Championship Showdown Set As Both Sultans & Cougars Win

By Adam Paul
Updated: May 7, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

By Adam Paul

EL CAJON (5-7-26) – Sophomore Samantha Mora showed why she is going to be one of the best players in East County going forward as she tallied 5 hits as the Santana Sultans claimed a 9-2 road win over the Granite Hills Eagles on Thursday afternoon in Grossmont Hills league action.

Mora who collected 5 of the Sultans 18 hits on the day doubled in the fourth inning, singled in the fifth, singled in the first, an also in the third inning.

Scoring wise the Sultans would draw first thanks to Gabby Sneddon who grounded into a fielder’s choice that allowed Mora to come into score which gave them a 1-0 lead.

Granite Hills though in the bottom of the inning would strike back thanks to Taylor Nash who only a sophomore is really showing why she is to be feared in the county as she belted a long ball for the second straight game her eighth home run of the season that also plated Iliana Cruse to give them a 2-1 lead.

A couple of innings later in the top of the third inning Brynn Warren would help the Sultans retake the lead when with one out drove in both Paityn Miller and Kylee Aziz to make it 3-2.

Santana would add to their lead in the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Mora and a two out single by Ashlyn Darrow to make it 5-2. More of the same for the Sultans in the top of the fifth inning thanks to a leadoff solo home run to left field by Kaitlyn Ruckle of which was her first of the season and later Mora added another run when she with two outs drove in Hailee Powell.

Powell would add to the Sultans lead in the top of the sixth inning with two outs as she drove in both Sneddon and Warren to round out the scoring.

Darrow who drew the start for the Sultans would garner the victory as she limited the Eagles to only three hits and two runs over seven innings in which she walked two and struck out four. Nash would take the loss for Granite Hills. On the day she would go four and one-third innings in which she allowed seven runs on 11 hits while walking one and striking out two.

Granite Hills who is just outside of the playoff picture at #14 in the current power rankings falls to 7-13 overall and 3-4 in league play.

Santana on the other hand wins their fourth straight road contest dating back to April 14th improves to 14-10 overall and maintains their one game lead in league as they move to 5-1 in league play.

STEELE CANYON 7, WEST HILLS 5 – Despite a late rally by the home team the Steele Canyon Cougars behind freshman Ariana Angotti who came up big as she roped the would be go-ahead for good two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to claim the victory on Thursday afternoon.

Steele Canyon winners of six of their last seven games struck first thanks to Payton Sos who drove in Ily Barclay and Belle Will drawing a one out walk to bring home Tevia Cohen to make it 2-0.

The Wolf Pack would pull within 2-1 in the bottom of the third inning when Katy Spargo with two outs after 8 pitches launched her San Diego leading twelfth home run of the season deep to center field.

The Cougars would answer back in the top of the third inning thanks to Kayala Hopkins who led off the inning with a single followed by Barclay doubling and with one out Avigail Hendricks belting her second home run of the season a three-run blast deep to center field to make it 5-1.

Knowing they had to answer as they were running out of opportunities the Wolf Pack in the bottom of the sixth inning would rally to tie the game thanks to a walk by Carsyn Colunga, a fielder’s choice by Lili Leija, and a base hit by Reegan Veltre.

Will started the game for the Cougars. On the day she surrendered four runs (three earned) on two hits over five and one-third innings in which she walked six and struck out five. Jaedyn Craw started for West Hills. On the day she allowed four runs over three innings on six hits while walking four and striking out four.

Offensively the Cougars tallied 12 hits led by Barclay who went 4-for-5 on the day while Hendricks drove in three runs with a pair of hits.

West Hills with the loss drops their second game in a row and falls to 9-15 overall and 1-5 in league play.

Steele Canyon winners of three in a row and seven of their last eight games with the latest win improve to 15-11 overall and 5-2 overall and within one game of first place Santana.

LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SCENARIOS SINCE SANTANA & STEELE CANYON PLAY EACH OTHER ON TUESDAY

Santana has 2 league games left against Steele Canyon and West Hills to end the season

Steele Canyon has 1 league game remaining against Santana and ends their season with a game against Ramona.

1. If Steele Canyon wins on Tuesday & Santana wins against West Hills then both Santana and Steele Canyon are Co-Champions of the Grossmont Hills League.

2.If Santana wins against Steele on Tuesday then they will win the Grossmont Hills League and their first League crown outright since 2013.

3.If Santana goes 0-2 against both Steele Canyon and West Hills then Steele Canyon will win their first outright league crown since 2009. Steele Canyon in 2011 were tri-champions and in 2012 were co-champions.