Vaqs’ Simone, Burton declaws Cougars

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 14, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

GROSSMONT HILLS LEAGUE

EL CAPITAN 3, STEELE CANYON 0 – Both sophomore Sofia Simone who tallied four hits along with junior Mackenna Burton’s strong pitching help provide the El Capitan Vaqueros big victory over the visiting Steele Canyon Cougars on the next to last day of the regular season.

Simone who provided the hitting punch for the Vaqueros would single in the sixth inning, single in the first, third, and fourth innings.

El Capitan behind an RBI single by Ciara Bernardini that scored Simone would take a 1-0 lead which was followed by freshman Isabella Farris coming through with an RBI single of her own that allowed Kylee Frazier to score to make it 2-0.

The Vaqueros would later add another run when with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning Simone drove in Brynlie Ford to give them a 3-0 lead.

All three runs scored by the Vaqueros were enough as Burton who drew the start would shut down the Cougars on the scoreboard as she allowed six hits over seven innings of work in which she walked one and struck out four to earn the win.

Her counterpart Belle Will took the loss as she allowed nine hits and three runs over six innings in which she walked two and struck out twelve.

Ily Barclay led the Cougars at the plate as she went 2-for-4.

Now winners of three in a row the El Capitan Vaqueros move to 14-13 overall and 5-4 in league play while Steele Canyon sees their five game winning streak snapped and falls to 14-12-1 overall and 6-3 in league.

Next up for El Capitan is a road finale at Granite Hills on Thursday while Steele Canyon play at home against the Santana Sultans.

WEST HILLS 2, GRANITE HILLS 1 (8 INN.) – Every player dreams of it but to accomplish the feat in a game is something else and that is what occurred Wednesday afternoon as senior Kristina Deal provided the flair for the dramatics as she singled in the game winning run with two outs thus providing the walk-off win over Granite Hills.

Both teams pitching was on point all day long thus making scoring opportunities rare.

West Hills with two outs in the bottom of the second inning would take a 1-0 lead when Deal singled to left field to score Ava Goodman from third base.

The Eagle though would answer back in the top of the third inning with two outs on a solo blast to center field by freshman Taylor Nash for her conference leading eleventh of the season.

Nash with her eleventh home run of the season joined Sofia Mujica who in her freshman campaign of 2021 tied the CIF single season total of 17 as the only freshman in the history of the Granite Hills program to hit double digit home runs in their freshman seasons.

Later in the contest in the bottom of the eighth inning with the score all tied up at 1-1 the Wolf Pack would start off with a single by Goodman, Sofie Jo Grosch came into pinch run and would advance on a sacrifice bunt by Gianna Burgin, she would later advance to third on a passed ball and score on the game winning hit by Deal.

Kaleigh Baugher who drew the start for the Eagles took the loss as she allowed two runs on six hits over seven and two-thirds innings in which she walked seven and struck out five.

Burgin who started for West Hills earned her tenth victory of the season as she went all eight innings in which she allowed one run on four hits while walking three and striking out seven.

West Hills who has won six of their last eight ballgames improves to 16-9-1 overall and 7-2 in league play while the Eagles who have lost three games in a row and seven of their last eight games fall to 7-17-1 overall and 3-6 in league play.

The win by the Wolf Pack along with the loss by Steele Canyon clinches themselves at least a share of the league crown while a win on Thursday over Valhalla will clinch the league title outright.

SANTANA 6, VALHALLA 5 – A six run rally followed by a hold off of a late rally gives the Santana Sultans the rollercoaster victory over the Valhalla Norsemen on senior day Wednesday afternoon.

Valhalla who came into the game looking to cause some chaos in the final days of the regular season started off fast as they were able to push across four runs in the top of the third inning to lead 4-0.

Natalia Marco would drive in a run via a hit by pitch, Devyn Mack doubled in a pair of runs, and Vanessa Moscoso drove in a run via sacrifice fly.

The Sultans would answer back with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit in half thanks to Delaney Smith who singled in McKenna Miller and Elizabeth Stephenson hit a ball deep enough to center field allowing Emma Schneider to tag up from third and race home for the second run of the inning.

Moving to the bottom of the fifth inning the Sultans would take advantage of numerous opportunities and take the momentum back as they scored four times to take a 6-4 lead.

Starting off the scoring was Kaitlyn Ruckle who drew a bases loaded walk to bring home Schneider, Brynn Warren followed with an RBI single to center scoring Kylee Aziz to tie the game at 4-4, the next batter sophomore Hailee Powell with two outs doubled to center field that allowed both Warren and Ruckle to score giving them a 6-4 lead.

Valhalla would pull within 6-5 on an RBI single by Avery Voth but would get no closer as Ashlyn Darrow shut down the Norsemen the rest of the way.

Darrow who came into the game in relief for Santana would pick up the win. On the day she would allow one run on six hits over four innings in which she walked one and struck out three. Bella Zuckerman who started the game allowed four runs on three hits over three innings in which she walked two and struck out two.

Mack who started for the Norsemen would take the loss. On the day she allowed six runs on ten hits over six innings in which she walked two and struck out one.

Winners of five of their last seven games the Santana Sultans move to 15-9 overall and 5-4 in league and also are tied for third place with El Capitan. The Valhalla Norsemen with the loss now have lost nine in a row and fall to 7-20 overall and 1-8 in league.

GROSSMONT VALLEY LEAGUE

GROSSMONT 13, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 (5 INN.) – Senior Ashley Beard proves to be a difficult out as she tallies a 4-for-4 day at the plate to help the Grossmont Foothillers claim their third win in a row on Wednesday afternoon.

Beard who doubled twice would also score twice and drive in a run while Skyler Glover tripled twice and drove in four runs, Madison Busch also contributed with a pair of hits including a triple along with scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs.

Saraya Roope who started for the Foothillers would toss a five inning shutout no-hitter in which she didn’t walk anyone while striking out twelve.

Grossmont moves to 10-15-1 overall and 6-1 in league play while El Cajon Valley drops their tenth game in a row and falls to 1-16 overall and 1-6 in league play.

HELIX 18, MOUNT MIGUEL 2 (5 INN.) – A seven RBI day by Nikayla Domingo lead the Helix Highlanders to an easy win over Mount Miguel on Wednesday afternoon.

Domingo would double in three runs in the third inning, single in two runs in the second inning, and triple in two in the fourth inning.

Vivienne Munoz who earned the win would no-hit the Matadors as she went five innings in which she allowed two runs on no hits while walking one and striking out five.

Helix with the win moves to 15-6 overall and 7-0 in league while Mount Miguel falls to 5-10 overall and 3-4 in league.