Hawks, Firebirds split twin bill

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: February 12, 2019

2019 SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN HAWKS SOFTBALL

East County Sports staff report

CARDIFF-BY-THE-SEA (2-13-2019) – When you’re used to sweeping doubleheaders from a given opponent, San Diego Christian College must feel disappointed after only gaining a split against University of St. Katherine in Tuesday’s (Feb. 12) non-conference softball games, held at Cardiff Sports Complex.

Of course, it was only a matter of time before the once-lowly Firebirds gained some talented recruits.

One is Mt. Carmel High product Sabrina Gonzalez, a senior, who smacked three home runs in the doubleheader. As a high school senior in 2014, she helped lead the Sundevils deep into the CIF Division I playoffs before finally falling to eventual runner-up Cathedral Catholic.

Another is pitcher Karly Turner, a double-transfer, who gained the pitching win for the Firebirds in a 10-2 victory in the opener. The contest went six innings due to the run rule.

As a sophomore at Arizona Western College, a second-half surge raised Turner’s final pitching record to 6-5, allowing her to sign with Ottawa University of Arizona. However, Turner did not pitch for the Sprit (9-39 in 2018), so she transferred to St. Katherine.

The Firebirds also feature Kendi Swinton, a freshman infielder from Helix, and Kiana Indian, a senior utility player who transferred from Grossmont College.

Meanwhile, San Diego Christian (4-2 overall) decisively captured the nightcap, 18-4 by run-rule in five innings.

As stated on the USK website, San Diego Christian “intentionally came out with intent to put USK in their place, (as) the Hawks destroyed the ball in the first inning.”

Seven hits and seven runs later – capped by consecutive home runs by Emily Espino and Madelyn Jacobs, the Nos. 8 and 9 batters in the Hawks order – this ballgame was decided before USK took its initial at-bats.

Elizabeth Jacobs also homered for the Hawks, which scored in all five frames in the bashing by the beach, which was a homecoming for Encinitas resident Bailey Romano. The senior catcher batted 4-for-4 with a double, 4 RBI and scored twice.

San Diego Christian is scheduled to conclude its pre-Golden State Athletic Conference schedule on Friday, but a twin bill at home to Marymount California University is unlikely due to pending heavy rains.

GSAC play is slated for Feb. 26, when the Hawks travel to 9th-ranked Hope International in Fullerton.

Hawks split, then get rained out

East County Sports staff report

LAKE ELSINORE (2-10-2019) — As stated by actor Tim Robbins, playing the iconic role of baseball pitcher Ebby Calvin ‘Nuke’ LaLoosh in the cult classic motion pitcher Bull Durham, “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains.”

Such was the case for the San Diego Christian College women’s softball team, which split a pair of ballgames at the TCS SoCal NAIA College Classic, hosted by Hope International then saw the remainder of the tournament washed away.

The Hawks (3-1) suffered their initial setback with a 2-1 loss to University of Antelope Valley but bounced back to out-duel Northwest Christian University (Ore.), 7-4, on Friday (Feb. 8).

In the opener, San Diego Christian nearly rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the seventh inning when Kaylin Rubalcava singled home Elizabeth Wilson, but the Pioneers escaped by stranding the tying and winning baserunners on the corners.

In the nightcap, the Hawks led from the very start as Alicia Conona led-off with a walk, stole second base, eventually coming home on a wild pitch for a 1-0 lead immediately out of the gate.

The Hawks added runs in the third and fourth before tallying a 4-run sixth inning, as Wilson led the Hawks with two hits and an RBI. Of the seven runs, the Hawks collected just four RBI.

Starting pitcher Madison Bostick earned the win with a complete game against the Beacons, allowing eight hits and the four earned runs while striking out five. San Diego Christian will be back on the field on Tuesday as they travel to Saint Katherine before coming back home on Friday to host Marymount California (weather pending).

EastCountySports.com