Titans’ Ceron clutch, stops Patrick Henry

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 16, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

CHULA VISTA (4-16-22) – Late in the contest the Eastlake Titans were able to pull out the victory thanks to a clutch base hit by Ximena M Ceron that would give them the lead for good in the 6-5 victory over Patrick Henry on Saturday in non-league action.

Henry started the offense as they would score the game’s first run when Olivia Gigante drove in Malia Savage who had doubled in the inning.

But the Titans would ease the one-run deficit in the bottom of the first inning as Ava Chavarria would belt a three-run home run over the center-field fence scoring both Rylee Alfaro and Abby Steffen to make it 3-1.

Trailing 3-1 in the top of the second inning the Patriots would retake the momentum with two outs as Kaiah Altmeyer singled and would advance to second on a defensive indifference call which would also advance Maura Evans to third base. Now with runners at second and third and still two outs Savage would come up and single to center scoring both Evans and Altmeyer to tie the game at 3-3.

Having tied the game up Henry in the top of the third inning would take the momentum starting with Gigante’s double to left field. She would come around to score when McKenna Gieger hit a ball to shortstop that was misplayed which gave the Patriots a 4-3 lead.

Eastlake though would answer in the bottom of the inning on a groundout by Steffen that allowed Alfaro to come into score which once again tied things up at 4-4 and a couple of batters later with two out Kyla Wax would once again give them the lead thanks to a solo blast over the right-field fence.

Trailing once again the Patriots again would manage to tie the game up when Gigante belted a solo shot of her over the left-field fence.

With the score all knotted at 5-5, the Titans would take advantage of a pair of one-out walks by Chavarria and Valeria Castro which was followed by Caliyah Giroux who had come into run for Chavarria advancing to third on a wild pitch which was followed by Ceron laying down a perfect bunt for a base hit and Giroux racing home for the go-ahead run.

The Patriots had a chance to do some damage in the top of the sixth inning as Jenel Mallari led off with a walk and a couple of batters later Altmeyer singled and would advance to second on the throw. But Alfaro would retire the next two batters to end the threat.

They would have their last chance in the top of the seventh inning but would only muster a two-out double by Leila Ludwig before Alfaro was able to record the final out to end the game.

Zoe Rutherford took the loss for the Patriots. She allowed two hits and one run while striking out two over her three innings.

For the Titans, Alfaro got the win as she only allowed one run on five hits over four innings of work.