ROUNDUP: Eagles, Cougars win Classic titles
- Updated: March 14, 2017
The Granite Hills Eagles won the Platinum Bracket of the Cougar Classic on Monday night.
2016-17 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
EastCountySports.com
ESCONDIDO (3-13-17) – The Granite Hills Eagles offense hammered the No.2-ranked Cathedral Dons before they could even blink an eye in the Platinum Bracket semifinals of the Cougar Classic in their 10-3 victory.
The Eagles in the first three innings pounced early and often as they pushed across seven runs to lead 7-0 before Cathedral could even put up any type of offense.
The first inning for the Eagles included a single by HALEY JOHNSON (1-3, R, RBI) with one down that scored KAREN CREECH (1-3, R) who led off with a single to make it 1-0, KAYLA MACK (1-3) reached on an error that allowed Johnson to score and Mack would later score on a passed ball to make it 3-0.
In the circle for the Eagles, STACI CHAMBERS was able to squelch the threat of a couple runners on by retiring the final batter on a fly ball.
Granite pushed across a couple more runs in the top of the second to extend their lead to 5-0.
More runs for the Eagles in the top of the third pushed the score to 7-0.
The Dons would finally break through with a couple runs in the bottom of the third to make it 7-2.
Multiple walks and miscues allowed Granite to push across three more runs in the top of the fourth to lead 10-2.
Other big bats on the day for the Eagles included HALLE KYLER, who doubled and tripled.
In the victory, Chambers would toss 5 innings and give up 3 runs on 6 hits while striking out 6 on the day.
GRANITE HILLS 5, RAMONA 3 (Platinum Bracket Championship) – A late rally led to the Eagles victory over the No. 10-ranked Ramona Bulldogs to claim the Cougar Classic Platinum Championship for the first time in school history.
Both teams held each other in check for the first couple of innings but in the bottom of the third the Eagles broke through.
HALEY JOHNSON (2-3) smashed a one-out double to center field, MORGAN KELLY (2 R) would come into run, and a couple of batters later with two outs BAILEY WALLACE (3-3, 3 RBI, R, HR) hammered a 2-run bomb over the center field fence to give the Eagles a 2-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, RYLEE OMAHEN (1-2, 2 R) reached on a fielder’s choice which gave the Eagles 2 outs. One batter later, leadoff hitter KAREN CREECH (2-4, 2 RBI, 3B) hammered a triple to right center that scored Omahen to extend the lead to 3-0.
Ramona finally got on the board as they were able to tie the score at 3-3 thanks to a 3-run home run by SENECA CURO in the top of the fifth inning.
Now with the score tied the Eagles didn’t panic and went back to business in the bottom of the inning.
Leadoff hitter Johnson singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by KAYLA MACK and came around to score when Wallace roped what ended up being the go-ahead single to left center that scored Johnson to give the Eagles a 4-3 lead.
They would tack on another run in the bottom of the fifth as Omahen singled and would come around to score when Creech laced a double to extend the lead to 5-3.
Offensively the Eagles pounded out 11 hits and took advantage of the opportunities given to them by the Bulldogs.
Shutting down the potent Ramona offense was CATIE DOBBS who tossed a 2 hit gem while only giving up the 3 runs of which none were earned while fanning 8 Bulldogs on the evening.
It was a night of firsts for the Eagles program as it was the first time ever appearing in the championship game of any of the brackets and also the first championship as well.
STEELE CANYON 8, POINT LOMA 0 (COPPER BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP) – A combination of great pitching and defense mixed in with a big inning was the right formula for the Cougars as they scratched the Pointers to claim the Copper Bracket Championship in the Cougar Classic.
The first part of the formula was the big inning which occurred in the bottom of the second as the Cougars batted around and pushed across 8 runs which was all they needed.
Leading off, MAKAYLA MCCARTHY (1-3) singled, MASEN PEARLSTEIN in as a runner, SAMANTHA MILLER (1-1, R) walked, Pearlstein advanced to second, EMMA DODSON (1-2, R, RBI) singled scoring Pearlstein to make it 1-0, JASMIN ALVARADO (1-2, R, RBI) singled which scored Miler to make it 2-0, Dodson to second, AUDREY BAGGE (2-3, R, RBI) singled to center scoring Dodson to make it 3-0, Alvarado advanced to third, GENTRY HOFFMAN (run) walks, JJ VENZOR (2-3, R, RBI) singles which scored Alvarado to make it 4-0.
The Cougars tacked on four more in the inning thanks to miscues by the Pointers.
Being staked to an 8-0 lead was big for McCarthy as she overwhelmed the Pointers in limiting them to only 4 hits on the day while striking out 5 in the victory to claim the Championship.
SANTANA 13, LA COSTA CANYON 8 (11 inn.) – In a seesaw affair that saw multiple lead changes the Sultans finally put away the Mavericks in a scoring affair in 11 innings in the Silver Bracket Semi-Finals of the Cougar Classic.
The Sultans in the top of the first jumped out to an early lead as MADISON MENDEZ (3-3, 3 R, 3 RBI, HR) led off with a single, MACKENZIE BENNETT (2-4) followed with a single and up stepped RACHEL WILSON (1-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, HR) who took the offering and absolutely crushed it over the center field fence for the 3-run bomb to give Santana a 3-0 lead.
La Costa Canyon answered with a run in the top of the second to pull within 3-1.
However, the Sultans thanks to a 2-run jack by Mendez that scored NICOLE MADRIGAL (3-5, 2 R, RBI) pushed their lead to 5-3.
The Mavericks pushed across a couple of runs in the top of the third to make it a 5-3 ballgame.
Another run for the Sultans in the bottom of the fourth gave them a 6-3 lead and things were looking good for Santana.
Unfortunately, things started to fall apart for the Sultans in the top of the fifth as LCC scored 3 runs to knot the game at 6-6.
The game would go into international tie-breaker rules which would start each team with a runner at second base.
Santana scored a run in the bottom of the seventh to take a 7-6 lead. The Mavs would match with a run of their own in the eighth and Santana would retake the lead with another run.
La Costa Canyon would actually take their first lead in the ninth inning, but in the tenth, the Sultans would break through and score more than one run to put things away.
With a runner automatically on second a leadoff walk by CASSIDY MATTHIE (2-4, R, RBI, 2B), single by KRYSTEN SERVICE(2-4, 2 R, RBI), Matthie advanced to third on a passed ball, Madrigal singled scoring Matthie, SHELBY HOLMQUIST (1-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B) doubled scoring Service and both Madrigal and Holmquist would end up scoring as well to give the Sultans a 13-8 lead.
Mendez who had come in the game in relief was able to limit the Mavs to a single and retire the rest to finally end the game and punch the Sultans ticket to the Championship contest.
TORREY PINES 15, SANTANA 2 (SILVER BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP) – An early lead wasn’t enough for the Santana Sultans as the Falcons of Torrey Pines took advantage of their opportunities to put the game away early and never look back to claim the championship.
Things looked pretty good for the Sultans early on in the top of the first thanks to a one-out double to right by MACKENZIE BENNETT, KRYSTEN SERVICE followed with a single that scored Bennett, RACHEL WILSON followed with a single to short, CASSIDY MATTHIE walks which advances Wilson to second, ASHLEY MADRIGAL singled to left scoring Wilson to make it 2-0.
However, that would be the end of the lead for the Sultans because in the bottom of the first the Falcons thanks to multiple hits scored 9 runs.
Santana would tack on a run in the top of the third inning when Wilson would jack a solo blast over the fence.
Unfortunately, it was too late as the Falcons had already done the damage with more runs and the game was called after four innings.
PATRICK HENRY 8, ESCONDIDO 2 (GOLD BRACKET SEMIFINAL) – A dominant pitching performance and the offense helped carry the Patriots after trailing early on to claim the Semi-Final contest in the Cougar Classic.
The Escondido Cougars scored two runs in the top of the first inning without the benefit of a hit to take an early 2-0 lead.
However, the lead didn’t last as the Patriots scored 3 runs to take a 3-2 lead.
A leadoff single by CASSIE VAN TIL (2-4, R, SB), a two-out single by ANDREA WRIGHT (2-2, RBI, R) and a 3-run bomb by MADISON JAMES (3-3, 4 RBI, 2 R, HR, 2B) did the damage.
Patrick Henry tacked on a run in both the third and fourth innings to lead 5-2.
They would tack on three more in the bottom of the fifth. A double by James and one by Wright and single by MAGGIE ZIMMERLY (1-1, R, RBI) and also a single by HAILEYJENKS would be the damage done.
Scoring in the inning were Wright, James and Zimmerly.
Besides helping her cause offensively, James also took the circle and dominated after giving up the 2 runs in the first inning. On the day in the victory, she allowed only 3 hits while walking 1 and striking out 8 in 5 innings of work.
#3 MATER DEI 10, #5 PATRICK HENRY 0 (GOLD BRACKET CHAMPIONSHIP) – It was all Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders as they blanked the Patrick Henry Patriots by holding their offense in check the entire evening to claim the Gold Bracket Championship in the Cougar Classic.
Mater Dei over the final three innings did their damage as they scored 10 runs to end the contest.
The Patriots were limited to only one hit in the championship contest, a single by ANDREA WRIGHT.
CARLSBAD 8, WEST HILLS 4 (BRONZE BRACKET SEMIFINALS) – The Lancers took advantage of opportunities in the top of the third inning and never looked back from there as they claimed the Bronze Semi-Final contest in the Cougar Classic.
Carlsbad struck first as they put up a run in each of the first two innings to lead 2-0 early on.
However, the Wolf Pack got on the board as they pushed across two runs to tie the score 2-2.
A one-out double by ASHLEY HARTWIG and two out 2-run bomb over the left field fence by ALYSSA BUBAR gave the Wolf Pack new life and momentum as the score was now tied.
However, the momentum shifted back to the Lancers in the top of the third scored four runs thanks to multiple hits and walks to retake the lead 6-2. They tacked on a couple more runs in the top of the fourth to lead 8-2.
The Wolf Pack tried to rally in the bottom of the fourth but could only scrounge a couple runs to cut the lead in half 8-4. With one out, Bubar walked and CARLY BURSCH blasted a 2-run home run but that would be all they would garner.
CHRISTIAN 13, SANTA FE CHRISTIAN 2 –The Patriots scored in every inning and limited Santa Fe in their double-digit non-league victory.
Christian in the top of the first inning pushed across 4 runs to lead 4-0 early on. Leading off, SILENT RAIN ESPINOZA (4-5, 4 R, 2RBI, 2B, 3B) singled, moved to second on an error, LAUREN SHERBURNE (2-5, 3 R, RBI, 2B) singled and stole second base, ASHLEY CARTER (3-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 2B) doubled in both Espinoza and Sherburne, SHANNON MCMAHON (2-3, R, RBI, 2B) was hit by a pitch and both her and Carter advanced on a passed ball, they would both score to round out the scoring.
The Eagles scored a run in the bottom of the first inning to make it 4-1.
In the second it was more Patriots as Espinoza singled and stole second base, Carter knocked her in on a single, and stole second base and would score on a single by McMahon to make it 6-0.
After a run in the third and a couple more runs in the top of the fourth thanks to a triple by Espinoza who scored when Sherburne reached on an error, she would also score.
They would tack on 4 more runs over the fifth and sixth innings to round out their scoring.
In the circle for the Patriots, MALLORY STEELE went on to toss 6 innings, giving up 2 runs of which both were earned on 7 hits, walking 2 and striking out 4 in the victory.
