Vars spins 1-hitter, Vaqs return to form

By Adam Paul
Updated: March 28, 2023

Shelby Vars pitching as an 8th-grader in 2020 / Courtesy photo

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

FLETCHER HILLS –Although she is small in stature, the pitching of El Capitan junior Shelby Vars was big, firing a 1-hit shutout to stop the Grossmont Foothillers, 7-0, in Monday’s (Mar. 27) non-league contest.

Vars, who stands a mere 5-foot-2, 115 pounds, struck out 8 Hillers batters, helping El Cap (8-1 overall) bounce back

The victory was a nuce bouce back for El Capitan (8-1 overall), which just had its season-opening 8-gamer winning streaksnapped from the ballclub’s first loss after a season-opening 7-game winning streak.

While Vars kept the Foothillers in check, the Vaqueros offense went to business early. Ava Gall jacked a two-out solo shot over the right-field fence, then Addi Leone later drove in both Alanna Christiaens and Aubrey Thorne.

Leading 4-0 thanks to a dropped third strike that allowed Kylee Frazier to score, the Vaqueros would add another run in the fifth inning as Gall blasted her second home run of the game her fifth of the season over the center field fence for a 5-0 lead.

On the day the Vaqueros tallied ten hits which included multi-hit days for Leone, Gall, Christiaens, and Alyssa Fierro.

Natalie Maxwell for the Hillers would have the lone hit when she singled in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Katelynn Parent started for the Hillers and went three innings, allowing four runs and striking out four, Ashley Beard came in and threw four innings giving up three runs on six hits.

El Capitan will play Wednesday against Westview. Grossmont (2-6) will also play Wednesday against El Cajon Valley to open Grossmont Valley League play.

Granite Hills 9, Patrick Henry 4

DEL CERRO – Despite three early runs the Granite Hills Eagles used a four-run second inning for momentum and never looked back as they would go on to claim the victory over the Patrick Henry Patriots in non-league action on Monday (Mar.27) .

The Patriots would take advantage of their opportunities early thanks to a single by Jenna Mallari which was followed by three walks in a row to McKenna Geiger, Izzy Ervin, and Leila Ludwig which allowed Mallari to score to make it 1-0, Sophia Sanchez followed by being hit by a pitch to bring in Geiger and with two outs Zoe Rutherford was hit by a pitch to bring in Ervin to make it 3-0.

Now in a hole, the Eagles would take advantage of their own opportunities starting with back-to-back singles by Makayla Tileia and Makenna Hines, both would advance a couple of batters later when Ariana Heringer walked to load the bases. The Eagles would proceed to score four runs and take a 4-3 lead starting with Audrey Smale being hit scoring Tileia, Sophia Mujica would hit a ground ball for an out to score Hines to make it 3-2, and the next batter Kamryn Flath hit a ball to third that was misplayed allowing both Heninger and Smale to score which gave them the one-run lead.

Granite would extend their lead with three runs scored in the fifth inning as Tileia led off with a solo home run and later Mujica doubled in both Heninger and Smale to give them a 7-3 lead.

Henry would scratch back a run in the bottom of the inning with two down as Ludwig doubled to center field followed by Sanchez hitting a ball that was misplayed that allowed Ludwig to come in and score to make it 7-4.

But the Eagles were not done as Esther Cerda in the top of the sixth singled in both Peyton Wells and Tileia to round out their scoring.

Kaleigh Bauer who came into the contest in relief would get the victory going five and a thirds inning giving up a run on four hits and striking out five, Wells who started would last only two-thirds of an inning in which she allowed three runs on one hit and struck out two.

Rutherford for the Patriots took the loss going five innings allowing nine runs on eight hits and striking out four, Gieger came into the game in relief for two innings allowing one hit and striking out three.

Granite Hills improved to 8-1 and will next take on Santana to open Grossmont Hills league action on Wednesday to be played at 4 PM. On the other side, the Patriots slip to 3-4-1 and will next play Tuesday at home against San Marcos in non-league play.

Bonita Vista 3, Valhalla 2

BONITA – The Bonita Vista Barons rallied from a 2-0 deficit with three runs scored in the fifth inning to prevail in Falcon Fiesta tournament action on Monday (Mar. 27).

Early on, Valhalla would threaten as they would load the bases with no outs courtesy of a lead walk by Preslee Fink, Naomi Villalva followed by doubling and Cadyn Ruffer was hit by a pitch. Unfortunately, nothing would come from anything as Barons pitcher Danica Aboytes would induce a double play and a line out.

But in the second inning, an RBI single by Villalva scoring Allison Piscopo and a ground ball out by Ruffer that brought home Aubrielle Mckee would give them a 2-0 lead.

Later though in the bottom of the fifth, the Barons would finally break through and push runs across thanks to Alexis Acosta who lined a bases-clearing triple to give them a 3-2 lead which they wouldn’t relinquish.

Devyn Mack took the loss for the Norsemen as she went four and thirds innings allowing three runs on three hits and striking out three. Mckayla would come out of the bullpen and throw one and third inning while striking out one.

For the Barons, Aboytes would pick up the complete seven-inning victory allowing two runs on five hits and striking out four.

Brawley 9, Helix 2

LA MESA – Abbey Ruiz who accounted for three hits on the day for the Brawley Wildcats including a pair of doubles and three RBI helped spur the big road victory over the Helix Highlanders in tournament action on Monday (Mar.27).

Helix unfortunately couldn’t muster much offense as they were limited to four total hits on the day.

Lauren Farace would score on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh and Kamiliah Jones would double in LaNiah Broom for the other run in the inning.

Farace who had one of the four hits would take the loss in the circle for the Highlanders. She would surrender six runs on seven hits over four and two-thirds innings, striking out one.

Her counterpart Dylann Baker for the Wildcats went the distance in which she allowed two runs on four hits while striking out six.

Brawley improves to 4-8 while the Highlanders fall to 6-4-1.