Helix’s Jones absorbs knock for walk-off

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 18, 2023

2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

LA MESA – In a contest that would go back and forth with the score tied late, Helix sophomore Kamilah Jones was hit by a pitch which led to the walk-off 2-1 victory over the Valhalla Norsemen on Monday (Apr.17) in non-league action.

Both sides pitching-wise were very limiting on the day as both ballclubs evened out at five hits apiece.

Helix’s Kamilah Jones: game-winning RBI

Helix (9-8-2 overall) would tie the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning on a ground ball out by Freshman Clarissa Thomas that allowed Lauren Farace to race home.

Sophomore Katelyn Woodland picked up her sixth victory of the season as she went the distance, allowing one run on five hits and striking out nine.

Naomi Villalva would take the hard-luck loss for the Valhalla Norsemen (6-7-1) as she allowed two runs on five hits and struck out six over six innings of work.

Valhalla’s lone run came in the third inning when Freshman Preslee Fink belted a solo shot to left field for her first of the season.

Fink would lead the Norsemen going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Both Kamryn Evans and Farce each tallied two hits for the Highlanders.

Santana 13, Grossmont 1 (5 inn.)

FLETCHER HILLS – The Santana Sultans would show their offensive prowess as they would score 12 runs combined over the middle innings that would trigger the mercy rule in a 13-1 victory over the Grossmont Foothillers in five innings on Monday (Apr.17) in non-league action.

Santana (13-1-1 overall) would start the scoring in the first inning thanks to Emma Schneider who drove in Sara Spry to give them the 1-0 lead early on.

They would tack on three more runs in the third inning courtesy of RBI singles by McKenna Miller and Kaitlyn Ruckle. The last run of the inning came on a defensive indifference call that allowed Miller to come home.

The Sultans would continue their offensive onslaught in the fourth inning as they would go on to push across five more runs. Led by Schneider who belted her fifth home run of the season to center-field for a two-run shot, later in the inning Ruckle would follow with an RBI single scoring Anabella Heguy to make it 9-0.

Delaney Smith would also contribute with an RBI double in the fifth inning.

Grossmont (2-10) would finally get on the board in the bottom of the fifth inning when Jade Daley who went 3-for-3 on the day singled in Carleigh Wenck.

Eliana Vasquez would take the loss for the Foothillers, allowing twelve hits and eight runs over three innings and striking out three.

Kyleigh Aason picked up the win for the Sultans as she allowed one run on nine hits over five innings, striking out three.

Grossmont collected nine hits on the day with Daley, Iryana Oliver, and Wenck having multiple hits.

Santana would pound out eighteen hits which included Spry, Schneider, Smith, Heguy, Miller, and Ruckle all having multiple hits in the contest.

Patrick Henry 10, El Camino 0 (5 innn.)

OCEANSIDE – Patrick Henry pitcher Zoe Rutherford fired a two-hit shutout as the Patrick Henry Patriots won, 10-0 in five innings, on Monday (Apr.17) over the El Camino Wildcats in non-league action.

Patrick Henry (8-7-1 overall) would start the scoring with six runs in the first inning. Offensively, Rutherford would drive in a pair of runs, Leila Ludwig would drive in McKenna Geiger and Emily Hanna doubled in Rachel Earner.

Rutherford would also go deep in the second inning.

Ludwig and Rutherford would each have multiple hits on the day with Ludwig going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, she would also accrue 3 RBI in the game.

Taking the loss for El Camino (6-10) was Kailey Stanford who gave up five runs on one hit.

West Hills 16, Mount Miguel 1 (5 inn.)

SANTEE – Katy Spargos’ big day at the plate included a pair of long balls and four RBI to spark a convincing run-rule victory over the Mount Miguel Matadors, 16-1 in five innings, on Monday (Apr.17) in Grossmont Valley League play.

The Mount Miguel Matadors (2-7-1 overall, 0-2, GVL) would score their lone run in the first inning when Klarissa Soto grounded out, and in the process, Sami Jelowdar raced home from third to make it 1-0.

However, it was all West Hills (10-6-1, 2-0 GVL) as Spargo belted a two-run homer, Ava Goodman would drive in Raelyn Gagnon to make it 3-1. The next batter Faith Balistreri would hit a two-run shot to center field for her of the season and later Alyssa Thornton would tag up from third and come home on a sacrifice fly by Kristina Deal to round the scoring out.

Spargo would add to her hit total in the second inning by leading off with a solo homer to center field for her fourth of the season. Also, driving in runs in the inning was Thornton who followed with an RBI single to left scoring Gagnon.

On the day the Pack had 21 hits in the contest including a 4-for-4 day at the plate by Thornton. She wouldn’t be the only West Hills player to collect multiple hits as Spargo, Balistreri, Goodman, Maddie Aylesbury, Amaya Angeli, and Samiya Wright all managed multiple hits.

Kylee Perkins of the Matadors would take the loss as she allowed 16 runs on 21 hits over four innings of work.

Goodman garnered the victory for the Pack, going three innings allowing one hit and one run and striking out seven.

Elsewhere

El Cajon Valley 15, SD-Southwest 14 (walk-off)

EL CAJON – In the past, El Cajon Valley traditionally is known for finding ways to give away victories..

Such opinions are disappearing, partially thanks to Braves junior Saleen Quirino. The left-hander entered to shut down San Diego-Southwest over the final three innings, then delivered the walk-off sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh, propelling ECVHS to a wild 15-14 triumph over the Raiders in Monday’s (Apr. 17) non-leafue affair.

ECV’s Saleen Quirino: winning pitcher, game-wiunning RBI on walk-off sacrifice fly

The Braves were on routine defensive stop from a win in the top-half f the seventh, but an error allowed the game-tying run to score, the Southwest added two additional unearned runs to garb a 14-123 advantage.

However, the Braves fought back despite several obstacles to get even, then the fly ball to left field by Quirino was just deep enough to score Lora Collins on a bang-bang plate at the plate.

“When the outfielder caught the ball, my girl Collins ) rook off and scored the winning run.

At first, Collins was directed to re-touch the plate — she barely touched it at first — but this time, ECVHS got the call after she — and the Southwest catcher — both dived into the dish.

Meanwhile, Quirino finished with three innings of relief, not allowing an earned run.

“Even though I knew the umpire was weird with his callings, I knew I had to throw strikes to get our team the victory,” she added. “I am so proud of my defense. They were incredible

ECVHS was concerned about the officiating crew, which called only illegal pitch on the Raiders’ slide-tep move throughout the contest.

There were also three plays at the plate inthe fifth and sixth innings, with the Braves runner ruled out each time despite reviews on the video. which could question each call.

“It was incredible to win because I knew my defense really backed me up — I was really proud of them.”

The Braves (3-6 overall) snapped a 3-game losing streak. They will attempt to end a long losing skid in Grossmont Valley League play when they entertain Mount Miguel on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

The Raiders (3-10-1) had a2-game win streak come to a conclusion.