Pajaro Valley sophomore Hemeria De La Torre had five hits, including one home run in the Grizzlies’ 19-17 victory over Seaside in Pacific Coast Athletic League Cypress Division softball action Wednesday afternoon.
De La Torre finished with a pair of doubles, five RBIs, one stolen base and scored five runs, while teammate junior Jaqueline Alvarez four hits, one RBI and one run scored. Virginia Escobar had three hits, two RBIs and scored a pair of runs for Pajaro Valley, which improved to 3-3 in league play this season.
Grizzlies senior Angie Torres had three hits and three RBIs, while teammates junior Olivia Contreras and freshman Nadia Reneria each had two hits and three RBIs. Pajaro Valley (5-8, 3-3) will host Santa Catalina on April 28 at 4:30pm.
At Aptos 17, Soquel 3 (5 innings): Sophomore pitcher Maya Najera-White had a solid day in the circle in the Mariners’ win over the Knights in SCCAL play Tuesday afternoon. She allowed three earned runs on six hits and three walks while racking up eight strikeouts in five innings pitched.
Senior Kailani Aguayo batted 3-for-3 with one triple, three RBIs, one stolen base and scored three runs for Aptos, which improved to 5-2 in league play.
Teammates Bailey Fulton, Lily McGee, Nova Neu, Tatiana Filippone, Jordan Zimmer and Gwen Vaca each had a pair of hits and one RBI for the Mariners (9-5, 5-2), who plays at Harbor on Thursday at 4:30pm.
At San Lorenzo Valley 13, Harbor 1: Senior Angie Fulkerson and freshman Audrey Jouglet each had one home run in the Cougars’ win over the Pirates in SCCAL play Tuesday afternoon. Fulkerson finished with three RBIs and scored one run, while Jouglet had three hits, including the home run and one double.
Teammate freshman Bailey Filice had three hits, including one triple and scored three runs. She also tossed a pair of innings in the circle, allowing just one run on one hit while tallying two strikeouts. Senior Abigale Krepelka and junior Grace Purtscher each had two hits for SLV (7-6, 5-2), which hosts Santa Cruz on Thursday at 4:30pm.
At Scotts Valley 7, Santa Cruz 0 (forfeit): The Falcons improved to 4-1 in SCCAL play following a victory via forfeit against Santa Cruz, which did not have enough players to suit up for a game. Scotts Valley (11-5-1, 4-1) will continue league play at Soquel on Thursday at 4:30pm.
High school baseball
At Aptos 3, San Lorenzo Valley 1: Sophomore Alec Mendoza tossed a gem in the Mariners’ victory over the Cougars in SCCAL play Tuesday afternoon. The young pitcher allowed just one run on three hits and two walks while tallying 10 strikeouts in the complete-game win.
Teammate senior Nate Garcia had one double and one RBI, while freshman Damien Garcia had one hit and one RBI. Dom Castillo had one hit, one walk and scored twice for Aptos, which improved to 3-5 in league play.
The Mariners (6-10, 3-5) will play at SLV (2-13, 0-8) on Friday at 4:30pm.
At Stevenson 3, Monte Vista Christian 2: Sophomore Evan Vessey had a pair of hits and scored one run in the Mustangs’ loss to the Pirates in PCAL Mission Division action Wednesday afternoon.
Teammate Carter Wright had one RBI, while Tyson Shaw scored one run. Starting pitcher Jackson Haddad allowed one earned run on four hits and three walks while tallying six strikeouts for MVC, which dropped to 5-2 in league play.
The Mustangs (14-4, 5-2) will host Stevenson (10-5, 6-1) in PCAL Mission Division play on Friday at 4pm.
At Scotts Valley 17, Harbor 5: Senior Kaleb Wing had a monstrous day at the plate with three hits, including a grand slam, eight RBIs, two stolen bases and a pair of runs scored in the Falcons’ victory over the Pirates in Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League baseball action Tuesday afternoon.
Wing also recorded the win on the mound, allowing just one run on two hits and four walks while tallying eight strikeouts in 3-1/3 innings pitched. Junior Fabricio Gomez allowed four earned runs on four hits and had a pair of strikeouts in 3-2/3 innings pitched.
Senior Clayton Pryor had a pair of hits with four RBIs and one run scored for Scotts Valley, while teammates Gomez, Lukas Bloom, Owen Martin, Nick Acton and Isaac Martin each had one base hit.
Scotts Valley improved to 4-4 in SCCAL play, and as of Wednesday morning own an 8-10 overall record. They will continue league play at Santa Cruz on April 29 and May 2. Both games are scheduled for 4pm.
Boys’ track and field
CCS Top 8 Invitational: Pajaro Valley senior Izaak Ocampo placed third in the long jump with a leap of 22 feet, 4 inches at the 44th Annual Central Coast Section Top 8 Invitational at Los Gatos High School on April 19.
Aptos senior Casey MacConnell took sixth in the long jump with a mark of 21-4 1/2 and ninth in the high jump with a jump of 10 feet.
Teammate senior Logan Brantley took second in the discus with a toss of 157 feet, 9 inches and placed fourth in the shot put (56-3). Watsonville junior Lisandro Pantoja (128-4) and senior Nathaniel Aceves-Aguilar (125-9) placed 18th and 19th, respectively, in the shot put.
Aceves-Aguilar (41-1) took 13th in the triple jump, while St. Francis juniors Jacob Jimenez (39-7 1/2) and Coy Jordan (38-6) placed 18th and 19th, respectively. St. Abraham junior Bryson Trent (5-8) took 11th in the high jump.
Monte Vista Christian senior Joshua Tepoorten placed ninth in the 400-meters in 50.43, and was part of the Mustang 4×400 relay team—Boston Ashe, Gavin Beckmen, Conor Gilliam, Tepoorten—that placed 14th in 3:35.01.
Scotts Valley junior Aaron Weiss placed fifth in the 800 in 1:55.71, followed by Aptos sophomore Sam Hansen (1:56.09) and junior Brady Bliesner (1:56.15) in sixth and seventh, respectively. MVC junior Conor Gilliam (1:58.81) placed 12th.
Scotts Valley’s 4×800 relay team—Jackson Stull, William von Haunalter, Nate McKeon and Weiss—took ninth in 8:24.24, while Aptos’ 4×100 relay team—Damian Suchil, Casey MacConnell, Deric Moren and Scott Catesi—placed 15th in 43.91 seconds.
Girls’ track and field
CCS Top 8 Invitational: MVC senior Kylie Brunelli (11:02.73) took sixth and Watsonville senior Katelynn Ruiz (11:32.72) placed 15th in the 3200 at the 44th Annual CCS Top 8 Invitational on April 19.
Scotts Valley junior Ava Decleve placed fifth in the 400 meters in 57.58 seconds, while Aptos sophomore Bella Hartnett (58.31) took 10th. In the 800, Scotts Valley junior Dylan Turzak placed 12th in 2:21.49.
San Lorenzo Valley senior Naomi Seastrom (45.04) took second and Watsonville senior Jocelyn Guzman (47.67) placed eighth in the 300-meter hurdles. Seastrom also placed sixth in the 100 hurdles in 16.42, while St. Francis junior Peyton Orradre (16.79) took ninth.
Aptos’ 4×100 relay team—Siena Black, Hartnett, Izzy Graff and Myla Appleby—placed fifth in 49.97, while the 4×400 relay team—Hartnett, Natasha Newcombe, Izzy Graff and Scarlett Stateler—took eighth in 4:06.40.
Scotts Valley’s 4×800 relay team—Turzak, Jennifer Brownfield, Violet McCutchen and Decleve—placed fifth in 10:03.80.
San Lorenzo Valley senior Orea Pollock placed fourth in the high jump event with a mark of 5 feet, while Orradre placed 11th in the triple jump in 34 1/2.
Girls’ lacrosse
At Scotts Valley 19, Monterey 2: Senior Sofia Niklaus had six goals and three assists in the Falcons’ win over the Toreadores in the teams’ Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division match Tuesday afternoon.
Teammate senior Erin Szymanski had four goals and one assist, while Dillon Fiorita contributed three goals. Natalia Warner added a pair of goals for Scotts Valley, while teammates Skylar Dufour, Lola Ritsema, Claire Skinner and Lili Raif each scored once.
Raif and Maisey Chard had three and four saves, respectively, as they took turns playing the goalie position for Scotts Valley (5-2), which hosts Monte Vista Christian on Friday at 4pm.
Boys’ tennis
Aptos 5, at Harbor 2: The Mariners were victorious in SCCAL play after the Pirates defaulted in five matches—three singles and two doubles—on Tuesday afternoon.
Harbor’s Abraham Bachar defeated Tyler Thomas in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 in the lone singles match of the day. In doubles action, Harbor’s Andreas Martinez and Luke Griffin beat Samuel Delgadillo and Kal Bhugra.
Boys’ volleyball
At San Lorenzo Valley 3, Soquel 1: The Cougars won in four sets 20-25, 25-22, 25-22, 29-27 against the Knights in SCCAL play Monday evening. SLV (4-9, 3-4) will host Mount Madonna in league play on April 28 at 5pm.
Watsonville 3, at Aptos 1: The Wildcatz defeated the Mariners in non-league play Monday evening. Watsonville (11-8, 10-0) will host Kirby in PCAL Cypress Division action on Thursday at 6pm. Aptos (2-17, 1-6) will play at San Lorenzo Valley in SCCAL play on Thursday at 6:30pm.
Youth golf
Tourney registration still open for SCJG: The Santa Cruz County Junior Golf Association still has openings for children ages 6-18 in a pair of upcoming tournaments in Monterey County.
First off is a tourney at Monterey Pines Golf Course on May 18 at noon, followed by the Pacific Grove Golf Links tournament at 1pm. The cost is $25 for a 9-hole play-in, and $35 for 18 holes.
SCJG—a non-profit organization that aims at helping underserved youths with access to golf clinics and lessons—recently held two tournaments in Santa Cruz County starting with one at Pasatiempo Golf Course on March 23.
In the girls’ Gold Division, Lexi Lowe shot a 76 on 18 holes to edge Suri Lau (80) for the championship. Lucius Niesen shot a 78 to win the boys’ Gold championship.
Kaz Kabinski shot an 80 to beat Brayden Wilson (86) in the boys’ Silver Division 18-hole final, while Kelly Zhang won the girls’ Silver championship.
On April 12, Irene Hur shot a 77 on 18 holes at DeLaveaga Golf Course to capture the girls’ Gold Division championship. Austin Clark won the boys’ Silver final after he shot a 75, while Hanna Hao (87) won the girls’ Silver championship.
Jocelyn Silva shot a 57 on nine holes to win the girls’ Copper final, and Cooper Clayman shot a 55 to win the boys’ Copper championship. Chloe Varage (40) won the girls’ Green Division, while Leo Na (44), who had three birdies on holes No. 7, 8 and 9, was victorious in the boys’ final.
Coaches and athletic directors are encouraged to submit results and highlights to jr****@we*****.com. Follow sports editor Juan Reyes (@jmreyes831) on Twitter for scores and news updates.
