PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: East teams have big, winning day

By ECS Staff
Updated: May 20, 2016

West Hills' Alex Guay drives a two-run double in the Wolf Pack's 2-0 victory over Rancho Bernardo Thursday.

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul
© East County Sports.com

RANCHO BERNARDO (5-20-16) – In the second season known as the playoffs, it is all about momentum and that is the word of the No. 5 seeded West Hills Wolf Pack, as they traveled up the freeway to take on the No. 4 seeded Rancho Bernardo Broncos in the CIF San Diego Division I playoffs and rounded the Broncos, 2-0, Thursday (May 19^th) in First Round action.

West Hills came out smoking despite not scoring in the top of the first inning and continued in the bottom of the inning.

Ryleigh Dobyns, of West Hills, delivers to Rancho Bernardo on Thursday.

Taking the circle was ace RALEIGH DOBYNS, who retired the first batter on a fly ball to center. The next batter struck out looking and despite giving up a single, that runner was gunned down at second by catcher ALEX GUAY to end the inning. The tone was set in that the Pack showed the Broncos that they wouldn’t be pushovers.

A couple of innings later in the top of the third, the Pack took advantage of the opportunity afforded them as Rancho Bernardo had sent their ace to the circle in KONNER DAHLBERG.

Leading off, ALEXIS HERRERA laced a single, BROOKE ROBERTS followed with a ripped single, as both runners would advance to second and third when Dahlberg uncorked a wild pitch. A couple of batters later with one down, up stepped ALEX GUAY, who had previously been hit by a pitch. She calmly took the offering and smashed a double that scored both Herrera and Roberts to give West Hills a 2-0 lead and the momentum.

Rancho Bernardo managed to put together a little threat in the bottom of the fourth as they led off with a single, but Dobyns got the next batter on a sacrifice and the runner advanced to second. The next batter struck out swinging, but a walk and a wild pitch put the tying run at second. However, the threat was squashed when Dobyns struck out the next batter for the final out of the inning.

West Hills third baseman Kendall Marinesi makes a play against Rancho Bernardo on Thursday.

Dobyns the rest of the game did her thing for the Pack and the defense played right behind her and made sure nothing got by. The Broncos put together a little momentum in the bottom of the seventh, as they got a couple of hits and had runners on first and third with two down. Up stepped the leadoff hitter, who grounded out to KENDALL MARINESI at third who threw to first for the final out of the game.

The Wolf Pack took the momentum from their opening playoff victory and kept it going and coach MIKE APPLEBAUM couldn’t have been any happier.

“The girls played great, they played fearless and had great at bats against Dahlberg. I am thrilled to death,” said the Pack skipper. “Alex Guay has been swinging the bat great lately and she continued it today.

“Dobyns had the game of her life, she threw really hard and in fact I believe threw as hard as Dahlberg today.”

In the victory, Dobyns tossed all 7 innings giving up 0 runs on 6 hits, walked 2 and fanned 4 on the day.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

GRANITE HILLS 6, VALLEY CENTER 5 – In CIF Division II First Round action, the host No. 2 seeded Eagles pushed across runs early and in the middle and held off the late rally to claw the No. 7 seeded Valley Center Jaguars.

The Eagles punched first as HALLE KYLER (2-3, 2 RBI, 3B) reached on an error by the first baseman. CASSIDY SHEW (2-3, 3 RBI, 2B) roped a double that scored Kyler and was actually thrown out at third trying to stretch it into a triple. However that didn’t matter as the Eagles led 1-0 early on.

Granite again in the bottom of the second inning led off with HALEY BUDVARSON (1-2, 2 R) reaching on an error, this time by the shortstop. Kyler came up and followed that with a booming triple that scored Budvarson and Shew hit a sacrifice fly that scored Kyler to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead.

Valley Center finally got on the board and cut into the Eagle lead as they pushed across a run to make it 3-1 in the top of the third inning on a bases loaded passed ball. However, that small gap was expanded by Granite as they pushed across more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Leading off for the Eagles in the fourth, RILEY AGERBEEK walked, JULIA TEASELING, who had been called up from JV, came into run. Budvarson bunted her way for a single advancing Tyseling to second, Kyler blooped a single scoring Tyseling, Shew grounded out but Budvarson came into score and KAREN CREECH grounded out scoring Kyler to make it 6-1. Things were looking good for the Eagles but in the top of the sixth the Jaguars took advantage of their opportunities.

Valley Center in the top of the sixth led off by reaching on an error. The next batter also reached on an error, a double scored both of them cutting the lead to 6-3 and the next run would come in on a single to make it 6-4.

The Jaguars in the top of the seventh would get a bunt single, a walk, a strikeout and would actually score to make it 6-5 on a groundball that was thrown in which Creech would stretch out and make an excellent pick for the out. Valley Center would finally be retired to end the game giving the Eagles the one-run win.

Kyler on the day for the Eagles went all 7 innings, giving up 5 runs of which 3 were earned on 7 hits, walk 2 and strikeout 5 Jags.

“We played well and Creech at first played a strong game as she made some excellent plays.” said Granite Hills coach CURTIS BARNES.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

GROSSMONT 9, HELIX 3 – In CIF Division III action, the No. 1 seeded Grossmont Foothillers hosted the No. 9 seeded Helix Highlanders and fired on all cylinders early on as they won, 9-3, on Thursday (May 19^th).

Offensively, the Foothillers kicked things off in the bottom of the first as leadoff hitter CHLOE CAMARERO (3-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, SB, 2B) singled to center, DESTINY BACON (2-4, 2 R, 2 SB) singled to left, both stole second and third, TAYLOR BAEZ (2-4, 2 RBI, R, SB) knocked in Camarero on a sacrifice fly, SAMARIA ROOPE (1-3, 3 RBI) reached on an error that scored Bacon, KAILEY DANIELS came into run, CARLY PEARSON (3-4, RBI) smoked a double to the left field fence which scored Daniels to make it 3-0.

Grossmont would add more in the bottom of the third inning as Bacon and Baez each singled and stole second and third. Roope singled to center that scored both runs, as Daniels came into run. She stole second and would come into score on the Pearson single to extend the lead to 6-0. They would score a couple more runs in the bottom of the fourth to push the score to 8-0.

Helix up to this point couldn’t get anything offensively going until the top of the fifth inning.

Leading big, the Foothillers changed pitchers, bringing in CASSIDY DAVILA.

The Highlanders, behind a leadoff walk by KENDI SWINTON, both FAITH KING and MCKENZIE FLORES reached on errors. DESTINI BULLOCK (2 H, 3 RBI, 3B) singled, scoring Swinton to make it 8-1. That was all the Highlanders would get in the inning.

Grossmont, with 2 outs in the bottom of the inning, received a single by ALEXIS COLLINS. AMBER ALLMAN came into pinch run, then JESSICA WILSON (2-3, R) singled and Camarero knocked in Allman on a single to push the score to 9-1

Helix would answer a couple of innings later in the top of the seventh as FRANKIE MARTINEZ singled, King singled and Bullock crushed a ball to center that went for a triple and scored both Martinez and King to make the score 9-3. Grossmont would end the small rally and get the victory.

In the loss for the Highlanders, SHAREENA LACHANCE took the loss going 3 innings, giving up 6 runs on 9 hits and BRIANA REED tossed 3 innings giving up 3 runs on 7 hits while walking 1. For the Foothillers in the victory Roope tossed 4 innings, giving up 2 hits walked 2 and struck out 2 for the win. In relief Davila tossed 3 innings, giving up 3 runs on 4 hits while walking 1 and fanning 1 on the day.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

PATRICK HENRY 7, WESTVIEW 1 – In CIF Division I action, the No. 1 seeded Patrick Henry Patriots used some timely hitting to muffle the No. 9 seeded Westview Wolverines on Thursday (May 19^th).

The Patriots pushed across a run in the bottom of the first behind HANNAH MCEWEN (2-4, 2 R, 2B, SB) leading off with a single. She advanced to second on a sacrifice by ANYA VANDERSIP (2-2,RBI, 3 R, 2B), stole third and scored as CRISTIONA CACCAMISE (3-3, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 2B) singled to make it 1-0.

Starting in the circle for the Patriots and making her playoff debut was LAILA SPRACKLEN, who gave up a single hit in the top of the second before retiring the next three batters in order. Patrick Henry in the bottom of the inning would get the lead hitter on as CASSIE VAN TIL (SB) reached on an error and stole second base, but she would be stranded to end the inning.

Westview in the top of the third inning would get on the board and push across a run to knot the score at 1-1.

However that didn’t last as Patrick Henry answered in the bottom of the inning, as Vandersip led off with a walk, and would score on the smashed double by Caccamise, who herself would score when ANDREA WRIGHT (2-3, RBI) knocked her in to give the Patriots a 3-1 lead. Deja vu for the Patriots in the bottom of the fourth, as Vandersip this time singled and scored on another double by Caccamise to make it 4-1.

Spracklen and the Patriots did the deed with pitching and defense in the field, as they would hold the Wolverines despite giving up a few hits here and there.

Patrick Henry added more in the bottom of the sixth when McEwen doubled, Vandersip doubled in McEwen, Caccamise walked and DANI ROMERO (1-4, 2 RBI) drove in both Vandersip and Caccamise. Romero would also score to round out the scoring.

Spracklen for the Patriots in the victory went the full 7 innings, scattered 6 hits while only giving up the 1 run and struck out 1 on the day.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

Christian successfully executes a run down on Thursday against Escondido Charter during the CIF playoffs.

CHRISTIAN 4, ESCONDIDO CHARTER 3 – In a nail biter of a CIF Division IV playoff contest, the No. 1 seeded Christian Patriots rode their early offense all the way to finish in outlasting the visiting No. 8 seed Escondido Charter on Thursday (May 19^th).

Things got off to a rocky start for the Patriots as Escondido Charter struck first off of Patriots pitcher ASHLEY CARTER (2-3, 3B). Escondido Charter got a one-out single and a 2-run blast to lead 2-0. However the lead didn’t last as the Patriots answered in the bottom of the first inning.

With 2 outs, Carter helped her own cause as she roped a triple and the cleanup hitter ANNA SHERBURNE (1-1, 2 RBI, HR, R), who already had 9 dingers on the season, took the offering and crushed it over the fence for the 2-run jack to knot the score at 2-2 and give her 10 on the season and into the top part of the East County record books for most homers in a season, only 3 away from tying the record mark.

Christian broke the tie with a couple of runs in the bottom of the second inning as LAUREN SHERBURNE (1-3, R) singled and MALLORY STEELE (1-3, R) singled. Both would come around to score to give the Patriots a 4-2 lead.

Both the pitching and defense for the Patriots would come up huge in the third, fourth and fifth innings to shut down Escondido Charter. However, the White Tigers would score in the top of the sixth inning and pull within 4-3 and would threaten to tie the game but the Patriots got out of the inning.

Carter in the top of the seventh would retire the White Tigers pretty much in order to preserve the victory and push the Patriots into the next round.

On the day, Carter tossed a complete 7-inning victory, giving up 3 runs of which 2 were earned on 6 hits, walk 3 and fan 6 on the day.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com

Serra scores a pair of runs during the San Diego CIF playoffs on Thursday.

SERRA 5, SAN DIEGO 0 – Despite being outhit in the contest, the No. 3-seeded Serra Conquistadors made the most of their opportunities in their victory over the visiting No. 11-seeded San Diego Cavers in the CIF Division III playoffs, Thursday (May 19^th).

The Conquistadors struck first in the bottom of the second as MEGAN POOLE (1-2, R) singled with one out, JORDAN GRAVES (1-3, 2 RBI, 2B) reached on an error, BRIANNA CORONADO (run) came into run, DARBY TIBBETTS (1-3, 2 RBI) singled in both runs to put the score at 2-0.

Serra in the field played very well defensively, as they would get a couple of ground ball outs and a fly ball to end the top of the third inning despite committing an error and allowing that runner to steal second base. Both teams would hold each other until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Conquistadors would push across more runs.

Leading off for Serra, TAYLOR CURLY (run) was hit by a pitch, SELA FALLON (2-4, RBI, R) singled, Poole advanced the runners on a bunt and Graves knocked both in with a smashed double to extend the lead to 4-0.

Serra in the bottom of the sixth rounded out their scoring with an RBI single by Fallon scoring ANANDA who had come in for VIVIAN TOMOVICH who had been hit by a pitch.

On the day in pitching victory for the Conquistadors, Tibbetts tossed 7 innings, striking out 2 and scattering 10 hits.

By Adam Paul, © EastCountySports.com