The Olympian High School and Hilltop High School softball teams met in an early season showdown for first place in the Metro-South Bay League standings on April 21 on the Lady Lancers’ field.
Both teams entered the game with 2-0 league records. The visiting Lady Eagles came out on top, 5-0, to move into sole possession of the league lead.
Sophomore Gabi Rodriguez hurled a complete game two-hitter with five strikeouts while leading the team with two RBI. Junior Arianna Kumar tripled while freshman Jacqui De Murguia doubled. Freshman Kailynn Robeson also had one RBI.
“The key point was pitching,” OHS coach Gavin Kumar said. “We talked to the team before the game about everyone doing their job with the bats. We stayed focused. Our defense played well.”
The Lady Eagles (12-12 overall) opened league play with victories against Mar Vista (10-4 on April 14) and Sweetwater (10-0 on April 19). Olympian tacked on another win following the victory against Hilltop by defeating host Chula Vista, 9-2, on Tuesday to improve to 4-0 in league play.
“Our goal is to win league,” the elder Kumar said. “We had a really tough schedule this year to prepare us for league play.”
Hilltop coach Juan Reyes was hoping for a better performance from his team.
“When you make 10 errors in the game and get only two hits that makes it tough to win,” he said. “The next time, it should be a better ball game.”
The teams rematch May 10 at Olympian High School in what should be another key matchup as the Lady Eagles are rated ninth and the Lady Lancers are rated 12th in the Division II rankings.
“That game should be huge,” Reyes said.
Hilltop (12-12 overall) had defeated Sweetwater (16-4 on April 12) and Chula Vista (8-1 on April 19) to open league play. The Lady Lancers rebounded from the loss to the Lady Eagles by topping host Mar Vista, 6-2, on Tuesday to improve to 3-1 in league play.
Senior Lily Hermosillo drove in three runs in the win over the Lady Mariners (12-8 overall, 2-2 in league play) while senior Alexyia Reyes had two RBI. Each played stroked a double in the game. Junior Yasmine Clark picked up the win in the pitching circle while Reyes closed out the game by allowing one hit in 3.1 innings.
Rodriguez is 7-6 in the pitching circle with a 3.76 earned-run average and 54 strikeouts in 91.1 innings.
Metro-Mesa League boys tennis finals set stage for CIF playoffs
The 2022 high school boys tennis season has progressed from regular season play to the San Diego Section playoffs.
Five Metro Conference teams qualified for this year’s postseason draw and three — Bonita Vista, Mater Dei Catholic and Otay Ranch — advanced past Tuesday’s opening round.
Eighth-seeded Bonita Vista defeated ninth-seeded Rancho Bernardo, 10-8, in a Division I matchup while fifth-seeded Mater Dei Catholic and sixth-seeded Otay Ranch both found success in Division III pairings.
Mater Dei Catholic defeated 12th-seeded West Hills, 11-7, while Otay Ranch eliminated 11th-seeded University City, 12-6.
All three teams advanced to Wednesday’s quarterfinals. Semifinals were to follow on Thursday. The Division III finals are Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at the Barnes Tennis Center, followed by the Division I finals at 4 p.m.
The Metro-Mesa League championship tournament used to qualify players for the section’s individual tournament during the first week in May took place the following week.
League order of finish: included Eastlake, Bonita Vista, Mater Dei Catholic, Otay Ranch, Olympian and Hilltop.
Singles results
- Marlon “M.J.” Abarca (Otay Ranch).
- Enrique Uribe (Eastlake).
- Matthew Garrido (Bonita Vista).
- Eduardo Hurtado (Bonita Vista).
- William Maywood (Bonita Vista).
Doubles results
- Christopher and Dante Saucedo (Eastlake).
- Taylor Jenkins and Grant Valentine (Eastlake).
- Leo Castaneda and Ryan Dinh (Eastlake).
- Thomas Baltz and Ren Nakata (Eastlake).
- Josh Woodard and Ken Blancarte (Otay Ranch).
San Diego Section Playoffs
First Round
Tuesday, April 26
Open Division
(1) Bishop’s 14, (8) La Jolla 4
(4) Torrey Pines 12, (5) La Jolla Country Day 6
(3) Del Norte 10, (6) St. Augustine 8
(2) Canyon Crest Academy 13, (7) Eastlake 5
Division I
(1) Westview 15, (16) Patrick Henry 3
(8) Bonita Vista 10, (9) Rancho Bernardo 8
(5) Carlsbad11, (12) Mt. Carmel 7
(4) Scripps Ranch 14, (13) Pacific Ridge 1
(6) San Marcos 11, (11) La Costa Canyon 7
(3) San Dieguito Academy 13, (14) Grossmont 5
(7) Poway 11, (10) Coronado 7
(2) Cathedral Catholic 14, (15) Santana 4
Division II
(1) Valhalla 11, (16) High Tech High San Diego 7
(8) Classical Academy 9, (9) Santa Fe Christian 9 (Classical Academy wins 68-62 games)
(5) Steele Canyon 13, (12) Fallbrook 5
(4) Mission Bay 11, (13) Valley Center 7
(6) Mission Hills 11, (11) San Diego 7
(3) Sage Creek 16, (14) Tri-City Christian 2
(7) El Capitan 10, (10) Army-Navy Academy 8
(2) Francis Parker 16, (15) Calexico 2
Division III
(1) Canyon Hills 12, (16) Vincent Memorial 6
(9) San Pasqual 10, (8) Mira Mesa 8
(5) Mater Dei Catholic 11, (12) West Hills 7
(4) Monte Vista 10, (13) El Camino 8
(6) Otay Ranch 12, (11) University City 6
(3) Helix 12, (14) Escondido 6
(7) Clairemont 9, (10) Olympian 9 (Clairemont wins 74-68 in games)
(2) Point Loma 10, (15) Brawley 8
