SPRING JAMBOREE: Shadow Ridge strikes early, takes third in tournament
There wasn’t actually carousel music playing during Saturday’s game at Majestic Park, but based on how fast Shadow Ridge’s softball team circled the bases in the second inning, fans would be forgiven for thinking there was.
The Mustangs sent 11 batters to the plate in a seven-run inning and cruised to an 11-1 victory over Banning (California) in five innings in the third-place game of the Spring Jamboree.
“They battled through, they worked hard, we’re super proud of them,” Shadow Ridge coach Julia Meyn said. “Those are good, solid teams. You don’t get any slackers here, there’s not a ‘give-me’ here.”
Caitlyn Covington knocked in Alisha Schultz in the first inning, but the second is where the Mustangs did their damage.
Cierra Davis started the inning with a triple, and provided the final scoring of the frame with an RBI single. In between, Mia Voges and Alyssa Stanley doubled, and Covington hit a two-run homer.
“We’d like to see them explode at the beginning of every game,” Meyn said.
Banning scored a run in the fourth, to which Shadow Ridge answered right back to make it 9-1. Stanley then hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to end the game because of the run rule and send the Mustangs home after six games in two days. They went 5-1.
Stanley said the best part of the weekend wasn’t the third-place finish, but the opportunity to play other teams. The Northwest League schedule is so demanding in playing three-game series, they basically play the same teams exclusively year after year.
“I think (tournament games) are a lot better, and they help us grow as a team because you get to see different teams and girls that you’re never going to see again,” Stanley said. “It’s just better to play against them because we’ve been playing against the same girls forever.”
Stanley finished 2-for-3 with a homer, double, two RBIs and two runs. Covington was 2-for-3 with a homer and three RBIs, and Cierra Davis went 3-for-3 with two RBIs.
After being eliminated from championship contention with a semifinals loss, Banning opted to sit its starters. Meyn said she considered doing the same, but wanted to keep her players in an offensive groove with a league series against Centennial looming next week.
“We thought about it, but, no, we came here to win some games,” Meyn said. “The starters that were hitting, so there was no way to pull one particular bat.”
San Benito (California), which beat Shadow Ridge 6-5 in the semifinals, won the championship by defeating Kennedy (California) 18-6.
San Benito (Calif.) 6, Shadow Ridge 5 — Covington homered late, but the Mustangs could not complete the comeback and fell to the Haybalers in five innings in the semifinals.
Shea Clements doubled for Shadow Ridge, which trailed 6-0 after the top of the fourth. The Mustangs scored four in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth to bring the game within one.
Noel Chavarria homered for San Benito.
Desert Oasis 11, Mingus (Ariz.) 8 — Jada Moreno went 3-for-3 with a triple to lead the Diamondbacks over the Marauders in the consolation final.
Elsy Guzman was 2-for-3 with a double and pitched a complete game for the Diamondbacks.
Haliey Jaramillo was 3-for-3, and Izriah Hodson went 3-for-4 for Desert Oasis.
Desert Oasis 9, Sierra Vista 4 — Guzman hit a three-run homer, and Meaghan McInerney hit a solo shot as the Diamondbacks took down the Mountain Lions in six innings in the consolation semifinals.
Guzman finished 2-for-4 with two runs and four RBIs, and McInerney went 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.
Jaramillo was 3-for-3 with a double for the Diamondbacks, who led 8-3 after two innings. Meagan Anders went 3-for-4 with a run and two RBIs for Desert Oasis.
Kalei Watkins was 2-for-2 with two home runs and three RBIs for Sierra Vista.
Centennial 9, El Camino Real (Calif.) 4 — Brianna Benoit homered and had three RBIs as the Bulldogs took down the Conquistadors in four innings for seventh place.
Jaden Tate tripled and had four RBIs for the Bulldogs, and Skyler Ball and Rhea Paiva each added a double.
Jordyn VanHook homered and doubled for El Camino Real.
North Torrance (Calif.) 7, Centennial 6 — Paiva and Tate each doubled twice, but the Bulldogs fell to the Saxons in six innings.
Jillian Bartley hit a home run for Centennial, and teammate Skyler Ball doubled.
Bella Gonzalez homered for North Torrance, and Anna Gamble doubled for the Saxons.
Palo Verde 11, South Torrance (Calif.) 2 — Cara Beatty went 3-for-3 with a double as the Panthers defeated the Spartans in five innings in the ninth-place game.
Makall Whetten homered and scored twice for Palo Verde. Mackenzie Ryan tripled, and teammate Ally Snelling went 3-for-3 for the Panthers.
Palo Verde 16, San Pedro (Calif.) 6 — Whetten hit a grand slam, a triple, a double and had eight RBIs as the Panthers routed the Pirates in four innings.
Grace Chavez homered for Palo Verde. Makenna Martin doubled, and Snelling went 3-for-3 for the Panthers.
Taiya Reyna homered and doubled San Pedro, and teammate Andrea Cline hit a double.
Liberty 12, Central Union (Calif.) 11 — Liberty used a four-run bottom of the sixth to come back to beat the Spartans.
Breanna Alvarez and Shelby Carvalho each homered and drove in four runs to aid in the win. Alvarez also pitched a scoreless top of the sixth to earn the victory for the Patriots.
Kylie Hefley and Ashleigh Rodriguez each went 3-for-4. Hefley doubled twice.
Liberty 5, Harbor Teacher Prep (Calif.) 1 — Hefley had a home run and a pair of RBIs to lead the Patriots over the Monarchs.
Marisa Olmos added a double and two RBIs for Liberty.
Alvarez pitched a five-hitter to get the win. Harbor Teacher scored its run in the bottom of the seventh.
Imperial (Calif.) 4, Sierra Vista 3 — Watkins’ homer was not enough as the Mountain Lions fell to the Tigers.
Watkins went 2-for-3 with a run and three RBIs.
Cassandra Valle was 2-for-3 with a double, a run and an RBI for Imperial, which scored a run in each of the first four innings.
Basic 7, Chaminade (Calif.) 4 — Sanoe Helenihi was 2-for-3 with a triple and a home run to lead the Wolves over the Eagles in six innings.
Helenihi drove in three runs. Lexie Edmunds was 2-for-2 with a double, a home run and two RBIs, and Mikayla Berg was 1-for-2 with a triple and an RBI for Basic.
Izabelle Morales pitched a four-hitter, allowing three earned runs and striking out three, to get the win.
Southwest (Calif.) 15, Basic 0 — Sadriena Rodriguez pitched a two-hitter as the Eagles routed the Wolves in four innings.
Basic committed seven errors.
Helenihi was 1-for-2 with a double for Basic.
Bell (Calif.) 6, Green Valley 4 — The Eagles scored four runs in the top of the first and held off the Gators.
Olivia McClain was 2-for-2 for Green Valley, and teammate Brooke Haney had a triple.
Village Christian (Calif.) 8, Green Valley 7 — Alexa Blazek was 2-for-2 with a triple, a home run and two RBIs for the Gators, but they fell to the Crusaders in four innings.
Cinthia Garcia also was 2-for-2 and drove in a run with a double for Green Valley.
Southwest (Calif.) 9, Pahrump Valley 0 — The Eagles scored three runs in the second and rolled to the six-inning win over the Trojans..
Sklyer Lauver doubled for Pahrump.
Pahrump Valley 11, Chaminade (Calif.) 5 — Jordan Egan hit a pair of home runs to lead the Trojans to victory over the Eagles.
Evandy Murphy added a home run for Pahrump, and Jessica Pearson and Taylor Egan each hit a double for the Trojans.