Valhalla blasts record six homers

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 27, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

SANTEE (4-26-22) – Aided by a East County record-tying six home runs, early runs scored by the Norsemen would propel them to a 10-1 victory over the West Hills Wolf Pack (8-7, 3-1) on Tuesday afternoon in Grossmont Valley action.

CIF-SDS Softball Record Book

HRs	Team	Opponent	Year
7	Mt. Carmel	vs. San Marcos	2007
7	Mountain Empire	vs. Foothills Chr.	2007
6	Escondido	vs. Valley Center	2006
6	Santana	vs. EC Southwest	2008
6	San Diego HS	vs. Hoover	2011
6	Valhalla	vs. West Hills	2022

The Wolf Pack trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning would threaten to put multiple runs on the board as Lily Youngdale, Alyssa Thornton and Naomi Kai all drew consecutive walks to load the bases with one out. However, only minimal damage would be done as Faith Balestreri would ground out which allowed Youngdale to come home to tie the game at 1-1.

An RBI single by Avery Voth in the top of the second inning would allow the Norsemen to retake the lead 2-1. Scoring on the base hit was Marissa Lupo.

Valhalla (15-6, 4-0 GVL) would really extend their lead in the top of the third inning as Cadyn Ruffer and Mckayla Fish hit back-to-back home runs to make it 4-1.

Leading 4-1 in the top of the fifth inning the Norsemen would add to their lead when Maryn Jordan hit a solo home run which was followed by Ruffer blasting her second dinger of the day to give Valhalla a 6-1 lead. The next batter Fish would triple to center field, Aubrielle McKee who had come into the game as a pinch runner would score on a ground out by Naomi Villalva to make it 7-1.

They would round out their scoring in the top of the seventh inning courtesy of a lead-off solo home run by Villalva over the center field fence and later Nayeli Chapa would belt a two-run home run to right field that scored Lupo.

Thornton would take the loss for the Wolf Pack, she allowed six runs on seven hits over four and a third inning of work in which she struck out two, Youngdale would toss two and two thirds of an inning in which she allowed four runs on six hits.

Fish would get the win for the Norsemen. On the day she allowed one run on four hits over seven innings in which she struck out eleven on the day.

GAME NOTE: The six home runs by Valhallam according to the CIF San Diego Section record book, place the Norsemen in a tie for third all-time list.