Exciting Games Lead To Near-Perfect Day

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 28, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

PATRICK HENRY 8, TORREY PINES 6 – Trailing by as many as five runs the Patrick Henry Patriots scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and held on to claim the victory over Torrey Pines on Friday afternoon.

Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Patrick Henry (7-7) finally broke through on the board when with two outs Chloe Copeland (R, RBI) hit a ball that was misplayed by Torrey Pines that allowed Stephanie La to come around and score to make it 5-1.

Still trailing the Patriots again knew they had string something together and were able to with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

La would start the two out rally as she hit a ball that would be misplayed by the Falcons leading Riley Teixeira (RUN) to come into score making it 5-2, the next batter Ashlynn Kirchoff (1-2, R, RBI) would drive in Emily Shelton to make it 5-3. Still with two outs Copeland would draw a bases loaded walk which brought home La to pull the Patriots within 5-4 which was followed by Rachel Earner (1-2, R, RBI, SB) being hit by a pitch which forced in Kirchoff to tie the game 5-5.

Now all the momentum was with Patrick Henry and they knew it and up stepped a feared hitter in Izzy Ervin (1-3, 3 RBI, 2B) who on a 1-2 count ripped a fly ball double to center field which cleared the bases bringing in Kate Krewson (RUN), Copeland and Earner to break the tie and give them a 8-5 lead.

Zoe Rutherford started for the Patriots. On the day she would allow four runs (three earned) on four hits over three innings in which she walked one and struck out five. Kirchoff who came into the game in relief would pick up the win as she went four innings in which she allowed two runs (zero earned) on four hits while striking out four.

CHRISTIAN 7, RANCHO BUENA VISTA 3 – Another day another rally leads to another victory as the Christian Patriots settled in to knock off Rancho Buena Vista in Mater Dei Invitational action Friday afternoon.

Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the third inning the Patriots went to work and would tie the game up thanks to single by Sammy Baca (1-4, RBI) and a double by Keels Carrizosa (1-2, 2B, 2 RBI).

Christian later in the bottom of the sixth inning take a 4-3 lead when Lucy Sherburne (2-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B, SB) with one out drove in Jordan Krystek (2-3, 2 R, 2B) who led off the inning with a double. Later in the inning with two outs Kaitlyn Moody belted a three-run home run over the center field fence scoring Sherburne and Tyler Krystek (RUN) to extend the lead even further at 7-3.

Patriots pitcher Alyssa McCurty drew the start and she made the most of it as she went all seven innings in which she three runs (one earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out five in the victory.

Christian (12-3-1) has now won five games in a row.

GRANITE HILLS 9, DEL NORTE 0 – Dominating pitching performance by Kaleigh Baugher really pushed the Granite Hills Eagles as they claimed the convincing non-league victory over Del Norte Friday evening.

Baugher showed her capabilities as she limited the Del Norte Nighthawks to three hits while fanning 14 over seven innings to get the win.

Not only was the pitching dominating but the offense got into the act with their help as tallied 9 hit in the game and scored five runs in the sixth inning to give them an insurance policy.

Prior to the eight run outburst over the sixth and seventh innings the Eagles could only manage one run that came in the top of the first inning when Peyton Wells (2-4, 2 R, , SB, 3 RBI, HR) knocked in Taylor Nash (1-4, 2 R) to give them an early 1-0 lead.

The one run lead would stick as Baugher shut down the Nighthawks inning by inning until the Eagles behind an RBI single by Mia Downes (1-4, RBI), a two run blast by Wells, an RBI walk by Kamryn Flath (RBI) and a sacrifice fly by Lliana Cruse (RBI) extended their lead to 6-0.

Granite Hills would score three more runs in the top of the seventh inning courtesy of an RBI single by Olivia Cirar (2-4, 2 R, RBI) and a two run double by Baugher.

With the victory the Eagles (3-9-1) snap a seven game losing streak.

WEST HILLS 1, LA COSTA CANYON 1, tie (9 INN.) – Strong pitching on both sides led to both teams having to take advantage of late game opportunities and in the end West Hills would take advantage to force the end result of a tie in tournament action Friday afternoon.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning after the Mavericks pushed across a run in the top of the inning the Wolf Pack would tie the score on a ground ball fielder’s choice by Katy Spargo.

Spargo would lead the Pack (7-2-1) at the plate as they tallied a 3-for-4 day including the game tying run RBI in the bottom of the ninth inning. The only other hit for the Pack in the game came on a base hit by Gianna Burgin.

Burgin who drew the start for West Hills matched the Maverick pitching inning for inning as she allowed three hits over nine innings of work which in which she walked one and struck out ten.

With her three hits, Spargo surpasses Alex Guay and moves into second place all-time for West Hills in most career hits.