East County Sports

GHL: Wild day in Hills League

A Valhalla player circles the bases on a home run on Wednesday. / Vic Marano

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

 

By Adam Paul

SANTEE  – With the score tied at 7-7 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Valhalla Norsemen (11-7, 3-1 GHL) pushed across three runs and held onto beat the West Hills Wolf Pack (4-5, 0-3 GHL) 10-7 in Grossmont Hills League action on Wednesday (May 12).

Early on things were going the way of the Wolf Pack in the bottom of the first inning when Alyssa Thornton (2-6, RBI) hit a ball that was misplayed allowing Shannon Kim (1-5, R, 2 SB) to score to make it 1-0, a couple of batters later Lily Youngdale (2-5, R, 2 RBI) would hit a ball that was misplayed allowing Maddie Edwards to score to give them a 2-0 lead.

Valhalla though would answer in the top of the second inning thanks to a leadoff home run by McKayla Fish (2-4, R, RBI, HR) over the center-field fence and later Marissa Lupo (R, RBI) hit a groundball out to score Cadyn Ruffer (1-4, R, RBI) to tie the game at 2-2.

But the Pack in the bottom of the second inning took advantage of their opportunities starting with a lead walk by Amaya Angeli (R, SB), she would later score on an error after a base hit by Sabrina Brown (1-5, R) to make it 3-2, a couple of batters later Youngdale singled to right field bringing in Brown to make it 4-2, the following batter Emily Byrd (2-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B) ripped a double to right field bringing in both Naomi Kai (1-3, R) and Youngdale which made it 6-2.

The Wolf Pack added another run in the inning on a ball hit by Marina Morales that was misplayed allowing Byrd to score which made it 7-2.

Despite trailing the Norsemen chipped away starting with an RBI single by Maryn Jordan (3-5, 2 R, RBI, 2B) to score Abby Johnston (1-5, 3 R, 2B) to make it 7-3 in the top of the third inning.

Valhalla would continue chipping away at the Wolf Pack lead in the top of the fifth inning as Naomi Villalva (4-5, 2 R, 4 RBI, HR) blasted a solo homer over the center-field fence and later Ruffer drove in Jordan to make it 7-5.

West Hills would threaten to break the game open in the bottom of the inning with one out as Kim singled, Brown followed with a walk and Thornton singled to load the bases. But Fish was able to get out of the inning as she retired the next two batters.

With two outs in the top of the sixth, the Norsemen were losing opportunities but Villalva would change all that as she came through again with a two-run triple that scored both Lupo and Johnston to tie the game at 7-7.

Neither team was able to do anything in the seventh inning so it was onto extra innings.

The Wolf Pack had their opportunity to end things in the bottom of the eighth inning starting with a lead single by Thornton, Kai followed by being hit by a pitch, and Youngdale laid down a bunt single to load the bases.

The next batter Byrd would hit a hard liner to center field that was caught by Jordan who threw it to second base to double up the runner who had been going for the double play. The next batter would be retired by Fish to end the threat and the inning.

Valhalla would lead off the top of the ninth with a double by Johnston, the next batter Villalva would drive her in on a base hit to give them an 8-7 lead, later with two outs Aubrielle McKee would drive in Villalva to make it 9-7 and Jordan would also score in the inning to round things out.

The leadoff hitter for the Pack Callia Rooks singled and was followed by Angelli hitting in a fielder’s choice where both were safe. With runners on first and second Kim would hit into another fielder’s choice in which Rooks was thrown out at third base, Brown followed with a fly ball out but Angeli tagged up and advanced to third base. The next batter would be retired by Fish to end the game.

Thornton took the loss for the Pack as she allowed nine runs over eight innings of work while walking three and striking out three.

For Valhalla, Fish picked up the win as she went all nine innings in which she allowed seven runs while walking four and striking out eleven on the day.

 

Helix 6, Steele Canyon 1
LA MESA – In a showdown of the preseason favorites, the Helix Highlanders (16-4, 3-0 GHL) prevailed as Sophia Ramuno struck out 10 and the Highlanders scattered nine hits in the win.

Helix got going in the bottom of the first inning when Angel Riggins (1-2, R, RBI) drove in Kori Jonilonis (1-4, 2 R), the next batter Nicole Hernandez (2-3, RBI, 2B) would drive in Isabella Bordine (2-4, R, RBI) and the next batter Lily White hit a ball that was misplayed allowing Riggins to score to give them an early 3-0 lead.

Steele Canyon (11-8, 3-1 GHL) in the top of the second inning tried to put something together as Janea Wilson (RUN) led off with a walk and Breanna Lakin reached on an error advancing Wilson to third base. Unfortunately, neither would score as Ramuno was able to get out of the inning which included a strikeout and the final out coming from a pickoff at first base to end the inning.

Later in the bottom of the sixth inning and leading 3-0 the Highlanders would add more thanks to a leadoff solo homer by Amber Young (1-3, R, RBI, HR) to make it 4-0, a couple of batters later Bordine would drive in Jonilonus and Audrey Kull (2-4, R) scored on a Ramuno groundout to round out the scoring.

The Cougars would finally get on the board in the top of the seventh inning when Marley Rimoldi drove in Wilson to make it 6-1.

Iryana Oliver would have the only other hit for the Cougars.

 

Grossmont 4, Granite Hills 3
EL CAJON – With the score tied up at 3-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning Jade Daley (1-2, R, RBI) was able to draw a bases-loaded walk to bring in the winning run for Grossmont (4-11, 1-3 GHL).

Early on the Granite Hills Eagles (4-13-1, 0-3 GHL) would lead 1-0 in the top of the second inning when Makenna Hines (1-3, RBI) drove in Paige Baird (1-3, R).

However, the early lead by the Eagles would be erased as Grossmont behind back-to-back singles by Daley and Alyssa Bolden (1-3, R, SB) and later Sunny Miller (1-3, RBI) driving in Daley. With two outs and Bolden on third base, a gutsy call was made when she would race home for a successful stolen base attempt which gave the Foothillers a 2-1 lead.

Granite Hills however would tie the game in the top of the third inning when Chloe Knepp (1-4, RBI) laced a single to center field to bring in Kiki Sandoval (3-3, R) to score to make it 2-2.

With the score still tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Hillers with two outs following a triple by Natalie Emery (1-3, 2 R, 3B) would retake the lead on a Kimmy Bond (2-4, RBI) base hit.

But the Eagles again would tie the score at 3-3 in the top of the sixth inning when Sofia Mujica (1-3, R, RBI, HR) led off by belting her eleventh home run of the season a solo shot over the left-field fence.

Granite Hills had an opportunity in the top of the seventh to put some runs on the board as Ashley Yeargain reached on an error with one out and Sandoval followed with a single advancing Yeargain to second base. Unfortunately, both would be stranded as Sunny Miller retired the next two batters to end the inning.

Starting off the bottom of the seventh for the Hillers was Emery who reached on an error, the following batter Bond would lay down a perfect bunt for a base hit and Katelynn Parent (1-3) walked to load the bases which set up the final dramatic finish for Grossmont.

Yeargain took the loss for the Eagles. She went four and two-thirds allowing three runs on six hits.

Miller picked up the win for the Foothillers. She went seven innings in which she allowed three runs on eight hits.

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