Granite Hills homers stun Steele Canyon

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 23, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

GROSSMONT HILLS LEAGUE

GRANITE HILLS 5, STEELE CANYON 0 – Four seventh-inning runs to go with their six hits and strong pitching allowed the Granite Hills Eagles to come away with the road league win over Steele Canyon on Wednesday afternoon.

Providing the pop for the Eagles were Taylor Nash who hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the third inning and Peyton Wells who blasted a three run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give them insurance runs in the victory.

Mia Downes would drive in the other run for the Eagles in the top of the seventh inning when she roped a two out double.

Kaleigh Baugher who started for the Eagles allowed one hit over seven innings in which she walked three and struck out nine as she picked up the big win.

Belle Will who took the circle for Steele Canyon allowed five runs on six hits while walking five and striking out ten in seven innings in the loss.

The only hit for the Cougars came courtesy of Ily Barclay when she singled in the bottom of the fifth inning.

The win by Granite Hills Eagles shakes up the Hills side as they are now tied for first place with a 2-1 record in league and 6-11-1 overall. Steele Canyon meanwhile falls to 9-10-1 overall and a 2-1 record in league and a tie with both Granite Hills and West Hills.

WEST HILLS 15, SANTANA 6 – A big third inning by the West Hills Wolf Pack would spark them to a victory over cross town rival Santana and help procure the Mayors Cup in Hills league action Wednesday afternoon.

Part of the big spark for the Pack in the top of the third inning came when Kristina Deal belted a two out grand slam over the center field fence to extend the lead to 9-4. Earlier in the inning Ava Goodman drove in Maddie Aylesbury to break a 4-4 score.

Early on West Hills scored four runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a sacrifice fly by Haylee Kai, Goodman singled to center field, followed by Lili Leija and Gianna Burgin base hits that also drove in runs.

The Sultans would answer with a run in the bottom of the first inning when Kaylee Lindahl belted a solo home run.

She would later tie the game up on a double down the line in the bottom of the second inning that would clear the bases bringing in Delaney Smith, Vanessa Ryan, and Samantha Mora.

Trailing 9-4 the Sultans would dig more into the Wolf Pack lead in the bottom of the third inning as they pushed across a couple more runs that included an RBI double by Smith to pull within 9-6.

However, the Pack thanks to Burgin who drove in a run and Kiara Rabaya who would add a pair of runs with a base hit center field would extend the lead to 12-6.

Despite allowing six runs on seven hits Wolf Pack starter Burgin would earn the win as she worked five innings in which she walked three and struck out six.

Ashlyn Darrow for the Sultans would be saddled with the loss as she allowed nine runs on eight hits over three innings in which she struck out two and walked two.

West Hills has now won two in a row over their cross town rivals and improve to 11-7-1 overall and 2-1 in league play and a first place tie. Meanwhile the Sultans fall to 10-7 overall and 1-2 in league play.

EL CAPITAN 3, VALHALLA 0 – Strong pitching and a couple of opportunities led to the El Capitan Vaqueros winning a hard fought GHL contest on Wednesday afternoon over the visiting Valhalla Norsemen.

El Capitan managed to break through with a run in the bottom of the third inning when Kylee Frazier hit a ball that was deep enough for Addison Higuera to tag up from third and race home to give them a 1-0 lead.

Leading 1-0 the Vaqueros would add two insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to Gabrielle Garcia who with one out singled to center field to score both Sofia Simone and Brynlie Ford to make it 3-0.

Makenna Burton drew the start for the Vaqueros and would come away with the win as she allowed no runs on two hits over seven innings in which she walked three and struck out one.

Her counterpart Devyn Mack would take the loss as she allowed three runs on seven hits over six innings in which she walked one and struck out four.

El Capitan improves to 6-11 overall and 1-2 in league while Valhalla falls to 7-12 overall and 1-2 in league.

GROSSMONT VALLEY LEAGUE

HELIX 18, MONTE VISTA 0 (5 INN.) – Kamilah Jones and her two home runs along with four runs driven in powered the convincing victory for Helix over Monte Vista on Wednesday afternoon.

Jones belted her home runs in the first and third innings.

Pitching wise Vivienne Munoz fanned eleven while allowing no runs on one hit over five innings to pick up the win.

Scoring wise the Highlanders in the first inning scored on a two-run blast by Jones, Maliyah Domingo drove in a run and an error by the Monarchs led to two runs scoring.

Helix would add more in the bottom of the third inning thanks to long balls by both Nikayla Domingo and Jones.

The Highlanders would also receive contributions from Lauren Farace who drove in three runs, Danette Munoz who drove in two runs, and LaNiah Broom who drove in a run.

They improve to 9-4 overall and 2-0 in league play.

GROSSMONT 18, EL CAJON VALLEY 1 (5 INN.) – Big day at the plate for Saraya Roope as she helped power the Foothillers to victory over El Cajon Valley on Wednesday afternoon.

Roope who drove in five runs on three hits got going in the first inning as she belted an inside the park three run home run, she would drive in a run in the second and in the third inning.

Madison Busch would also hit an inside the park home run in the bottom of the first inning for a pair of runs.

Offensively for the Hillers, Julia Short would drive in two runs, and Busch along with Heidi Villa would also drive in a pair of runs in the game.

Nakhia Lee who drew the start for Grossmont would pick up the win. On the day she would go all five innings in which she allowed one run on one hit while walking three and striking out nine.

Grossmont moves to 6-11-1 overall and 2-0 in league play while El Cajon Valley falls to 1-9 overall and 1-2 in league play.

Scoreboard

Grossmont Hills League
Granite Hills 5, at Steele Canyon 0
El Capitan 3, Valhalla 0
West Hills 15, Santana 6 – Jighest scoring game in series this century,
Grossmont Valley League
Helix 18, Monte Vista 0 (5 inn
Non-League
Julian 10, Calipatria 7