Vaqueros, Cougars win using 3-run innings

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 28, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

LAKESIDE (4-28-22) – A three-run sixth inning by the El Capitan Vaqueros helped propel them to a 6-1 victory over the visiting Granite Hills Eagles on Thursday afternoon in Grossmont Hills league play.

An RBI single by Alyssa Fierro (3-4, 2 R, RBI) scored Shelby Vars (RUN) followed by a double by Dominique Garcia (2-3, RBI, 2B) that brought home Addi Leone (2-3, R) and an RBI single by Hailey Mulligan (1-3, RBI) to bring home Fierro led the inning.

Prior to the three runs scored in the sixth inning by the Vaqueros they would get on the board first in the bottom of the fourth inning courtesy of a two-out two-run double by JoJo Christiaens (1-2, 2 RBI, 2B) that scored both Maddie Taylor (RUN) and Aubrey Thorne 1-3, R) to make it 2-0.

The Vaqueros would add another run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Ava Gall drove in Fierro to give them a 3-0 lead.

Trailing 3-0 the Eagles would finally breakthrough on the board in the top of the sixth inning when Makenna Hines (1-2, RBI) would knock in Audrey Smale 1-3, R, 2B) to make it 3-1.

Brooke Horn for the Vaqueros would garner the victory as she went a full seven innings in which she only allowed the one run on five hits while striking out four.

On the other side for the Eagles, Kaleigh Baugher got the start going five and two-thirds innings, allowing six runs on 12 hits in the loss.

For the Eagles, Taylor Rose, Chloe Knepp (2B), and Baugher all had hits on the day.

With the loss, the Eagles now drop to 11-10-1 overall and 1-5 in the GHL while the Vaqueros improve to 19-5 overall and 6-0 in GHL play.

Steele Canyon 5, Grossmont 1

RANCHO SAN DIEGO (4-28-22) – With both sides not giving up much the Steele Canyon Cougars (14-9-1, 3-3 GHL) would break away as they used a three-run third inning to help propel them to the victory on Thursday afternoon over the Grossmont Foothillers (12-11, 1-5 GHL).

The Cougars would get on the board first as they would take a 1-0 lead thanks to a two-out RBI single by Emma Shellstrom (1-2, RBI) that would allow Mariah Mata (R, RBI) to plate.

They would go on to extend their lead even further as they pushed across three runs in the bottom of the third inning to take a 4-0 lead.

Those runs would come courtesy of a two-run home run by Abbey Curran (2-2, R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR) over the left-field fence that also scored Jazmin Williams (1-4, R). The home run by Curran was her third of the season. Later in the inning, Mata would hit a fly ball to center field that was caught but Sa’Ni Marshall who was on third base would tag up and race home for the score.

Grossmont though had an opportunity in the top of the fourth inning as Jade Daley led off by reaching on an error and would actually end up on second base on the same error, she would advance to third on the ground out by Katelynne Parent, a couple of batters with two outs Isabella Fowler is hit by a pitch. Now with runners at the corners and Ashley Beard at the plate, the Hillers looked to put something together.

The Hillers would end up scoring when a passed ball occurred allowing Daley who was on third base to race home to make it 4-1.

Steele Canyon would match the run scored by the Hillers with a run of their own when Curran would drive in Allyson Haessley (1-2, R) on a double to right field to round out the scoring.

Unfortunately, that would be the only damage the Hillers could manage as Natalie Emery (3-3) would muster the only pair of hits for them going forward as Shellstrom was able to clamp their bats down to procure the victory.

In the loss, Dezirae Miller went six innings in which she allowed five runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out two.

Shellstrom for the Cougars would pick up the win as she only allowed three hits on the day over seven innings in which she walked three and struck out three.