ROUNDUP: West Hills, Henry, Helix, El Cap, Monte Vista, Granite Hills

By Ramon Scott
Updated: March 31, 2016

CASSIE VAN TIL scores for Patrick Henry against Bonita Vista on Wednesday.

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul
© East County Sports.com

SANTEE (3-31-16) — In a Falcon Fiesta contest that saw a mixture of great pitching and some late inning heroics the West Hills Wolf Pack defeated the visiting WestView Wolverines 3-2, Wednesday (Mar. 30).

Early on both teams went back and forth pitching and defensively as neither team could break through. It wouldn’t be until the bottom of the third inning that the Wolf Pack would have a shot as with one down SIERRA SCHLICTING (2-3, R) singled, KENDALL MARINESI struck out for the second out, ALEX GUAY (2-3) singled. So with runners on first and second and two outs PAIGE BOWLER (1-3, RBI) came to the plate looking to drive in a run. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be as she would be retired to end the inning and the threat.

However two innings later in the bottom of the fifth is when the West Hills offense finally broke through and pushed across a couple of runs to take the 2-0 lead.

Schlicting laced a one out single, Marinesi would reach on an error and Schlicting would make it to third base, Marinesi would be thrown out at second trying to advance. Facing two outs, Guay stepped to the plate. The Westview pitcher would uncork a wild pitch which Schlicting who was at third took off towards home and she was able to beat the throw and score to make it 1-0. Guay who worked the count to 2-0 would take the next pitch and smash it for a double. Two outs and Guay at second, Bowler had an opportunity to extend the lead and that she did as she ripped a single that scored Guay from second as the outfielder misplayed the ball which went to the outfield fence which allowed Bowler to go to second base. She would be stranded at second as RYLEIGH DOBYNS would be retired.

So with a 2-0 lead and just going through the Wolverine lineup inning by inning, Dobyns was looking to close things out. However the Wolverines had other ideas as they finally broke through in the top of the sixth inning. Thanks to four hits including three singles and a double they were able to knot the score at 2-2.

The bottom of the sixth was when the magic happened for the Wolf Pack as it was looking like the game would go into the seventh inning still scoreless. The first two batters for the Pack struck out and grounded out for the first two outs of the inning. With two outs up stepped SYDNEY CRAVEN (1-3, RBI, R, HR) who was hitless on the day. The count got to 2-2 when on the next pitch she connected and boom it sailed over the center field fence for the solo shot for her second on the season to give the Pack the 3-2 lead. “I saw a pitch I liked and when I did I took it.” Said Craven when asked about the pitch that she blasted over the wall.

It would be all West Hills would need as Dobyns in the top of the seventh mowed the Wolverine lineup down in order to close out the game.

Dobyns tossed the complete game for her third victory on the season as she gave up the 2 runs of which both were earned on 4 hits while walking 1 and punching out 4 on the day.

“I knew my teammates would come through in the end and they did. Even though we didn’t play over the break we had good practices to get us prepared for this game.” Said Dobyns about the slow start and also about the late inning heroics.

The win for the Pack was a good one as it was against a fellow Division One opponent and also a possible playoff opponent as well. The victory also is the third in a row for the Wolf Pack.

Patrick Henry 3, Bonita Vista 0 – On a day when runs would be a premium the Patrick Henry Patriots traveled down to Chula Vista where they defeated the host Bonita Vista Barons 3-0 in Falcon Fiesta action, Wednesday (Mar. 30).

Both teams would be bogged down in a pitchers’ duel until the Patriots in the top of the third broke through to lead 1-0. Leadoff hitter CASSIE VAN TIL singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, she would come in when HANNAH MCEWEN laced a single.

Both teams would threaten and have opportunities but they would all be for nothing as both teams figured out ways to get out of the jams. This would go on until the top of the seventh when Patrick Henry again found a way to break through to extend their slim lead.

Van Till again led off with a hit, this time a double, she would advance to third on the fly out center by McEwen, ANYA VANDERSIP unfortunately grounded to short for the second out of the inning. CRISTIONA CACCAMISE came up and was able to draw the walk to put runners at the corners with two down, DANI ROMERO would than rip a single that would score both Van Til and Caccamise to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead.

Henry ace MADISON JAMES in the bottom of the seventh would only give up a single but that would be killed on a fielders choice. She struck out a batter and got the other to fly out to end the game.

On the day she tossed the complete game shutout for her ninth victory of the season, allowing only 6 hits while walking 1 and striking out 3.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com
Steele Canyon 3, Hilltop 0 – Taking advantage of their opportunities the Steele Canyon Cougars bit the visiting Lancers of Hilltop 3-0 to garner the Falcon Fiesta tournament victory, Wednesday (Mar. 30).

The Cougars in the bottom of the first thanks to a single by AUDREY BAGGE (1-3, R), MAKAYLA STROMENGER (RUN) drew a walk giving the Cougars runners at first and second with one out, JJ VENZOR (1-2) would advance both runners as she layed down a great sacrifice bunt, Bagge would score on a passed ball to make it 1-0, Stromenger would advance to third base on the passed ball, MAKAYLA MCCARTHY drew a walk, JASMINE ALVERADO (RUN) came in as a courtesy runner. She would advance to second on a passed ball. Things got really interesting on the next at bat as EMMA DODSON hit a ball in the air to the second baseman who should have caught it but misplayed it allowing Stromenger and Alverado to both score to make it 3-0.

The three run lead would be all that McCarthy would need as she didn’t allow a Hilltop runner to get pass second base all day long. One by one she pretty much held the Lancer lineup in check allowing only 2 hits on the day in the complete game victory.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com
Helix 14, Central 3 – In the newly created Highlander Classic at Helix High the Helix Highlanders exacted revenge on the Central Spartans 14-3, Wednesday (Mar. 30).

The Highlanders would be the visiting team as they lost the coin toss but that didn’t matter as they would take a 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a MCKENZIE FLORES (1-2, 3 R, RBI, 2B) single and a tape measure bomb by DESTINI BULLOCK (2-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR) which went over the right field fence and on the baseball field. The jack was her sixth on the season.

Helix would add more in the third inning as they batted around, Singles by KENDI SWINTON (2-4, R), BELLA MENA (1-2, 2 RBI, R) and FAITH KING (3-4, RBI, 2 R, 2B) all contributed to the damage. They would add a couple in the fourth and one in the fifth and capped things off with four in the sixth inning. For Helix, Mena would drive in a run, King would also drive one in and Flores would also drive one in on a sacrifice fly.

Pitching wise for the Highlanders, SHAREENA LACHANCE tossed 5 innings, giving up 3 runs of which 2 were earned on 7 hits. BRIANA REED closed things out in the sixth as she retired the side.

The win gave the Highlanders a measure of sweet revenge as it was the Spartans who knocked them out of the playoffs last season

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com
Imperial 11, El Capitan 1 – In non-league action the El Capitan Vaqueros traveled to the desert to take on the Imperial Tigers and dropped the decision 11-1 in six innings.

Both teams kept each other in check for the first three innings until finally in the fourth the Vaqueros broke through with a run to lead 1-0. Leadoff hitter ALLYSON VON YOKES (3-3) who singled in the first inning did it again as she singled, GRACE BURKETT (1-2, R) would hit into a fielder’s choice where Von Yokes was out at second base, AMANDA VASQUEZ (1-3, RBI, 2B) would rope a double to left field that would score Burkett.

Unfortunately the lead for the Vaqueros would be brief as the Tigers finally put together some offense as they pushed across four runs in the bottom of the fourth. They would score three more in the fifth and the sixth to make the score 11-1.

El Capitan would put together a little threat in the top of the seventh as Von Yokes and Burkett would get consecutive singles. However that would be all as the next three batters would be retired.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com
Orange Glen 10, Monte Vista 7 – The Monte Vista Monarchs pounded out 10 hits on the day but it wasn’t enough as they dropped a 10-7 decision to the visiting Orange Glen Patriots in the Monte Vista Monarch Classic, Wednesday (Mar. 30).

Orange Glen would push across a run in the top of the first and also the third inning to lead 2-0. They would again score in the fifth inning as they plated five more runs to lead 7-0. However the Monarchs would get on the board as they cut the lead to 7-5 with their five runs in the bottom of the inning. Orange Glen added to their lead in the top of the sixth thanks to three more runs to make the score 10-5.

Monte Vista would have one more shot at getting back into the ball game. In the bottom of the seventh inning they would score two runs to get within 10-7 but that was the closest they would get. Despite the furious comeback attempt, in the end the Monarchs couldn’t over the seven errors committed by the defense.

On the day offensively for Monte Vista, CIERRA ROSS went 3-4, 2B, RBI, GENNA HENDERSON 3-4, 2R. JAYDE GOLDHAGEN went 2-4 scored 2 runs and drove in 2 as well.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

Olympian 8, Granite Hills 2 – It just wasn’t in the cards for the Granite Hills Eagles as they dropped an 8-2 decision to the visiting Olympian Eagles in the Falcon Fiesta tournament, Wednesday (Mar. 30).

The loss on the day snaps the 2-game winning streak for the Granite Hills Eagles.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com