Cougars, Sultans win; Hillers fall to Eagles

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 20, 2021

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

RAMONA – Despite the late comeback by the Ramona Bulldogs the Steele Canyon Cougars were able to fend them off and preserve the 9-8 victory on Monday (Apr. 19) afternoon in the Falcon Fiesta.

These two teams just met on Friday with Ramona winning that game 7-3 but this time around the Cougars really started off hot scoring four runs in the top of the second inning.

The first run for the Cougars came when Madi Villaescusa walked with the bases loaded to score Breanna Lakin (1-4, R, 2B) to make it 1-0, a ball hit by Tayler Thomas (3-5, 2R, 2 RBI, 2B) that was misplayed allowed Allyson Haessly (RUN) to score, another error by Ramona allowed both Marley Rimoldi (1-2, 2R) and Villaescusa to score.

Steele Canyon in the top of the fourth added more runs courtesy of a Tayler RBI double followed by a two-run homerun by Iyrana Oliver (2-5, R, 4 RBI, 2B, HR) which gave them a 7-0 lead.

Iryana in the top of the fifth would add more damage as she drove in both Rimoldi and Thomas on a double to left field to extend the lead to 9-0.

Ramona would eventually scratch a run across in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI double by Ashlie Alshouse to make it 9-1.

Leading 9-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning the Cougars looked in great shape. However, the Bulldogs had other ideas as they used multiple walks and base hits to push across seven runs to pull within 9-8. Steele Canyon would eventually kill the damage done by the Bulldogs with a double play to end the game.

Emma Shellstrom would pick up the win for the Cougars. She went six and two-thirds innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out seven. Kamea Seunanne threw one third of an inning of relief in which she gave up seven runs on six hits.

Steele Canyon moves to 6-6; the Lady Dawgs fall to 5-8-1.

OLYMPIAN 19 (7-4), GROSSMONT 5 (3-4)

LA MESA – The visiting Eagles pounded out 24 hits in their convincing victory on Monday (Apr. 19) afternoon.

An RBI single by Arisa Tovar (3-4, R, 2 RBI) bringing in Aimee Alvarado (4-5, 3R, 2 RBI, HR) made it 1-0, the next batter Katie Steinmetz (3-4, 3R, RBI, 2B) would extend that lead with another base hit to drive in Arianna Kumar (4-5, 2R, RBI, 2B) to make it 2-0. The Eagles added a third run when Malia Delacruz scored on an error and later Rachel Sarmiento (2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B) would drive in both Bella Hurtado (2-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B) and Mariely Duran (2-4, 3R, RBI).

Olympian in the top of the second inning would extend their lead further to 12-0 thanks to multiple hits.

Itzell De Los Rios would double in Duran, Tovar drove in De Los Rios, a couple of batters later Hurtado doubled to center scoring Steinmetz to make it 9-0, after Duran scored on an error Alvarado followed with a two-run homerun scoring Alyssa Gross to make it 12-0.

Trailing in the bottom of the inning the Foothillers would get on the board as Natalie Emery walked with the bases loaded to score Alexis Fleischer, the next batter Kimmy Bond singled and both Sunny Miller and Caitlyn Potts scored on the throw.

Later Emery would score on a base hit by Alyssa Bolden and Bond scored on a sacrifice fly.

For Olympian in the top of the third inning Hurtado doubled in a run and Duran followed suit with an RBI single.

An RBI double by Rachel Sarmiento in the top of the fifth extended the lead to 16-5 for the Eagles. They would add on three more runs to round out their scoring.

Garnering the victory for the Eagles was Viri Rodrigues who tossed five innings in which she allowed seven hits and five runs while striking out one on the day.

For Grossmont, Caitlyn Potts took the loss in which she gave up twelve runs on twelve hits over one and two-thirds innings of work.

SANTANA 3 (9-3), RANCHO BERNARDO 2 (6-4)

SANTEE – Santana starter Joey Barkhimer (1-3, 3 RBI, 2B) took the circle and was able to corral Rancho Bernardo as she only allowed a pair of runs in her seven innings of work while striking out eight on the day.

Barkhimer would also help her cause at the plate as she smashed a bases clearing double to center field that scored Hailey Phillips (1-2, R), Anyssa Mazon (RUN) and Madison Jordan (RUN).

Moving along to the top of the sixth as the pitching on both sides was unrelenting the Broncos finally cracked their offensive woes and scored a pair of runs thanks to a double by Bella Gonzalez to pull them within 3-2.

After walking the next batter Barkhimer would end the inning as she struck out the next batter. In the top of the seventh inning the Broncos would go down in order to end the game.

WESTVIEW 7 (4-6), GRANITE HILLS 7 (1-7-1)

EL CAJON – The visiting Wolverines used a thirteen hit attack on the day to score three runs in the second and fourth innings and never look back in the win on Monday.

The only run of the day for the Eagles came in the bottom of the first inning when Sofia Mujica doubled in Jenna Haynal to make it 1-0 early on.

Haynal and Kayla Fox who doubled were the only others to have hits on the day for the Eagles as they were limited to only three hits.