HILLS: Eagles’ title is fifth straight
- Updated: May 11, 2019
2019 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
East County Sports staff report
EL CAJON (5-11-2019) – Capturing the Grossmont Hills League title might be “old hat” for the Granite Hills Eagles. However, the 2019 edition might be more special.
On Friday (May 10), the Eagles wrapped up their fifth consecutive GHL crown behind a 1-hit shutout by pitcher Catie Dobbs to nip Santana, 2-0. However, it was the school’s first perfect slate in league play during their current title run, going 10-0 to become the first team since West Hills in 2014 to run the table without a blemish.
In this, the 10th season of the Grossmont Hills, the Eagles also broke their deadlock with the Wolf Pack for most league crowns (5-4).
Dobbs, who is often over-shadowed by Staci Chambers, dominated the Sultans with a season-best 15 strikeouts. It was her sixth double-digit performance of the year, topping her previous best of 11, set in consecutive games against West Hills and Eastlake in April. The senior now has recorded 127 whiffs.
The Eagles’ Senior Day victory came courtesy of first baseman Sydney Huse. The 12th-grader snapped a scoreless tie with a double in the 6th inning. The hit capped a 3-for-3 outing.
After being limited to just three hits through five frames by Santana starting pitcher Hailey Justice, Granite Hills was able to start erasing the clean sheet on a one-out, line double to the gap by Haley Johnson.
Amaya Esparza reached on an error, so Chambers came on to pinch-hit, yet was predictably walked intentionally.
However, the strategy back-fired when Huse also lined a double to plate both runs.
In the seventh, Dobbs walked the leadoff batter which brought the potential game-tying run to the plate. However, she capped the triumph with three straight strikeouts.
For Huse, she now has nine RBI in her last four outings for Granite Hills (21-8 overall, 10-0 GHL).
Santana (13-10, 7-3 GHL) received its lone hit from senior first baseman Shelby Holmquist with a two-out single in the sixth.
GROSSMONT 12, STEELE CANYON 4 (8 inn.): At Rancho San Diego, Foothillers third baseman Aly Allmann was “All that” on Friday (May 10), driving in a season-high five runs to lead Grossmont past the host Cougars in GHL action. An 8-run rally in the 8th inning decided an otherwise close contest as Grossmont closed with 12 unanswered runs.
Allmann, a senior, started the comeback froma 4-0 deficit with a 2-run homer toward the “Great Wall of Jamul” in left in the 5th inning. The shot also scored No. 9 batterNatalie Emery, who drew a leadoff walk.
In the sixth Allmann tied the contest with a two-run double. Then in the eighth, she was walked, then a ground ball by Samaria Roope registered the go-ahead run in Brianne Blue (kead single).
The huge inning also included run-scoring singles by Kati Contreras, Jessica Medlin and Halle Sweiss, then a 3-run double by Blue.
Allmann’s second at-bat of the frame was a run-scoring single for her sixth RBI to cap the huge outburst.
The eight runs is believed to be the largest run total in extra innings in Grossmont hsitory.
However, Allmann wasn’t through. She also ended the game by recording an unassisted double play at third base.
Grossmont (19-11 overall, 6-4 GHL) saw Blue, the right fielder, bat 3-for-5 with three runs and three RBI, while shortstop Kimmy Bond (who appropriately wears uniform No. 7) also collected three basehits.
Steele Canyon (13-15, 4-6 GHL) built an early lead on consecutive two-RBI singles by Bianca Morales and Amanda Whipple in the first.
Grossmont’s Roope then tossed 6.2 innings of shutout ball with 13 strikeouts. The later two runs were unearned.
VALHALLA 8, WEST HILLS 7: At western Santee, a wild 7th inning outburst saw the visiting Norsemen tally three times to break a 5-all ballgame, then barely hang on to nip the Wolf Pack to conclude GHL play for 2019.
Run-scoring singles by Delaney Stettler, Yanely Gonzalez and Bailey Munch pushed the lead to 8-5.
However, West Hills answered with a leadoff single by Dakotta Mershon, then a 2-run homer by Sabrina Brown on a line drive to left field.
The Pack then added additional baserunners into scoring position when Star Gaylord walked and Lily Youngdale lined a double to center field. An ensuing intentional walk then loaded the bases with no outs.
However, the Norsemen escaped by when Jade Hill initiated a double play agaist the drawn in infield. The shortstop one-hopped a grounder and fired the ball to catcher Samantha Green, who went to Munch at first base. The next batter then flied out to complete Valhalla’s magic act and break a tie between the ballclubs in the Grossmont Hills League standings.
Green also homered for Valhalla (7-20 overall, 2-9 GHL), while Stettler ad Green had three hits each to pace a 13-hit attack.
West Hills (6-18, 1-9 GHL) also received a home run from Gaylord, while Youngdale belted a pair of doubles. Mershon, the leadoff hitter, batted 4-for-4 and stole two bases.
