Patriots’ late surge provides victory
- Updated: March 9, 2022
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
SAN DIEGO (3-9-22) – Leading by a run late in the contest the Christian Patriots really put things out of reach as they pushed across seven runs in the top of the seventh inning to procure the 11-3 victory over Canyon Crest Academy on Wednesday afternoon in Slugger Madness tournament action.
The Patriots would take an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Rachel Stephens (2-4, R, 2 RBI, 2 SB) drove in Kate Manes (2-4, 3 R, 2B, 2 SB) on a lined single to right field.
Moving to the top of the third inning and Manes on second after she led off with a double and would advance to third on a wild pitch, she would come into score when Lucy Sherburne (1-4, R, 3 RBI) hit a ground ball out which gave the Patriots a 2-1 lead, later Tyler Krystek (1-3, R, RBI, SB) would hit a ground ball out that scored Allyson Moody 1-2, R, RBI) and Stephens would come into score when the ball was misplayed which made it 4-1.
Canyon Crest wouldn’t go away though as they would push across a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to pull within 4-3.
Moving to the top of the seventh inning and still clinging to the one-run lead the Patriots offense really came alive starting with a two-run single by Sherburne that brought home Chloe Hessom (R, SB) and Payton Grosset (RUN), the next batter Moody would drive in Manes on a sacrifice fly which was followed by a ground out by Stephens that scored Sherburne to make it 8-3.
Also contributing in the big seventh inning was Ashley Wood who drove in Krystek, Madison Kleinsmith would later draw a walk to bring in Kaitlyn Moody and finally Wood would race home on a wild pitch to round things out.
Manes in the circle for the Patriots went the distance as she only allowed three runs on three hits while walking two and striking out five in the victory.
Mater Dei Catholic 13, Grossmont 7
FLETCHER HILLS (3-9-22) – In a high-scoring affair where both teams combined for twenty runs the Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders came alive in the late innings to pull away 13-7 for the win on Wednesday afternoon in non-league action.
Grossmont early on would lead 2-0 behind a two-run single by Caitlyn Potts in the bottom of the first inning.
The Crusaders who were held scoreless for the first three innings of the contest finally came alive in the top of the fourth inning and would push across three runs. They would score three runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth and four in the seventh inning to take a 13-2 lead.
Even though they trailed by double-digits the Foothillers in the bottom of the seventh inning would make a small comeback with five runs of their own.
An RBI single by Natalie Emery that scored Dezirae Miller would make it 13-3, a couple of batters later Eliana Vasquez (2-2, R, 4 RBI, HR) would belt a grand slam home run over the center-field fence that would bring in Na’Khia Lee, Emery and Ashley Beard (1-3, 2 R, 2B).
The Hillers would put a couple more runners on when Jenna Ennis and Alison Murphy hit back-to-back singles but both would be stranded to end the game.
Elsewhere
Liberty Charter 20, at Ocean Views Christian 9
RANCHO DEL REY — The Liberty Charter Lions, after getting swamps by a pair of playoffs teams, bounced back strong on Wednesday (Mar.(, whipping the Ocean View Christian Patriots, 20-9, in non-league play.
The 20 runs by the Knights matches their highest total since also whipping OVC, 20-11, to open the 2020 season.
Tuesday’s Late Game
ECVHS 16, at CV-High Tech 1
CHULA VISTA — Name the schools with the best overall record among East County schools?
It’s the El Cajon Valley Braves,now sporting a 2-0 mark after downing the Bruins of Chula Vista-High Tech High, 16-1, in Tuesday’s (Mar. 8) late non-league affair.
The pair of victories to open the season snaps a 14-game non-winning streak, fating to lst season’s wild 18-18 tournament draw against Castle Park.
This is also the first 2-game winning streak by the Braves dating back to early in the 2017 season when their captured four straight, although much of that time period was erased due to the pandemic.
