ROUNDUP: Eagles clinch title share

By ECS Staff
Updated: May 4, 2019

Grossmont's SAMARIA ROOPE delivers a pitch on Friday.

2019 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

East County Sports staff report

EL CAJON (5-4-2019) – Granite Hills might have been a bit surprised when Steele Canyon answered the Eagles’ four-run rally with three runs of their own in the first inning.

Afterward, it was all Granite Hills, which clinched at least a share of the Grossmont Hills League title with a 7-4 verdict over the host Cougars on Friday (May 3).

The Eagles capped the triumph with a solo homer by Amaya Esparza in the seventh. Her shot to center field roller to “The Great Wall” of Jamul. Esparza’s third homer of the season capped her 3-for-4, 3-RBI performance.

Meanwhile, Bailey Wallace added two hits and an RBI. Also driving in runs for the Eagles were Sydney Huse and Rylee Omahen.

Granite Hills pitcher Catie Dobbs, after getting tagged for three unearned runs early, struck out eight Cougars and just one additional run over her 5.1 innings. Staci Chambers qualified for the save with 1.2 frames of no-hit relief.

Granite Hills (19-8 overall, 8-0 GHL) can clinch the league crown outright with a win in one of two games, meeting second-place Santana and third-place Grossmont.

Steele Canyon (11-14, 3-5 GHL) received five strikeouts by Grace Richter.

SANTANA 13, VALHALLA 6: At eastern Santee, after the Norsemen scored three times in the 1st inning, the Sultans answered with four in the first, going on to tally 11 of the game’s next 12 runs to sink Valhalla in Friday’s (May 3) Grossmont Hills League ballgame.

Santana’s Gilliane Johnston, who had just a single RBI all season, drove in a career-high four runs in a 2-for-3 outing at the plate, plus a bases-loaded walk for the sophomore. Included was a 2-run single in the fifth.

In addition, season highs were set by MacKenzie Sims with three RBI (including a game-tying, 2-run double in the first), and Madison Mendez with her four base hits, also including a double.

Santana (12-9 overall, 6-2 GHL) also received two hits each from Ashley Madrigal and Nicole Penton March.

Valhalla (6-19, 1-7 GHL) saw Kelly Olson register three RBI, while Samantha Green had two RBI and a double.

GROSSMONT 8, WEST HILLS 1: At western Santee, Foothillers pitcher Samaria Roope struck out 11 batters in firing a 1-hitter at the host Wolf Pack in Friday’s (May 3) Grossmont Hills League battle. The run was unearned.

After both teams exchanged single runs in the 1st inning, Grossmont’s Aly Allmann belted a go-ahead, 2-run homer in the 2nd to also scoring Kimmie Bond (HBP) for a 3-0 lead.

Later, Roope, Jordan Brown, Brianne Blue and Natalie Emery also drove in runs, as the Hillers scored in five of the first six innings to continually expand the lead.

For Grossmont (17-11 overall, 5-3 GHL), Halle Sweiss was the only player to collect two hits, extending the Hillers’ win streak to four.

West Hills (6-16, 1-7 GHL) received its lone hit from Alyssa Borbolla on a hard ground single to left with one out in the third.

HELIX 14, MONTE VISTA 4: At eastern Spring Valley, The Highlanders’ jumped out to a 7-0 lead after 2 1/2 frames to win at Monte Vista and remain one game behind first-place El Capitan in the Grossmont Valley League.

Avery Perez, a junior, drove in three runs for the Highlanders, including a two-run double in the top of the second for a 3-0 lead.

Junior Erin Brown and freshman Kori Jonilonis both drove in two runs for Helix (16-10, 5-1 GVL).

Freshman Sophia Ramuno delivered three no-hit innings but allowed a pair of unearned runs, earning the win.

Helix and El Capitan will meet on Friday.

MOUNT MIGUEL 25, EL CAJON VALLEY 3: At western Spring Valley, in Grossmont Valley League play, the host Matadors (6-10 overall, 2-5 GVL) won for the 14th straight time in the series.

However, the Braves scored their highest run total in nearly a month.

ECVHS (0-17, 0-9 GVL) last defeated the Matadors in 2013.

UNIVERSITY CITY 5, EL CAPITAN 3: At the south side of the Golden Triangle, the host Centurions cooled the Vaqueros’ by claiming Friday’s (May 3) non-league contest.

Trailing 5-1, El Capitan got lose late on a 7th-inning home run by Alexa Williams, but UC pitcher Ashley Legler recorded the final two outs to win. She struck out nine batters.

Erin Gillum lifted University City (10-14 overall) to a 4-run lead with a 2-run, inside-the-park home run in the fourth.

El Capitan (18-6) scored its other runs on RBI singles by Hannah Davis and Madison Rosales.

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