A Pair Of Nail-Biters Highlight GHL Action

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 11, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

SPRING VALLEY – A late lead change courtesy of a double steal broke a tie game to give the Steele Canyon Cougars a 7-6 victory in a wild Grossmont Hills League contest Thursday.

Trailing 6-5 the Steele Canyon Cougars would tie the game up at 6-6 with Hailey Trujillo (2-3, R, RBI, SB) at third base and Isabella Azevedo (1-3, R, RBI, SB) at first base. Still two outs and Makenzie Meyer at bat who would work the count 2-2 before Azevedo took off for second and in the process, Trujillo would take off and race home where she would slide in successfully for the go-ahead run to make it 7-6.

Marina Gonzalez (RBI) who came into the game in relief would finish things off and preserve the one-run victory.

Earlier before the dramatics, the Cougars would take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a Gonzalez groundout that allowed Lauren Becker (2-4, 2 R, RBI) to plate.

Granite Hills would tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the second inning on a groundout by Ariana Heninger (RBI) to bring in Makenna Hines (RUN).

The Eagles would take a 2-1 lead in the top of the third inning when Mia Downes (2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR) belted what would be the first of her two dingers in the game a solo shot with two outs to left field.

Steele Canyon though would answer and retake the lead as Kayala Hopkins (1-3, R, RBI, 2B) would tag up from third base and race home safely to tie the game and Trujillo would drive in a run to make it 3-2.

They would extend their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning thanks to an error by the Eagles that led to Azevedo scoring and Becker would ground out to bring home Tevia Cohen (1-2, R).

Despite trailing by three runs the Eagles wouldn’t go down quietly as Olivia Cirar (2-3, R, RBI) drove in Kailey Sandoval 1-3, R) which was followed up by Downes hammering a three-run blast to left field scoring both Audrey Smale (RUN) and Cirar to give them a 6-5 lead.

Bailey Evans started for the Cougars. On the day she allowed six runs on six hits over five innings while walking four and striking out three. Gonzalez came in and finished out tossing two innings of shutout ball while allowing one hit and fanning one two and walking two.

Peyton Wells got the start for the Eagles in which she tossed four innings while allowing five runs on seven hits walking one and striking out two, Payton Sos came in and tossed one-third of an inning in which she allowed two runs on three hits and finally Kaleigh Baugher came in and went one and two-thirds innings in which she struck out two.

Granite Hills sees their modest two-game winning streak snapped and falls to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in Grossmont Hills League. On the other side, Steele Canyon has now won nine games in a row and moves to 11-3-1 overall and 2-0 in Grossmont Hills League.

Photo by Nick Pelegrino

HELIX 9, EL CAPITAN 8 – In another wild contest between the two rivals the Helix Highlanders managed to fend off a fierce late rally to preserve the victory over the El Capitan Vaqueros Thursday in Grossmont Hills action.

El Capitan would pounce first as Alanna Christiaens drove in a run and Domonique Garcia would hit a sacrifice fly that allowed another run to score making 2-0 in the top of the first inning.

The momentum wouldn’t last as Helix would score five runs to take a 5-2 lead in the bottom half of the inning. One of the big blows in the inning was a two-run single by Tatiana Hernandez-Valverde scoring both Lauren Farace and Ta’Tiannah Wright which tied the game. Other damage done in the inning was an RBI single by Kamilah Jones to score LaNiah Broom which was followed by an RBI single by Naomi Parra to round out the scoring.

Helix added another run the next inning on a wild pitch that scored Wright to make it 6-2.

But, the Vaqueros answered back as they scored three runs to pull within 6-5. The first run came on a fielder’s choice by Kylee Frazier to score Ciara Bernardini, Garcia drove in Frazier and Aubrey Thorne scored on a sacrifice fly by Kameron McDaniel.

A couple of innings later in the top of the fifth, the Vaqueros would retake the lead after Christiaens drove in a run and Garcia grounded out leading to another run-scoring to make it 7-6.

Helix though would again retake the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to Kamilah Jones who doubled in a pair of runs and Lillianna Benabdeljalil drove in a run.

The Vaqueros would score one final run in the top of the seventh inning before Helix would finish things off for the win.

Lauren Farace earned the victory for the Highlanders as she tossed six innings in which she allowed seven runs on ten hits while walking three and striking out two.

Alyssa Cole started for the Vaqueros in which she allowed five runs on seven hits over an inning, Shelby Vars came in and tossed five innings in relief giving up four runs on five hits while walking four and striking out four.

Helix improves to 7-8 overall and 1-1 in Grossmont Hills League while El Capitan sees both their three-game winning streak and nine-league-game winning streak snapped dating back to last year snapped. Their record now is 6-7-4 overall and 1-1 in league play.

– Photos by Nick Pellegrino

SANTANA 11, VALHALLA 1 (5 inn.) – Strong pitching and offense helped to procure a convincing run-rule victory for the Santana Sultans as they beat the Valhalla Norsemen in Grossmont Hills League play Thursday.

Emma Schneider drove in a pair of runs, Ashlyn Darrow doubled in a run and Kaitlyn Ruckle drove in a run to give the Sultans the early 4-0 lead.

Santana added three more runs in the bottom of the third inning when they took advantage of an error by Valhalla that led to a couple of runs scoring. They added another run on a tag up by Vanessa Ryan on a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.

Aurelia Dawson who started for the Sultans picked up the win. The starter gave up no runs and no hits over four innings of work in which she walked four and struck out one. Bella Zuckerman came in and tossed an inning in relief in which she allowed one run on one hit while walking one and striking out one.

Devyn Mack of Valhalla took the loss as she allowed 11 runs on 7 hits over four innings while walking six and striking out two.

Natalia Marco had the only hit and drove in the lone run for the Norsemen.

Valhalla has now dropped eight in a row and falls to 1-15 overall and 0-2 in league while the Sultans move to 8-9 overall and 1-1 in league play.

GROSSMONT VALLEY

EL CAJON (4-11-24) – Big day for Grossmont’s Nakhia Lee as she was able to tally a perfect day at the plate to help propel the Grossmont Foothillers cruise to a shortened 23-0 in five innings over the Mount Miguel Matadors Thursday in Grossmont Valley action.

Grossmont right away scored ten runs in the first inning thanks to Carleigh Wenck who drove in a run, Ashley Beard doubled three runs, Plunk singled in a run while another scored on a passed ball, Lee drove in a pair and Jenna Ennis drove in another two runs.

They would go onto add more to their lead in the bottom of the third inning as they pushed across eight runs.

Eliana Vasquez drove in a pair of runs, Plunk and Heidi Villa drew RBI walks, Saraya Roope doubled in two runs and Lee again added another run as she laced a double.

Roope earned the win for the Hillers as she allowed two hits over three innings while striking out five, Vasquez came in and went two innings while walking two and striking out one.

Grossmont moves to 5-5-2 overall and 1-0 in league play while Mount Miguel has lost four in a row and falls to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in league.

WEST HILLS 14, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 (5 inn.) – West Hills tallies 12 hits on the day in their short-game victory over the El Cajon Valley Braves Thursday in Grossmont Valley play.

Kristina Deal of West Hills collected three hits in three at-bats and would score four runs. Among those three hits were two doubles and she would steal a base.

Abby Farmer would match Deal with her three hits which included a double and an RBI and scoring twice.

Samiya Wright drove in three runs while Katy Spargo scored three runs and tallied a pair of hits in three at-bats and drove in two runs.

Ava Goodman who also drove in a run started for the Pack in the circle. She would go two innings in which she allowed the lone hit by the Braves and struck out four, Maddie Aylesbury came in and tossed three innings in relief. She would walk one and strike out seven.

West Hills now winners of two in a row move to 7-6-1 overall and 2-0 in league while El Cajon sees their four-game winning streak snapped and falls to 8-5 overall and 1-1 in league play.