St. Anthony ends Eagles’ magical run
- Updated: June 2, 2022
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
EL CAJON (6-2-22) – Early runs by the St. Anthony Saints (18-10) of Long Beach doomed the Granite Hills Eagles in a a 7-4 decision in Thursday’s (June 2) CIF Southern California Division 3 regional semifinals.
A pair of home runs by the Saints in the top of the first inning put them up 4-0 and in the top of the second inning they would push across another run to build a 5-0 cushion.
Granite Hills would answer back in the bottom of the third inning when Kaleigh Bauer drove in Taylor Rose and a couple of batters later Kayla Fox would trot home when Kailey Sandoval was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Saint Anthony though would answer back with another run in the top of the fourth inning to take a 5-2 lead and again with another run in the top of the sixth inning extended the lead to 6-2.
The Eagles knew they were running out of opportunities and tried their darndest to come back in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Chloe Knepp would draw a one-out walk which was followed by a base hit by Kamryn Flath, both would move up on a wild pitch and Knepp would race home on another wild pitch to make it 7-3, and Flath would come into score when the Saints uncorked another wild pitch to make it 7-4. That would be the closest the Eagles would get the rest of the game as Baugher would single in the bottom of the seventh but no further damage was done as the next three batters would be retired in order to end the game.
Baugher who drew the start would take the loss despite only lasting a third of an inning as she allowed three runs on two hits while walking one before Rose came in and finished the game. Rose went six and two-thirds innings in which she allowed four runs on ten hits and struck out two on the day.
For the Saints, Cano picked up the win as she went six innings in which she allowed two runs on two hits while walking two and striking out ten on the day.
With the loss, the Granite Hills Eagles finish their season at 20-13-1.
St. Anthony, the No. 4 seed, advances to the Southland regional final on Saturday at 4 p.m., meeting second-seeded Temple City (26-6) which beat El Toro, 6-3.
