Youngster, vet, key giant El Cap outing
- Updated: March 14, 2023
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
Playing in front of family and friends for one last time on Opening day is even more special, especially if you have a monster day — the ultimate cherry on top.
Not only for it a senior to have a monster day. a freshman who showed no nerves with her performance matched her teammate’s outing.
El Capitan 7, Otay Ranch 0
LAKESIDE – El Capitan freshman Makenna Burton got the opening day nod and she didn’t disappoint as she spun a four-hit shut-out complete game gem to help lead the El Capitan Vaqueros to a 7-0 victory over the Otay Ranch Mustangs in non-league action on Monday (Mar. 13) afternoon.
Burton was not only a force in the circle as she fanned five Mustangs on the day in the victory but she helped her own cause at the plate as she batted 3-for-3 including a pair of doubles and drove in a pair of runs.
Her battery-mate Stanford-bound Ava Gall in her final opening day performance as a Vaquero made the most of it as she belted two home runs on the day including a lead-off blast in the third and a two-out two-run blast in the fourth inning.
Such a great feeling hitting not one but two home runs in our home opener for my senior season! @EC_Preps_SD @SDPrepInsider @cifsds @StanfordSball pic.twitter.com/tv2nMdwXCZ
— Ava Gall (@AvaGall51) March 14, 2023
It wasn’t just Burton and Gall getting in on the action but also multiple Vaqueros as they would pound out ten hits in the contest.
Besides Burton and Gall, the other Vaquero to have a multi-hit day was Kylee Frazier who doubled in Ciara Bernadini in the second inning to make it 2-0.
Scoring runs for the Vaqueros were Alyssa Fierro, Aubrey Thorne, and Alanna Christiaens.
“The feeling was so amazing hitting well in front of my family. Because it is my senior year, I don’t have many opportunities to play in my hometown before I go off to college. There were high tensions before the game so knowing that I was able to compete with the crowd and the pressure to succeed was incredible. The first at bay was a battle and I had hit a foul ball that was easily a no-doubter so I said to the catcher “man I’m not getting that pitch again!” But lucky for me, two pitches later I got an even better one. Makenna is going great. For her being a freshman, she is dominating the circle and has a really really bright future. She can command the zone so easily and is able to spin the ball in a way that puts the batters in a difficult position. I am really excited to see how she does the rest of this season and her career. Dom Garcia caught that game but I have caught Makenna every other time. Makenna works well with the catchers which is really helpful. “ Quotes by Ava Gall regarding playing her last home opener and also about her monster day and also about Burton’s day being a freshman and dominating the way she did.
El Capitan with the win remains undefeated as they move to 6-0 and will next take on University City in a home non-league contest Tuesday, March 14 which is slated for a four O’clock start.
Elsewhere
Mount Miguel 9, Classical 8
SPRING VALLEY — In a tale of two different ballgames blended into one strange contest, Mount Miguel and Classical mounted 17 runs through the first innings, but then everything changed with neither side able to score the rest of the way. But that was fine with the Matadors n taking a wild 9-8 decision over the visiting Caimans.
Mount Mguel jumped to a 5-3 lead in an opening inning that took nearly 45 minutes to complete, but Classical kept chipping away, moving to within a run in the fourth. Then just as quickly, both pitching staffs settled in and the hitting all but disappeared.
For Classical (1-1), freshman Sophie Subka batted 3-for-4, with each hit accounting for an RBI. Caimans junior pitcher Zarina Key walked four in the opening innings, but she stopped issuing free passes, she closed the contest with 3.1 innings of shutout ball in her complete-game effort.
Mount Miguel (1-1-1), which is unbeaten in two straight following a 5-5 draw with Chula Vista 8 inn., darkness, didn’t report any statistics.
Both Sami Jelowdar and Ariana Moya not had a pair of hits but also scored a pair of runs apiece while Sitara Aquisap batted 2-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs. Mariah Santiago was the other Matador on the day to score twice.
