Convincing victories on ultra busy day

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 20, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

PATRICK HENRY 4, CALEXICO 3 (8 INN.) – Drama on Thursday afternoon as Izzy Ervin in the bottom of the eighth inning singled in the game winning run to propel the Patrick Henry Patriots to victory over Calexico in the tournament action.

Early on Calexico would lead 1-0 thanks to Isabella Esquer who drove in a run on a base hit in the top of the first inning.

Patrick Henry would tie the game 1-1 in the bottom of the first on a base hit by Angelina Mazon to center field.

The Bulldogs though would retake the lead in the top of the third inning as they pushed across a pair of runs to lead 3-1.

But the Patriots in the bottom of the fourth inning would rally with two runs courtesy of a base hit by Sivan Benami and also taking advantage of an error by the Bulldogs.

Picking up the win for Patrick Henry was Zoe Rutherford who came into the game in relief. She would toss five innings in which she allowed zero runs on three hits while walking two and striking out eleven. Hailey Griffin who got the starting nod surrendered four hits and three runs (one earned) over three innings while striking out one and walking one.

Patrick Henry offensively outhit Calexico 11-7 thanks to leadoff hitter Ervin who tallied a 3-for-5 day at the plate along with scoring a run and driving in the GW run. Other contributors were Mazon with a pair of hits and an RBI, Emily Shelton who also drove in a run and Chloe Copeland who also tallied a pair of hits in four at-bats.

Patrick Henry improves their record to 3-5 on the season with the win.

GROSSMONT 7, BRAWLEY 1 – It was all Grossmont on Thursday afternoon as they jumped out early and would claim the Hilltop tournament contest over the visiting Brawley Wildcats.

A big part of the victory for the Hillers were Nakhia Lee and Jenna Ennis who combined to go 6-for-6 at the plate while driving in 5 runs.

Lee doubled in the third inning, singled in the sixth and in the fifth inning.

Grossmont struck first with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning when Ennis doubled and Madison Busch singling to center field each scoring runs to make it 2-0. . They would add on in the bottom of the third inning courtesy of a double by both Lee and Ennis to give them a 4-0 lead.

Saraya Roope who drew the start picked up the win as she allowed one run on six hits in her seven innings to complete the game.

Roope would also provide her own offense as she went 2-for-3 and scored twice.

Grossmont with the win moves to 2-4-1 on the season.

HELIX 13, HILLTOP 0 (5 INN.) – Freshman Vivian Munoz struck out one as she relied on the defense to procure a no-hitter against the Hilltop Lancers Thursday evening under the lights in Hilltop tournament action.

Not only was the pitching strong for Helix but the offense was as well as they helped dispatch the Lancers pretty quickly.

Helix would push across six runs on five hits in the bottom of the third inning. Kamilah Jones singled, driving in a run, Neviah Conchas drove in a run, Lauen Farace who had previously doubled in runs drove in another run along with doubles by both Nikayla Domingo and Tatiana Hernandez-Ahmu.

The Highlanders offensively tallied 13 hits against Hilltop pitching.

The win now gives them a four game winning streak and a 4-0 record.

STEELE CANYON 3, OLYMPIAN 3, tie – Despite combining for 21 hits in the ball game neither team could capitalize much as the Steele Canyon Cougars did rally with runs in the fifth and sixth innings to force the tie in Hilltop tournament action on Thursday afternoon.

Steele Canyon would take an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as Isabella Azevedo drove in a run.

Olympian would take advantage of multiple base hits in the top of the third inning to push across three runs and lead 3-1.

Later on Hailey Trujillo would double in the bottom of the sixth inning to right field to tie the game all up at 3-3.

Marina Gonzalez who came into the game in relief tossed four and two-thirds innings in which she allowed three hits and zero runs while striking out three. Bailey Evans who started allowed three runs on seven hits over two and one –third innings while walking one and striking out one.

Offensively for the Cougars Dannika Lakin went 3-for-4 and Kayala Hopkins, Azevedo and Trujillo each drove in runs.

Steele Canyon is now 4-4-1 on the season.

DEL NORTE 4, GRANITE HILLS 3 – Two runs scored by the Del Norte Nighthawks in the bottom of the seventh inning dooms the Granite Hills Eagles Thursday afternoon.

Del Norte would take advantage in the bottom of the third inning as they pushed across two runs to take a 2-0 lead.

However, a couple of innings later Alexis Mujica tied the game for Granite Hills with a base hit to center field that brought in a pair of runs. They would break the tie in the top of the seventh inning on a solo home run by Jazlyn Thomas over the left field fence.

Peyton Wells would take the loss. On the day she went six and two-thirds innings in which she allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits while walking two and striking out three.

Granite Hills is now 2-6-1 on the season after the loss.

MISSION HILLS 2, VALHALLA 1 – Despite a late run scored by the Valhalla Norsemen the Mission Hills Grizzlies would hold onto win the Mater Dei Invitational contest on Thursday.

Mission Hills would push across a run in the top of the second inning and also the top of the sixth inning to lead 2-0.

Vanessa Moscoso who went 1-for-3 at the plate for Valhalla would drive in their only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single to right field.

Devyn Mack who started for the Norsemen took the loss. On the day she went seven innings in which she allowed 2 runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out three.

POINT LOMA 11, EL CAPITAN 1 (5 INN.) – Point Loma scored nine runs over the first and second innings to really put things away as they won convincingly over the visiting El Capitan Vaqueros on Thursday.

Kylee Frazier had a pair of hits, Ciara Bernardini had a hit and scored a run and Addison Higuera had an RBI for the Vaqueros.

CHRISTIAN 0, SPANISH SPRINGS 0, tie (9 INN.) – Neither teams offense could come away with anything on Thursday as they played to a nine inning tie.

Alyssa McCurty who started for the Christian Patriots allowed only a pair of hits and no runs over her nine innings of work while striking out six.

Lucy Sherburne made the most of her at-bats as she tallied a 3-for-4 day at the plate.

In the second game of the day the Christian Patriots dropped a 2-1 decision to Clovis in six innings of play.

Alyssa McCurty this time at the plate tied the game up in the bottom of the second inning tied the game with a solo home run over the centerfield wall. On the day she went 2-for-2.

Lucy Sherburne tallied a 1-for-1 day at the plate.

Christian moved to 7-2-1 on the season.

In the second Las Vegas Tournament game fr the Patriots, Clovis took a 2-1 decision to drop hristian to 7-2 overall.