Patriots can’t take down Longhorns in championship

By ECS Staff
Updated: May 27, 2016

CIF Commissioner Jerry Schniepp hands out the runnerup patch and medal to Danielle Romero (18) of Patrick Henry High.

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul
© East County Sports.com

LA JOLLA (5-28-16) – In a rematch that many wanted to see when the brackets were published, the No. 1 seeded Patrick Henry Patriots took on the No. 2 seeded Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns in the CIF San Diego Section Division I championship. Unfortunately for the Patriots, there wasn’t a repeat of the first time these two met, as this time the Longhorns claimed the 6-2 victory to take the San Diego CIF Division I championship.

The first time these two met way back in April in the Falcon Fiesta finals, in which the Patriots claimed the 11-1 victory.

Things started to look like they would go the Patriots way and be a repeat performance as freshman LAILA SPRACKLEN took the circle and was able to retire the Longhorns in order 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning.

Patrick Henry players huddle prior to the start of Friday night’s championship game at UCSD.

Patrick Henry in the bottom of the first jump started things with multiple hits and were able to push across a run to lead 1-0 early on.

After leadoff hitter HANNAH MCEWEN flew out for the first out, ANYA VANDERSIP (1-2, R) laced a single off of Longhorns starter Hannah Bailey, CRISTIONA CACCAMISE (1-3) followed with a hit to put runners at first and second, the next batter DANI ROMERO struck out for the second out, so with two down ANDREA WRIGHT (2-3, RBI) singled which scored Vandersip and advance Caccamise to third. However both would be stranded to end the inning.

Both teams would hold each other scoreless with the Patriots clinging to the one run lead until the top of the fourth when the Longhorns answered to knot the game at 1-1. Patrick Henry almost got out of the inning without any damage as Spracklen was able to quickly retire the first couple of batters.

However with two outs, Sarah Fisher was able to get to Spracklen as she doubled and would come around to score as Bailey helped her own cause as she laced a game tying single.

The lead again changed hands in the bottom of the fourth inning as Patrick Henry pushed across a second run thanks to a single by Wright, MAGGIE ZIMMERLY (run) came into run, who would score when KIRA JOSEPHSON (1-1, RBI) knocked her in to break the tie and give the Patriots a 2-1 lead.

Up to this point, the Longhorns had not really done anything offensively against Spracklen but that would change in the top of the fifth inning. Rancho Buena Vista finally got momentum thanks to four big hits – which included a run scoring triple by Lexi Terrones, a double by Allie Hughen that scored a run, and a Monica Padilla run scoring double to take a 4-2 lead.

Henry players in the awards line following the championship game.

Rancho Buena Vista would add a couple of insurance runs in the top of the seventh to lead 6-2.

Patrick Henry had one last shot in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be as the only runner that was able to get on base was Josephson who walked and advanced to second on a wild pitch. She would be stranded as CASSIE VAN TIL flew out for the second out and McEwen Flied out to end the ball game.

For the Patriots, Spracklen tossed 7 innings of 8 hit ball giving up 6 runs of which all were earned, walked 1 and struck out 1 in the loss.