Record day for Wright; Espinoza has big day
- Updated: April 12, 2017
Photo by Dwight Tinker
2017 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
EastCountySports.com
Patrick Henry 11, Clairemont 4 – Patriots roll the Chieftains to open Western League play by pounding out 13 hits and also a record setting day.
Patrick Henry scored two runs in the bottom of the first as CASSIE VAN TIL singled, SAVANNAH CHAPMAN doubled advancing Van Til to third and ANDREA WRIGHT knocked in Van Til to make it 1-0. Chapman would come into score as well to make it 2-0.
Clairemont pushed across a run in the top of the secon to cut into the Patriot lead 2-1. However that run was erased as back to back walks by Van Til and Chapman and on a 3-2 count Wright took the offering and clubbed it over the fence for a 3-run blast to give the Patriots a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning.
Patrick Henry added more in the bottom of the fourth when ARIANA RIOS singled, HANNAH MCEWEN singled to extend her hitting streak, stole second base and Van Til knocked in both Rios and McEwen to extend the lead to 7-1 on a single.
A couple of innings later in the top of the sixth the Chieftains trailed 8-1 and actually cut the lead in half thanks to a three run homerun to make the 8-4.
The Patriots answered in the bottom of the sixth with three runs thanks to a walk by Van Til, Chapman singled and again Wright crushed a 3-run bomb over the fence for her second on the afternoon and also 7 RBIs on the day as well.
The two homeruns on the afternoon by Wright etched her place in CIF history as she became the 57th player to do so and also her 7 RBIs in a contest tied herself for 6th in CIF history and also matched the most in the Eastcounty this year with MAKAYLA STROMENGER who accomplished the feat at the end of last month against Valhalla. The 7 RBI is also second in school history behind the 8 that SIERRA ALTMEYER knocked in against Christian back in 2015.
MADISON JAMES went 6 innings for the victory, giving up 4 runs on 2 hits and fanned 2 on the day.
Christian 10, OLP 9 – Christian outslugs the Pilots and holds on to claim the Eastern League contest.
The Patriots in the first inning struck first as SILENT RAIN ESPINOZA (3-4, 3R, 2B) singled, advanced to second on an error, and a couple of batters later be knocked in by ASHLEY CARTER (2-3, 2R, 3 RBI, SB) who would steal second base, MALLORY STEELE (1-3, R, RBI, SB) singled, SHANNON MCMAHON (2-3, 2R, 3 RBI, 3B, 2B) knocked in Carter with a sacrifice bunt to extend the lead 2-0.
The lead would be cut into thanks to a couple of doubles in the bottom of the first by the Pilots to make it 2-1.
Our Lady of Peace would actually take a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the third thanks again to a couple of doubles and a single.
Christian would retake the lead in the top of the fifth inning as LAUREN SHERBURNE (2-3, 2R, 2RBI, 2B) led off with a double, Espinoza singled, a couple of batters later Carter singled which scored Sherburne to tie the score 3-3, Steele laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Espinoza to take a 4-3 lead and McMahon smashed a 2-run triple to push the score to 7-3.
More runs for the Patriots in the top of the sixth extended their lead to 9-3 as Sherburne singled, Espinoza doubled, AUDREY SHEBLOSKI (RBI) grounded out which scored Sherburne and Carter singled which scored Espinoza.
However the lead didn’t last as the Pilots took advantage of their opportunities in the bottom of the sixth and pushed across six runs to tie the score at 9-9. Thanks to multiple errors and basehits including a homerun the scoring was made possible for the Pilots.
Even though the score was now tied at 9-9 this didn’t get the Patriots down as they went back to business in the top of the seventh inning. Getting things going for Christian, McMahon roped a double and would score a couple of batters later thanks to a singled by TENAY BANEGAS (1-4, RBI) to give them a 10-9 lead.
The one run lead would stick as Carter was able to sit down the Pilots to end the game and get the victory.
On the day Carter went 7 innings giving up 9 runs on 13 hits, walked 1 and struck out 6.
