Eagles, Cougars get Hills wins
- Updated: May 5, 2018
Steele Canyon following its win over Santana on Friday.
2018 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
EastCountySports.com
GROSSMONT HILLS LEAGUE
#3 GRANITE HILLS 6, WEST HILLS 2
The Eagles pushed across some insurance runs late to score the victory over the home team Wolf Pack and remain undefeated in league play.
Granite Hills struck first in the top of the inning as Bailey Wallace (1-3, R) scored as Amaya Esparza (RBI) was hit by a pitch, Brooke Bertussi into run for Esparza, McKenzie Boehm (1-2, R, 2 RBI, 2B) followed with a walk to score Haley Johnson (1-4, R) which made it 2-0.
The Wolf Pack had an opportunity to cut into the lead in the bottom of the first with two outs as Ashleigh Hartwig (3-4) singled, Gabby Clippinger singled. However, the next batter would be retired to end the inning.
Neither team would score anything until the top of the fifth when the Eagles scored to make it 3-0 on a Kara Blanchard (1-3, 2 RBI) walk which allowed Aylani Ottley (2R) to come in.
West Hills again threatened in the bottom of the sixth as Hartwig led off with a single and Clippinger is hit by a pitch which put runners on first and second. Once again Staci Chambers (2-3) was able to get out of the inning as she retired the next three batters.
Granite Hills in the top of the seventh took advantage of multiple hits to score some insurance runs which extended their lead 6-0. The first run came in on a Boehm double which scored Ottley, Julia Tysling (1-2, RBI) followed with an RBI single to score Kaylenn Valenzuela (RUN), and Kara Blanchard singled to score Boehm.
The Wolf Pack in the bottom of the seventh broke up the shutout as Alyssa Bubar hammered the Chambers offering over the left field fence for a two run jack which also scored Jules Fossing.
In the loss, Carly Bursch went 4.1 innings giving up 3 runs while walking 5 and striking out 5.
On the other side in the victory for the Eagles Chambers went all 7 innings giving up 2 runs while walking 1 and striking out 7.
With the win, the Eagles have now won 15 games in a row and also clinched the Grossmont Hills League crown with the Steele Canyon victory over the Santana Sultans. Granite Hills has now claimed the last 3 Hills crowns and also a Valley League crown for the four-peat.
STEELE CANYON 4, SANTANA 0
A gem of a game on both the offensive end and in the circle allowed the Cougars to get the big win and bolster their playoff position.
Steele Canyon got going in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a smash triple by Jazmin Alvarado which scored Maggie Carpenter to make it 1-0, Carly Logan (3-3, 2 RBI, 2B) followed with a laced single which brought in Alvarado to make it 2-0.
Tayler Thomas (1-2, R) would single for the Cougars in the bottom of the fourth inning, Bianca Morales (1-3, 2B) doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fifth but both would be stranded.
However that changed in the bottom of the sixth with one out when Thomas singled, a couple batters later Logan smashed a double to right field which brought in Thomas to make it 3-0, DJ Dumeng into run, Elizabeth Bott (2-3) followed with a single and Dumeng scored on a Sultans error to make it 4-0.
Grace Richter needed to get only the final three outs to get the win and that she did as she retired the side in the top of the seventh inning to end the game.
The only hits on the day for the Sultans came courtesy of Emma Leggett in the top of the third inning and Mackenzie Bennett singled in the fourth.
For the Sultans in the loss, Madison Mendez went 6 innings giving up 4 runs on 8 hits while walking 4.
Richter for the Cougars pitched a complete game 7 inning gem only allowing 2 hits while giving up 0 runs as she walked 0 and struck out 6.
With the loss, the Sultans have lost 5 of their last 6 games and have a big game on Monday with Clairemont while the Cougars have won 3 of their last 5.
