D2: Vaqueros’ Higuera lassos Sun Devils with 11 Ks

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 23, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL
CIF0San Diego Section Championships

EL CAPITAN 2, MT. CARMEL 0

SAN DIEGO – Sophomore Addison Higuera showed off why she is in only her second year considered one of the better pitchers in the county as she limited the second-seeded Mt. Carmel Sun Devils to a single hit while slicing through their lineup to the tune of 11 strikeouts in the 2-0 victory in third-round elimination game action on Saturday.

The lone hit by the Sun Devils would come in the bottom of the sixth inning courtesy of a leadoff single.

With neither team really showing any offensive fireworks, the Vaqueros would be the first to break through in the top of the fifth inning when Isabella Farris grounded out to bring home a run to make it 1-0.

El Capitan would add an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when Ciara Bernardini grounded out to bring home Gabrielle Garcia to give them a 2-0 lead.

Higuera in the bottom of the seventh inning would strike out the first two batters and retire the last batter via fly out to end the game.

In the win, Higuera went all seven innings, in which she allowed one hit while walking three and striking out eleven.

Offensively for the Vaqueros, Sofia Simone, Bernardini, Higuera, and Garcia all provided the hits on the day.

El Capitan who came into the playoffs as the sixth seed moves to 15-13 overall and back into the semifinals where they will once again host Scripps Ranch, which previously defeated the Vaqueros in a wild 8-7 second round contest. The Vaqueros will need to beat the Falcons twice if they are to make it back to the CIF championship game for the first time since 2018.