Jonilonis lifts Helix into D-2 title game

LA MESA —- Helix Highlanders right fielder Kori Jonilonis drilled a two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning, allowing the Scotties to advance to the CIF SDS Division II championship game following a dramatic 2-1 playback final victory over the Del Norte Nighthawks.

Softball beat Del Norte, 2-1 to advance to the @cifsds DII Championship game today at 4:30. They will Otay Ranch. pic.twitter.com/ng5ahlHmir

— Helix Athletics (@HelixScotties) June 19, 2021

The rare Saturday (June 19) morning ballgame was played before the championship tripleheader hosted by Helix. The showdown affair was originally slated for Friday but was moved to Saturday.

Nighthawks pitcher Sofia Roberts fired 4 1/3 innings of no-hit ball, supported by a first-inning unearned run. But then she hit a wall.

With one down, Amber Young and Danika Munoz stroked consecutive base hits, then Valeria Avila was hit by a pitch, ending Roberts’ stay in the circle.

Against the Del Norte bullpen, Jonilonis followed with a hard ground ball through the right side of the infield, chasing both Young and Munoz with the tying and go-ahead runs.

Helix pitcher Sophia Ramuno went five innings for the victory. Avila tossed the final two frames to garner the save.

Del Norte (18-14) saw starting first baseman Emma Giaime bat 2-for-3, including a lead double in the sixth but was stranded.

The Scotties (23-4) will host Otay Ranch at 4:30 pm. for the Division II championship.

Helix was the original San Diego Section final site when state-sanctioned girls sports debuted in the 1974-75 season (Patrick Henry defeated Vista, 2-1).

Division III

El Camino 14, Valhalla 6

OCEANSIDE —- The Valhalla Norsemen fell one game short of reaching the CIFSDS Division II championship game after falling to El Camino, 14-6, in Friday’s (June 18) playback final.

The Wildcats, the No. 7 seed, will meet No. 4 Mira Mesa in Saturday’s title game. Valhalla ends its campaign with a 15-14 overall record following an impressive run through the postseason which included three consecutive victories.

The seventh-seeded Norsemen led 3-2 through the first inning, but the Wildcats tallied six times in the second to assume control.

Andrea Gonzalez slugged a triple for the Norse, while Cadyn Ruffer and Maryn Jordan each belted doubles in a 10-hit attack.

Gonzalez batted 3-for-4 and scored twice. Ruffer, the cleanup hitter, also contributed three hits.

Down 3-0, El Camino led off the bottom of the first with consecutive home runs, part of four bombs by the Wildcats.