.

In their second game of the day Valhalla would prevail 6-1 over the El Camino Wildcats Saturday evening.

The Norsemen would push across five runs in the bottom of the first inning and wouldn’t look back.

Emma Sloan would drive in a pair of runs along with scoring a run for Valhalla as she went 1-for-2 at the plate. Vanessa Moscoso who was 2-for-3 at the plate would score a run.

Devyn Mack picked up the win going five innings in which she allowed one run on four hits while striking out five.

Valhalla moves to 4-2 with the victory.

West Hills 8, Sage Creek 0 (5 inn.) – Ava Goodman helped propel the West Hills Wolf Pack to victory with her 3-for-3 day at the plate on Saturday afternoon.

Maddie Aylesbury would strike the games first damage as she drove in the bottom of the first inning for West Hills.

The Pack would extend their lead in the second inning as Kristina Deal doubled in a run and a single by Kiara Rabaya would score another run.

Leading 4-0 in the bottom of the third inning West Hills again would add to their lead thanks to Amber Foley who doubled in a run along with Goodman who drove in another run. They would also take advantage of an error by Sage Creek to score another run.

Gianna Burgin who has had the hot hand for the Wolf Pack was again a force as she allowed zero runs on two hits over five innings in which she walked one while striking out seven.

On the day West Hills tallied 10 hits against Sage Creek which included hits by Shelby Grosch and Sophia Zayac.

With the victory, West Hills has now won five in a row and is=

In their second game of the day the Wolf Pack would suffer their first loss of the season as they were defeated by Point Loma 4-2 snapping the Packs five game winning streak.

Both Kristina Deal and Katy Spargo tallied a pair of hits a piece with Deal homering and driving in a pair and Spargo going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Christian 8, Rancho Buena Vista 6 – The Christian Patriots on Saturday were able to over a five run deficit in which they trailed 6-1 with three runs in the sixth and seventh inning to pull off the comeback victory.

One of the big bats that helped lead the charge for the Patriots was Lucy Sherburne (3-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 2B) who on the day at the plate tallied three hits in four at-bats. She would double in first inning, doubled in the fifth inning and again in the crucial seventh inning.

Early on Christian would take the lead thanks to Sherburne who doubled in a run to lead 1-0.

However, the momentum would switch to Rancho Buena Vista who scored six runs on six hits to take a 6-1 lead.

Christian would eventually take the lead in the seventh inning after Sherburne roped a double center field, Kaitlyn Moody (1-4, RBI) singled down the right field line and Keels Carrizosa (RBI) hit a sacrifice fly. Each of these contributions in the inning led to runs scored for the Patriots.

Ava Barrios would earn the win for the Patriots. On the day she would give up two hits and no runs over three innings in which she struck out five. Alyssa McCurty came into the game in relief and finished things out as she tossed four innings in which she allowed one run on three hits while striking out three.

Christian tallied 10 hits in the contest and would actually outhit the Longhorns. Pressly Villalva (2-4, 2 R) tallied a pair of hits in the game for the Patriots, Tyler Kryestek (1-2, 2 R, SB) had a hit as did Sammy Baca 1-3, 2 RB) and Reese Danczak (1-3, RBI, 2B).

Christian 2, La Costa Canyon 2 (6 inn.) – Coming off a hard fought victory the Christian Patriots did it again as they used a pair of runs in the fourth inning to pull out the victory over the LCC Mavericks on Saturday afternoon.

Ava Barrios who had to come into the first game in which she picked up the victory went back to work as she allowed two hits over six innings in which she struck out 10 Mavericks while walking four.

Offensively the Patriots would finally push across a pair of runs in the fourth inning thanks to an RBI single by Alyssa McCurty (2-3, RBI) that allowed Sammy Baca (1-3, R) who led off the inning with a single to come in and score, the next batter Reese Danczak (RBI) with the bases full would pull off a perfect sacrifice bunt and on contact came in Keels Carrizosa (1-2, R) who was safe at home.

With the win the Patriots are now 5-1 on the season.

Santana 3, Granite Hills 2 (6 inn.) – Despite being outhit 5-2 on the day the Santana Sultans would take advantage of their opportunities to come away with the one out bases loaded walk-off walk by Vanessa Ryan to claim the victory in the bottom of the sixth inning on Saturday over their league rival Granite Hills.

Granite Hills would take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Marilynn Lewis hit into a fielder’s choice allowing Jazlyn Thomas to come into score.

However, the Sultans would erase the small deficit in the bottom of the inning on a fielder’s choice by Emma Schneider and a walk by Kaylee Lindahl each scoring a run to give them a 2-1 lead.

A couple of innings later in the top of the fourth inning Olivia Cirar tied the game at 2-2 with an RBI single.

Santana (4-2)who had been held hitless by Granite pitching would finally break-thru in the bottom of the sixth inning as Darrow and Alyssa both singled which setup the bases loaded walk by Ryan that brought home Bryleigh Britza.

Darrow would earn the win for the Sultans. The starter allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) over six innings in which she walked one and struck out one.

Peyton Wells would take the hard luck loss for the Eagles. On the day she allowed one hit and three runs (two earned) over five and one-third innings while striking out seven and walking six.

In their second game of the day the Sultans would drop a 5-1 decision to the San Pasqual Golden Eagles.

Kaylee Lindahl would drive in the only run of the contest for the Sultans as she went 2-for-3 on the day.

Patrick Henry 2, El Centro-Central 0 – No game information provided.

Oceanside 7, Grossmont 5 (5 inn.) – Four runs scored in the top of the fourth inning were enough as the Oceanside Pirates rallied for the win on Saturday over the Grossmont Foothillers.

Grossmont would jump out to the early lead thanks to Madison Busch who drew a walk that brought home a run and Heidi Villa doubled in a pair of runs to give them a 3-0 lead.

Oceanside would push across a pair of runs in the top of the third to pull within 3-2 and would tack on four more runs in the top of the fourth to take a 6-3 lead.

The Foothillers tried to rally and would make it a one run game in the bottom of the fourth inning as Skyler Glover raced home to score on a passed ball and Nakhia Lee drove in a run on a bunt single to make it 6-5.

Oceanside though would score an insurance run in the top of the fifth inning.

Starting for Grossmont was Saraya Roope who went all five innings in which she allowed seven runs (two earned) on seven hits while walking one and striking out five.

The Foothillers with the loss fall to 0-4 on the season.

Poway 3, Christian 0 – Despite outhitting the Poway Titans it just wasn’t their day as they couldn’t take advantage of opportunities.

Kaitlyn Moody led the Christian Patriots with a pair of hits as she went 2-for-2 at the plate with a double.

Poway would score a run in the top of the third on an RBI single, and in the fifth inning a two-run blast would round out their scoring.

Ava Barrios would take the loss for Christian as she allowed three runs on three hits over four and one-third innings while striking out six and walking three.

The loss snaps the Patriots three game winning streak and puts their record at 3-1.