Victories And Losses Come In All Forms

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 15, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

Division I

EL CAJON – In a hard-fought contest the No. 1 Granite Hills Eagles behind the strong pitching of Ashley Yeargain claimed the 3-1 victory over No. 8 Rancho Buena Vista in first-round action Wednesday afternoon.

Granite Hills would get the ball rolling in the bottom of the first inning thanks to an RBI double by Kailey Sandoval that brought home Olivia Cirar, a couple of batters later Audrey Smale who walked would score on a passed ball to make it 2-0.

They would add another run in the bottom of the third inning courtesy of a wild pitch that allowed Kamryn Flath to race home safely.

Rancho Buena Vista would score their lone run of the contest when they took advantage of an Eagles error in the top of the third inning.

Yeargain earned the win for Granite Hills. She would allow one run on one hit in five innings of work while striking out two, Kaleigh Baugher would come in and toss two innings of relief in which she allowed no runs on no hits while striking out three.

Sandoval would lead the Eagles in hits as she finished 2-for-3 including the RBI, Peyton Wells and Ariana Heninger had the other hits for the Eagles in the game.

Granite Hills with the win has now won eight of their last nine games including nine in a row and sees their home winning streak move to six games in a row. They now move to 16-9 on the season and will next take on No. 5 Carlsbad on Friday, May 17 at 3:30 PM to be played at Granite Hills.

Patrick Henry 7, Bonita Vista 4

BONITA – Four runs in the top of the fourth inning proved to be a jump starter for the No. 7 Patrick Henry Patriots as they claimed a 7-4 road win over No. 2 Bonita Vista on Wednesday afternoon.

Bonita Vista led 1-0 early on thanks to a solo home run by Alexis Jimenez. They would tack on another run to up their lead to 2-0 on an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning.

Patrick Henry though would answer in the top of the third when Makenna Gieger laced a two-out single to center field allowing Izzy Ervin to race around from second base and score to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Irvin would do more damage for the Patriots in the top of the fourth inning as she drove in both Rachel Earner and Brianna DeGuzman with two outs to take a 3-2 lead. A couple of batters later after a single by Sophia Sanchez, Gieger would come to the plate and hit a ball that was misplayed allowing her to reach safely but DeGuzman and Ervin would come into score to give them a 5-2 lead.

Leading 5-3 after Bonita Vista scored on an error in the bottom of the fourth inning the Patriots would add to it when Zoe Rutherford belted a deep fly ball over the center field fence for a leadoff solo home run which was her fourth of the season to make it 6-3.

Rutherford would earn the win as she went all seven innings in which she allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out five.

Winners of three in a row Patrick Henry improves to 17-12 overall and will next travel to No. 3 Otay Ranch who beat Mission Hills 9-5 on Friday for a 3:30 PM start.

Carlsbad 8, Steele Canyon 7

SPRING VALLEY – In quite a slugfest that saw multiple lead changes the No. 5 Carlsbad Lancers would prevail in the end 8-7 over No. 4 Steele Canyon in nine innings on Wednesday.

An early two-run double by Carlsbad gave them a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning.

Steele Canyon would answer as Kamea Seunarine with two outs knicked in Bailey Evans to pull within 2-1, the next batter Lauren Becker belted a two-run home run deep to center to give them a 3-2 lead.

An RBI single by Dannika Lakin in the bottom of the fourth and an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth inning by Marina Gonzalez extend the lead to 5-2.

Carlsbad would push across a run in the top of the sixth inning to make it 5-3. They would take advantage of multiple walks, a pair of singles of which one scored a run, an RBI double, and an error that led to a run to retake the lead 7-5.

The Cougars would rally thanks to an RBI single by Lakin followed by another RBI single by Evans to tie the game up at 7-7.

Moving along to the top of the ninth inning Carlsbad would wind up scoring the would-be game-winner on an RBI triple.

Marina Gonzalez started for the Cougars and unfortunately took the loss despite tossing all nine innings. On the day she allowed eight runs on thirteen hits while walking six and striking out six.

Steele Canyon sees their four-game win streak snapped as they fall to 18-7-1 and will next take on Rancho Buena Vista in an elimination game on Friday at 3:30 PM at home.

DIVISION II

EL CAJON – Power was the name of the game as No. 3 Christian rolled over the No. 11 Mar Vista Mariners in six innings on Wednesday in first-round action.

The Patriots would start the scoring early thanks to Lucy Sherburne who drove in a run, Ashley Wood doubled in a run and Kaitlyn Moody drove in a run to give them a 3-0 lead.

A couple of innings later the Mariners would push across three runs on a ground out and a home run.

Christian would answer back with a vengeance starting with Jordyn Krystek knocking in Kaitlyn Moody on a ball that was misplayed, Gia Colmenero followed by being hit by a pitch that would score Keels Carrizosa, a couple of batters later with two outs Lucy Sherburne delivered the big blow as she hammered a three-run home run to left field scoring Kayleigh Martin, Krystek, and Lily Reyes to round out the scoring at 9-3. The home run by Sherburne was her fifth of the season.

Leading by six runs the Patriots added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Carrizosa with two outs hit a solo home run to left field to make it 10-3. They would add a couple of more runs in the fifth inning on a two-run single by Wood followed by Carrizosa belting a lead-off solo home run deep to center field for her third of the season and second of the game. Later in the inning, Tyler Krystek would drive in Martin to finish off the scoring and trigger the ten-run mercy rule to end the game.

Sienna Staite who drew the start would pick up the win as she tossed three innings in which she allowed three runs on four hits while walking three and striking two. She is now 7-1 on the season in the circle. Ava Barrios who came in and finished things off collected the save as she went three innings allowing no runs on no hits while walking four and striking out five.

Christian with the win sees their overall winning streak move to three in a row and also their home winning streak move to 12 games in a row. Overall record they move to 22-6-1 and will next travel to Chula Vista where they will take on No. 2 Eastlake who defeated No. 10 Mt. Carmel 5-0. The game will take place on Friday, May 17th at 3:30 PM.

DIVISION III

POINT LOMA – In a tough outing the No. 7 Grossmont Foothillers fall 11-1 to No. 2 Point Loma in five innings in first-round action on Wednesday.

Grossmont on the day would tally five hits and score their lone run in the top of the fifth inning but by that time it was a little late at Point Loma led 10-0 at that time.

The lone run by the Hillers came courtesy of Eliana Vasquez in the top of the fifth inning when with two outs would rope a ball to center field allowing Madison Busch to come in and score.

Nakhia Lee and Jenna Ennis each collected a pair of hits to round out the hitting offense.

With the loss the Grossmont Foothillers fall to 11-12-2 overall and next will host No. 11 Coronado who lost to No. 3 Sage Creek 6-1.