Cougars recoil for Slugger Madness win
- Updated: March 17, 2023
Holtville pitcher Kalli Strahm / Courtesy, Holtville Tribune
2023 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
By Adam Paul
JAMUL – A day after being shutout in an embarrassing loss against Bayfront Charter, the Steele Canyon Cougars bounced back with a tough home game yet bounced back to down the Holtville Vikings, 5-3, on Thursday (Mar.16) in the Slugger Madness Tournament.. It was the final game in pool play action.
The Cougars’ Marina Gonzalez would drive in both Jazmin Williams and Kamea Suenarine with a triple in the first inning which would be followed by fielders’ choices by Hailey Trujillo and Isabella Azevedo to give the hosts a 4-0 lead.
Holtville answered with a run in the second, but the Cougars answered back when Williams would go yard with a lead-off home run over the center field fence for her fourth round-tripper of the season to extend the lead to 5-1.
Starting pitcher Emma Shellstrom went all seven innings, allowing nine hits and three runs, striking out four Vikings in the victory.
Offensively, besides Gonzalez, both Williams who doubled and homered, and freshman Kayala Hopkins collected multiple hits on the day for the Cougars.
Kamryn Walker
The win now improves the Cougars overall record to 7-3.
For Holtville (5-3), Vikings senior shortstop Kamryn Walker went 4-for-4 as the leadoff batter.
It was the first Division I opponent for the Vikings, which is now a D-2 school following years at the D-3 level.
- Read nore HERE, courtesy of The Holtville Tribune.
