Highlanders Off To Best Start Since ’21

By Adam Paul
Updated: April 8, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

LA MESA (4-8-26) – Despite committing four errors and trailing by as many as four runs the Helix Highlanders rallied with six late runs to stun the visiting Steele Canyon Cougars by a score of 8-6 in non-league action on Wednesday afternoon.

Led by Nikayla Domingo who tallied a 3-for-4 day at the plate including a home run in the third inning and a pair of singles in the first and fifth innings the Highlanders managed to also outhit the Cougars 9-8.

Scoring wise Steele Canyon scored the first run on the game in the top of the first inning when Ariana Angotti drove in a run on a ground ball out to make it 1-0.

Helix behind a two-run long ball to center field by Domingo would take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third inning.

Offensively, the Cougars came alive in the top of the fourth inning behind five hits that led to five runs scoring to give them a 6-2 lead. Sophia Jackel would drive in the go-ahead run after Ily Barclay was hit by a pitch to tie the game at 2-2, another run came in on a wild pitch and Payton Sos hit into a fielder’s choice to round out the scoring for the Cougars.

However, the offensive fireworks were not over as the Highlanders exploded for five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on six hits to reclaim the lead 7-6. Dealing the big blow of the inning for Helix was Amara Okafor who drove in a pair of runs on a single to center field.

Pitching wise for the Highlanders, Lea Moya who came into the game in relief would pick up the victory. On the day she would toss three innings of no hit ball while allowing no runs and struck out three. The starter Vivie Munoz who got the no decision allowed six runs (five earned) on eight hits over four innings while walking one and striking out three. Th

For the Cougars, Belle Will drew the start in which she allowed four runs on five hits over four and one-third innings while walking one and striking out six.

Both Barclay and Dannika Lakin each tallied 2-for-3 days at the plate.

For Steele Canyon they have now dropped three games in a row and fall to 7-7 overall on the season.

Meanwhile the Helix Highlanders who are currently ranked #12 in this weeks Union Tribune poll with the win improve to 13-1 overall on the season and now have won 5 games in a row since losing for the first time almost a month ago to El Capitan.

Helix also with the victory show why they will be a title contender in Division 3 this season and are off to their best start since the 2021 season right out of the COVID year when they started 13-3 in which they finished 26-6 overall and a runner-up finish losing to Otay Ranch 4-0 in the CIF Division II championship game.

MORSE 12, GROSSMONT 7 – Despite a par of home runs by Drew Winchester the home team Morse Tigers prevailed as they scored four late runs to really put the game out of reach on Wednesday afternoon in non-league play.

Grossmont started the scoring early with a pair of home runs in the top of the first inning that included a three-run blast by Winchester to make it 4-0. The other home run came on a leadoff home run by Saraya Roope.

Morse would come back and score five runs over the first two innings to lead 5-4.

The Hillers would wind up tying the game in the top of the third inning behind a single down the left field line by Juliana Short.

Trailing by a score of 8-5 the Foothillers would inch closer thanks to Winchester who belted a solo leadoff shot deep to center field to make it 8-6 in the top of the fifth inning.

Roope would take the loss for the Hillers. On the day she would go three and two-thirds innings in which she allowed eight runs (five earned) on eight hits while walking three and striking out one.

Offensively on the day Grossmont piled up 12 hits which included Roope, Madison Busch, Winchester, and Alexis Holman each with a pair on the day.

Grossmont with the loss now has lost two in a row and falls to 7-4-1 on the season.