LONGHORNS DOWN PATS, GAIN OPEN FINAL
- Updated: June 17, 2021
RBV's Paige Dimler
2021 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
SAN DIEGO CIF OPEN DIVISION SEMIFINALS
#2 Rancho Buena Vista 8, #6 Patrick Henry 1
By Adam Paul
VISTA — On Wednesday (June 16), it was Deja Vu for the Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns as they used early runs to propel themselves to victory and a date in the San Diego CIF Open Division championship by defeating the Patrick Henry Patriots, 6-1.
RVB who had previously beaten the Patrick Henry Patriots by a score of 10-0 a few days earlier would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning courtesy of a two-run single by Janae Combs.
Patrick Henry though tried to muster a response as Dezianna Patmon led off the top of the second inning with a base hit which was followed by a base hit by Jessica DeWitt. Unfortunately, Longhorns ace Savannah Coyle bucked down and retired the next three batters in order to end the inning.
Things were looking up for the Patriots in the bottom of the second inning as McKenna Gieger was able to get two quick outs but unfortunately Longhorns slugger Paige Dimler would blast a solo-homer over the right-field fence for her ninth of the season and extend the lead to 3-0.
Later in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Longhorns and their bats would add more runs when Coyle would help her own cause as she drove in Dimler to make it 4-0, later in the inning with two-outs Ava Bradford would drive in a pair of runs to make it 6-0.
Patrick Henry would finally get on the board in the top of the sixth inning as Kaiah Altmeyer who led off with a base hit would steal second base and come around and score when Olivia Gigante drove her in to make it 6-1.
However, the Longhorns would answer with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning thanks to Dimler who belted an opposite-field two-run blast for her tenth of the season to make it 8-1.
The Patriots in the top of the seventh inning would get runners on as Malia Savage led off the inning with a base hit which was followed by another base hit by Jenna Mallari. However, Coyle again was able to retire the next three batters to end the game and get the complete-game victory.
With the loss, the Patrick Henry Patriots are officially eliminated and conclude their season with a record of 18-8.
On the other side, the Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns improve to 23-6 and advance to Saturday Nights CIF Open Division Championship game to be played at Helix High School at 7 PM where they will face the #1 seeded Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders who technically are the defending Open Division Champions as the season was cut short last season due to the Corona Virus pandemic. The Crusaders in the 2019 season went on to finish 32-4 and beat the Rancho Bernardo Broncos 5-1.
The last time the Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns were in any type of championship contest was back in 2016 when they defeated Patrick Henry 6-2 to claim the Division I CIF Championship. That team was also coached by current coach Theresa Murillo.
CIF RECORD BOOK NOTE – Longhorns slugger Paige Dimler with her two home runs on the day now has 39 career home runs which is only two behind the 41 hit by Trina Harrison of Oceanside from 2004-08.
