CIF: Christian, Steele Canyon avoid softball elimination

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 24, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
CIF-San Diego Section Championships

By Adam Paul=

OPEN DIVISION

#4 CHRISTIAN 12, #5 CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 7 – Despite allowing four runs in the top of the seventh inning the Christian Patriots would claim the victory over league rival Cathedral Catholic to claim the elimination game on Saturday and advance to the semi-finals.

Christian early on would jump on the board first when Lucy Sherburne (2-3, 2 R, RBI, SB, HR) led off with a solo home run to left field, later with two outs Alyssa McCurty (3-4, R, 2B, 5 RBI) hit a ball that was misplayed by the Dons that allowed Tyler Krystek (3 R) to score and Samantha Baca (2-2, R, 3 RBI, 2B, HR) followed with an RBI double to center field that brought home Keytyn Ruis to make it 3-0.

Cathedral Catholic would answer with runs in both the top of the second and third innings to pull within 3-2.

But the Patriots would answer back as McCurty again with two outs doubled to left field scoring both Sherburne and Lily Reyes (R, SB) which was followed by a Baca two-run blast to right field that scored Ruis to put them up 7-2.

Leading 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning Christian put runs on board again courtesy of McCurty driving in Krystek, a couple of batters later Keels Carrizosa (RBI) drew a walk that brought home Ashley Wood (2-3, 2 R) and Reese Danczak (RBI) hit a fielder’s choice that scored McCurty to make it 10-3.

McCurty would again strike with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning as she drove in both Krystek and Wood to give the Patriots a 12-3 lead.

Cathedral Catholic would make the game closer than it was with a pair of two run home runs in the top of the seventh inning before Ava Barrios retired the following batter to end the game.

McCurty would earn the win for the Patriots. On the day she would surrender four hits and two runs over four innings in which she struck out five.

With the loss the Cathedral Catholic Dons are officially eliminated and finish their season 17-12.

Christian on the other hand are winner of four in a row at home and move their record to 23-7-1 and move onto the semi-finals where they will now have to beat top seeded Mater Dei Catholic twice in order to advance to the Open Division Championship game.

DIVISION I

#7 STEELE CANYON 7, #6 EL CAPITAN 2 – Six and one-third inning of no-hit ball by junior Payton Sos prior to only allowing the only hit of the game helps to power the Steele Canyon Cougars on Saturday in their elimination game victory on the road against league foe El Capitan.

Not only did the strong pitching effort by Sos give the Cougars life but also early runs scored in the top of the first inning when with one out Belle Will (2-4, R, 2 RBI. 3B) tripling right field scoring both Hailey Trujillo (3 R, SB) and Isabella Azevedo (1-2, R) followed by a perfect sacrifice bunt by Dannika Lakin (R, RBI) that brought home Will to give them a 3-0 lead.

Steele Canyon would a couple of innings later add more on the score board as they took advantage of a Vaqueros error that allowed Marina Gonzalez (1-4, R) to score, Sophia Jackel (2-3, RBI) would drive in Trujillo and Lakin would come into score on a Makenzie Meyer (RBI) walk to make it 6-0.

Sos with her strong pitching effort would earn the win for the Cougars. The only runs she allowed along with hit came in the bottom of the bottom of the sixth inning when Addison Higuera (1-2, 2 RBI, 2B) doubled to left field scoring both Ciara Bernardini (RUN) and Brynlie Ford (RUN). Sos would walk five and strike out two.,

For the Vaqueros, Higuera who took the loss started and on the day would allow six runs (three earned) on three hits over two and two-thirds innings while walking three. Makenna Burton would come into the game in relief and allow one run on three hits over four and one-third inning in which she walked one and struck out two.

The El Capitan Vaqueros see their three game home winning streak snapped and with the loss are officially eliminated and finish the season 17-14.

Steele Canyon with the win moves to 18-13-1 and has now won two in a row. They will now move into the semi-finals where they take on second seeded Eastlake and have to beat them twice in order to advance to the Division I Championship game. They met earlier in the first round with Eastlake eeking out a 3-2 victory.