Eagles, Foothillers get big Hills wins
- Updated: May 3, 2018
2018 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
EastCountySports.com
GROSSMONT HILLS LEAGUE
GRANITE HILLS 5, STEELE CANYON 0
The Eagles trike first and don’t look back as they use pitching and defense to hold the Cougars to earn the victory.
Granite got a run right away in the bottom of the first when Bailey Wallace (1-2, R, RBI, HR) led off with a long ball over the center field fence to put them up 1-0. A couple batters later Amaya Esparza (1-3, R, RBI) would single which allowed Erica Simon (RUN) who came into run for Haley Johnson to come in and score, McKenzie Boehm (1-3, 2 RBI) drove in both Aylani Ottley and Esparza to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead.
Granite Hills df Steele Canyon 5-0. Baily Wallace jacked a HR. https://t.co/esO8EnGTOj
— EC Preps (@EC_Preps_SD) May 3, 2018
Steele in the top of the second inning received a single by Elizabeth Bott (1-2) but she would be stranded as the next two batters were retired by Staci Chambers (2-3).
Moving along to the top of the sixth as both sides pitching held, leading off for the Cougars JJ Venzor (1-3) singled to center, a couple batters later with two outs Tayler Thomas (1-3) laced a single, Danelle Directo was hit by a pitch to load the bases. However, the Eagles would get out of the jam as the next batter was retired.
Granite in the bottom of the inning would round out their scoring as Brooke Bertussi (1-4, RBI, 2B) roped a double that scored Rylee Omahen.
Taking the loss for the Cougars Grace Richter went 6 innings giving up 5 runs on 8 hits while walking 6 and striking out 1.
Also contributing for the Cougars was Audrey Bagge who had a hit.
In the win for the Eagles Chambers went the distance going 7 innings giving up 0 runs on 4 hits while walking 1 and striking out 8.
With the win, the Eagles have now won 14 games in a row and have put themselves in the driver’s seat for the league crown and will definitely move up in the polls.
GROSSMONT 4, SANTANA 0
The Foothillers behind stellar pitching grounded the Sultans offense and were able to provide the offense necessary to garner the victory.
Grossmont had an opportunity in the bottom of the first inning to do some damage as both Kimmy Bond and Katie Appenzeller walked and a couple batters with one out Jordan Brown (2-4, R) singled to load the bases. However, the Sultans would get out of the inning as Joey Barkhimer struck out the next batter and got the final out via ground ball.
Once again another opportunity in the bottom of the second with two outs for the Hillers as Rainee Foster reached on an error, Bond and Appenzeller again walked but once again Barkhimer got out of the inning without any damage done.
Moving to the bottom of the third the Foothillers finally broke through as Candace Henderson (1-3, RBI) drove in Brown and later Aly Allmann (1-3, R) came in on a Foster base hit to make it 2-0.
Santana in the top of the sixth had a runner when Mackenzie Bennett led off with a single but the Foothillers got out of the inning.
Grossmont added a couple more runs in the bottom of the sixth as Kati Contreras (2-4, R, 2 RBI, HR) blasted her sixth homer of the season over the left field fence to also score Foster to extend the lead 4-0.
That would be all Grossmont needed as Samaria Roope did the rest in the top of the seventh inning to preserve the win.
Santana on the day only had two other hits by Barkhimer and Madison Mendez.
Starting for the Sultans was Barkhimer who went 2 innings giving up 0 runs on 1 hit while walking 4 and striking out 4. Coming into relieve was Mendez who took the loss going 4 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits while walking 1 and fanning 4.
For Grossmont Roope went all 7 innings for the complete game victory giving up 0 runs on 4 hits while walking 0 and striking out 4.
