Will, Hendricks lift Cougars in D1 opener

By Ramon Scott
Updated: May 20, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

SAN DIEGO CIF DIVISION I PLAYOFFS

(3) STEELE CANYON 6, (6) POWAY 3

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY — The old guard and the new generation combined to send Steele Canyon off to a winning start in the CIF San Diego Section Division I softball playoffs on Wednesday.

Senior Belle Will contributed two hits, an RBI, and earned the victory in the circle, while freshman Avigail Hendricks drove in a team-high two runs and recorded the final six outs as the third-seeded Cougars defeated Poway, 6-3, in the opening round of their double-elimination bracket.

The victory improved Steele Canyon to 18-11 and moved the Cougars into the winners bracket, where they will face No. 2 seed Otay Ranch Mustangs on Friday at 4 p.m. in Chula Vista. Otay Ranch advanced with a 6-5 victory over fellow East County entrant Christian Patriots.

Poway, which was playing for the second straight day after blanking San Marcos, 1-0, in Tuesday’s play-in round, fell to 14-16 but remains alive in the double-elimination format. The Titans will host Christian in an elimination game Friday at 4 p.m.

Steele Canyon seized control immediately.

The Cougars capitalized on a Poway error in the bottom of the first inning to score three times. Sophia Jackel delivered an RBI double to center field before Will followed with an RBI single. By the end of the inning, Steele Canyon had built a 3-0 advantage and forced Poway to play from behind for the remainder of the afternoon.

The Titans answered with a run in the third inning, but the Cougars quickly restored their three-run cushion when freshman Izabella Thomas lined an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning to make it 4-1.

Steele Canyon added another run in the fourth and carried a 5-2 lead into the fifth before Poway’s biggest offensive highlight of the day.

Karissa Knapp blasted a solo home run to center field for the Titans, trimming the deficit to 5-3 and briefly giving the visitors hope.

The Cougars responded once again.

An insurance run in the sixth inning pushed the lead back to three runs, and Hendricks took care of the rest. The freshman allowed just one hit over the final two innings, striking out one while keeping Poway off the scoreboard to secure the victory.

Hendricks also played a key role offensively, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. Will, Hendricks and senior Ily Barclay each collected two hits as Steele Canyon finished with 10 hits.

The Cougars also showed patience at the plate, drawing five walks against Poway pitching.

Will started in the circle and worked the first three innings, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits while striking out three. She navigated four walks and helped preserve the early lead before turning the game over to the bullpen.

Poway starter Charlotte Jay battled through six innings, allowing six runs, four earned, on nine hits while striking out three and walking five.

Knapp’s home run highlighted the Titans’ six-hit attack. Knapp, Paityn Vidano, Lindsey McCormick, Natalie Vejtasa and Hailey Surber each recorded hits, while Knapp and Alyssa Menges drove in runs. Amelia Dockery drew two walks as Poway finished with six free passes.

For Steele Canyon, the win keeps the Cougars on the preferred path toward the Division I championship game. Under the CIF’s double-elimination format, the Division I field is split into two brackets, with each side playing independently until the surviving teams meet in a winner-take-all championship contest.

On Wednesday, the combination of a veteran senior and an emerging freshman proved to be the formula Steele Canyon needed to keep that championship pursuit alive.

Christian Falls in Extra Innings, Will Face Poway in Elimination Bracket

CHULA VISTA — Christian High came within one out of opening the CIF San Diego Section Division I softball playoffs with a signature road victory Wednesday, but second-seeded Otay Ranch rallied late and ultimately walked off the Patriots, 6-5, in eight innings.

Anissa Olivo delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the eighth inning, lining a single that scored the winning run and sent Otay Ranch into the winners’ bracket while dropping Christian into the elimination side of the double-elimination tournament.

The Patriots will now travel to face Poway on Friday at 4 p.m. in a second-chance game, with the winner staying alive in the Division I postseason.

Despite the loss, Christian (record unavailable) matched one of the section’s top seeds throughout the afternoon and actually outhit the Mustangs, 10-9.

The Patriots, seeded tenth, had to play their way into the main bracket with a win on Tuesday, 4-2, over San Marcos.

The Patriots struck first in the opening inning when Samantha Baca doubled home a run for a 1-0 lead. Otay Ranch answered in the bottom half on Avah Gonzales’ sacrifice fly to even the score.

Christian regained control in the third inning behind Baca once again. The Patriots’ cleanup hitter ripped a two-run triple to put her club back in front, extending the lead to 3-1.

Behind strong pitching from Ava Barrios, Christian maintained the advantage deep into the contest. Barrios worked five innings, allowing just four hits and two runs, one earned, while walking none and striking out two.

Otay Ranch finally broke through in the sixth inning.

Venice Inguito delivered a two-run double and Olivo added an RBI groundout as the Mustangs surged ahead, turning a deficit into a 5-4 lead entering the seventh inning.

Christian refused to go away.

The Patriots capitalized on an Otay Ranch error in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 5-5 and force extra innings, setting the stage for a dramatic finish.

After Christian was unable to score in the eighth, Otay Ranch mounted one final rally in the bottom half. With the game tied, Olivo came through with the decisive hit, driving home the winning run and ending the Patriots’ upset bid.

Baca led the Christian offense with a huge afternoon at the plate. The senior cleanup hitter went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, accounting for more than half of the Patriots’ run production.

Lily Reyes and Jillian Fraedrich joined Baca with two hits apiece as Christian’s lineup consistently pressured Otay Ranch pitching. The Patriots finished with 10 hits overall and also turned a double play defensively.

Otay Ranch was led offensively by Olivo, Zoey Gonzales and Aubryanna Ruiz, who each recorded two hits. Inguito and Olivo drove in two runs apiece for the Mustangs.

While the loss was a difficult one for Christian after leading much of the afternoon, the Patriots remain alive in the Division I bracket and now turn their attention to Friday’s elimination matchup against Poway. The winner will continue its pursuit of a berth in the Division I championship game, while the loser’s season will come to an end.