Cougars, Patriots enjoy opportunities
- Updated: March 19, 2022
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
SCRIPPS RANCH (3-19-22) – Late-inning momentum carried the Steele Canyon Cougars with two-outs as they would take advantage of a Scripps Ranch error and score what would end up being the game-winning run to come away with a 2-1 victory in non-league action on Saturday.
With pitching strong on both sides runs being scored would be at a premium but the Cougars would get on the board first with a run scored in the top of the third to lead 1-0.
Steele Canyon’s run-scoring rally would start with two-outs when Sa’Ni Marshall drew a walk which was followed by a base hit by Allyson Haessly, with runners on first and second Jazmin Williams hit a ball that was misplayed allowing Marshall to come around and score.
Moving to the bottom of the fifth inning and the Cougars still clinging to the 1-0 lead the Falcons would get on the board to tie the game up on a double steal in which Natalie Krebs would steal home.
Now with the game tied up at 1-1 the Cougars in the top off the seventh would start their rally with a one-out base hit by Hailey Trujillo, she would advance a couple of batters later with two outs when Emma Shellstrom singled to left field. The next batter Marshall would hit a ball to short that was misplayed allowing Trujillo to race around third base and touch home allowing the Cougars to retake the lead.
Despite allowing a base hit in the bottom of the seventh and the runner advancing to second base, Shellstrom would strand the runner when she got the next batter to pop out to end the threat and game.
Shellstrom picked up the win as she allowed the one run on six hits over seven innings, striking out four and walking zero on the day.
Steele Canyon improves to 11-4-1 on the season and will next play Ramona at home with a start
time of 4 p.m.
Christian 8, Our Lady of Peace 7 (semis)
Christian 8, Valley Center 5 (championship)
SPRING VALLEY – The re-surging Christian Patriots swept a pair of games in the Gold Division championship round of the Monte Vista Tournament. The Patriots escaped the semifinals with an 8-7 win over Our Lady of Peace, then beat Valley Center for the crown, 8-5.
In the final game, both teams would combine for 28 hits on the day but it would be the Christian Patriots prevailing as they scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning and made that stick to claim the victory on Saturday.
Trailing 1-0 in the top of the second inning the Patriots would tie the game at 1-1 when Chloe Hessom (2-4, 2 RBI) hit a lined single to right field that brought in Lucy Sherburne (2-4, 2R, 2 RBI), the next batter Kate Manes (1-5, R, RBI, SB) would hit into a fielders’ choice which saw Kaitlyn Moody (1-3, R, RBI) race home to give the Patriots the lead 2-1.
They would extend their lead to 3-1 in the top of the third when Moody singled to left allowing Tyler Krystek (2-4, R, SB) to come in and score.
Christian in the top of the fourth inning looked for more and got it thanks to multiple hits including a one-out base hit by Kate Manes to start things, Ashley Wood (1-5, R, SB) followed with another base hit that advanced Manes to third base, the next batter Rachel Stephens (4-5, R, RBI, 2 SB) laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out and in doing so knocked in Manes to make it 4-1, Allyson Moody (3-5, R, RBI) followed with an RBI single, a couple of batters after Krystek singled Sherburne would drive in both Stephens and Moody to extend the lead 7-1, later in the inning, Hessom would drive in Sherburne to round out the scoring.
Things would get interesting as the Jaguars would score four runs over the fifth and sixth innings but Allyson Moody would shut them down for the win.
On the day Moody allowed five runs on eleven hits while striking out one and got the win as she went the distance.
In the semifinals, Christian scored eight ties in the first two innings to take an 8-3 lead. Our Lady of Peace answered with four runs in the fourth, but got no close s the Patriots pitchers closed with three shutout innings to advance..
SCOREBOARD
Christian 8, Our Lady of Peace 7 (semifinals)
Christian 8, Valley Center 5 (championship)
Steele Canyon 2, at Scripps Ranch 1 (7th-inning winner)
Helix 11, Olympian 1 (5 inn.)
San Ysidro 8, Monte Vista 3
