Slumping Scotties seeking answers

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

 

By Tyler Gribble
Special to ECS.com

LA MESA – A sense of deja vu descended upon the Helix softball diamond on Monday when the Otay Ranch Mustangs came to town and starting pitcher Maya Loper spun a one-hit shutout in a 3-0 triumph.

Loper’s performance match matched her effort against Helix for the 2021 CIF Division II championship game.

Helix standout Sophia Ramuno was not pleased with the poor play of the Scotties.

“Our defense and offense fell short. Everyone was temperamental and it caused friction that took away from our usual cohesiveness,” Ramuno admitted. “This issues are currently being addressed and we’ve come up with a new practice plan to hopefully combat our defensive mistakes.”

“Offensively, our heads weren’t in it.”

The first score of the game came in the top of the second inning. Mustang catcher Isabel Cintron led the inning off with a single, then stole second and third base, before finally coming around to score on a passed ball.

Otay Ranch added another run in the third, with Natalie Alvarez driving in Isabel Vinluan with a single. The Mustangs added one final insurance run in the top of the seventh, with Kaylin Philips scoring on a sacrifice fly off of the bat of Cintron.

Ramuno, the starting pitcher for Helix,  went the distance in the losing effort, tallying eight strikeouts and allowing six basehits while giving up three runs, all unearned.

For the Mustangs, Loper finished the shutout with eleven strikeouts.

The lone Highlander hit on the day was a single through the 5-6 hole by third baseman Amber Young.