Patriots rally against Nighthawks

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 25, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

CHRISTIAN 3, DEL NORTE 2 – Despite tallying 10 hits in the contest the Christian Patriots offense couldn’t string anything as they trailed 2-0 in the seventh inning and would eventually tie and take the lead when Ashley Wood drove in what would be the game winning run as they defeated the Del Norte Nighthawks Tuesday afternoon in Mater Dei Invitational action.

Ava Barrios who started for the Patriots shutdown Del Norte until they scored a run in the bottom of the fourth inning and another run in the sixth inning to lead 2-0.

Christian in a couple of earlier innings had a couple of opportunities to score but couldn’t capitalize but in the top of the seventh inning Pressly Villalva doubled with one out. The next batter Tyler Krystek would hit a hard shot liner that would be caught by the first basemen for the second out.

Trailing 2-0 and Villalva at second with two outs Lucy Sherburne stepped to the plate and on a 1-2 count took the pitch and belted a shot deep to center field for a game tying two-run home run which sent everyone on the Christian side into a frenzy and gave them the momentum. After a walk and a base hit by Kaitlyn Moody the following batter Reyes on a full count would bash a ball to center for a single that would bring in Sam Baca from second base.

Now with the lead Barrios went back out to the circle and walked the first batter. However she would get the next batter on a sacrifice bunt and the following batter on a ground out which put the tying run at third. After the second pitch went for a ball Moody who was catching was able to catch the Del Norte runner napping as she threw the ball to Keels Carrizosa at third to pick off the runner for the third and final out to end the game.

Barrios earned the win for the Patriots as she went all seven innings in which she allowed two runs on three hits while walking two and striking out seven.

Offensively, Sherburne went 2-for-4 which included the two-run home run, Carrizosa went 3-for-4 and Ashley Wood went 3-for-4.

The Patriots have now won three in a row and improve to 10-3-1 overall on the season.

WEST HILLS 7, CLAIREMONT 6 – A late fierce five run rally scored over the sixth and seventh innings by the Clairemont Chieftains was squashed as the West Hills Wolf Pack held on to claim the non-league victory Tuesday afternoon.

Clairemont was able to close the gap via a pair of solo home runs, a double and a Wolf Pack miscue before they were finally upended.

West Hills early on would take a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a Katy Spargo (2-3, RBI, 2B) double to center field, Madie Aylesbury (RBI) hitting a sacrifice fly, and a ground out by Ava Goodman.

The Wolf Pack (7-5) a couple of innings later would add to their lead on an RBI single by Spargo to make it 4-1.

Leading by three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning the Pack would take advantage of opportunities and push across three more runs to extend their lead to 7-1.

After Kristina Deal led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, she would steal third and come into score on a bunt single by Kiara Rabaya (2-2, 2R, RBI, SB), the next batter Spargo hit a hard hit ball that was misplayed allowing Rabaya to plate and Spargo to reach third base. She would be replaced by Amber Foley as a pinch runner who would come into score when Goodman singled to right field.

Goodman who drew the start for the Pack would pick up the win as she allowed six runs (four earned) over six and a third innings in which she walked one and struck out three.

Other offensive contributors for the Pack were Kristina Deal who went 1-for-1, scored three times, doubled and swiped four bases.

Spargo with her two hits in the game now has 114 career hits which is only one hit behind sAlex Guay who is second all-time in West Hills history for career hits who tallied 115 hits in her prep career.

POWAY 2, PATRICK HENRY 0 (10 INN.) – Pitching was strong on both sides but in the end the Poway Titans scratched out a pair of runs in the top of the tenth to claim the extra innings non-league affair Tuesday afternoon.

Izzy Ervin, Angelina Mazon, Rachael Earner, Zoe Rutherford, Riley Teixeira, and Katie Krewson each collected hits for the Patriots (7-5).

Rutherford would take the hard luck loss for the Patriots. On the day she would allow two runs on seven hits over ten innings in which she walked three and struck out ten.

MATER DEI CATHOLIC 9, SANTANA 5 – Outhitting their opponent by an eight to six tally wasn’t enough as the Santana Sultans dropped a Mater Dei Invitational to the Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders Tuesday afternoon.

Mater Dei Catholic would open the scoring in the top of the third as they blasted two home runs including a two run home run.

Trailing 7-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning the Sultans would finally break through thanks to Emma Schneider who roped a double to left field that would bring home both Kaylee Lindahl and Kylee Aziz to make it 7-2.

Santana (7-4) would score in the bottom of the fifth inning courtesy of an RBI single by Lindahl that plated Vanessa Ryan. They would score another pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on an RBI single by Bella Zuckerman and a Delaney Smith RBI single to round out their scoring.

Ashlyn Darrow who started for the Sultans would be tagged with the loss as she allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits over four innings in which she walked two and struck out one, Zuckerman finished out the game going three innings in which she allowed two runs while walking six and striking out three.

EASTLAKE 8, VALHALLA 0 – Five runs scored over the first three innings by the Eastlake Titans was more than enough as they cruised to a Falcon Fiesta victory Tuesday afternoon.

Devyn Mack started for the Norsemen. On the day she allowed eight runs (four earned) on eight hits over four and one-third of an inning while striking out three.

Mack would also have the only two hits for Valhalla (5-7), going 2-for-2.

TORREY PINES 6, EL CAPITAN 2 – The return of former Steele Canyon head coach Julie (Bohe) Neubauer — a standut layer at Helix — to East County was a successful one as the Torrey Pines Falcons came away with the non-league victory on Tuesday (Mar. 25) in Lakeside.

Torrey Pines scored the first run of the game in the top of the first inning and would add more in the top of the third on a two run triple along with a run scoring walk.

The Falcons would hold the Vaqueros scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning when Kylee Frazier drove in Ciara Bernardini who had led off the inning with a triple. They would add their other run in the bottom of the seventh inning when with two outs Ryliegh Vesco scored on a passed ball.

Addison Higuera started for the Vaqueros (4-6) and would take the loss. On the day she would allow six runs (five earned) on six hits over seven innings in which she walked five and struck out six.

Note: Neubauer (prior to her marriage) was a two-time East County Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2007, capturing the CIF-San Diego Section championship both seasons in Division 3; the Cougars blanked Cathedral Catholic, 6-0, in ’06; then Santana, 8-0, in ’07.