Best of the West: San Marcos’ Caitlyn Early, Dos Pueblos’ Bella Nuno Continue Power Displays
April 14, 2023 | 9:43 pm
San Marcos’ Caitlin Early hit two home runs Friday in an 8-8 tie with Stockdale at the Best of the West Tournament, giving her four dingers in three games at the event so far.
Early’s first home run Friday was a solo shot in the bottom of the first with two outs, and she added a two-run shot in the sixth inning to give San Marcos a 7-3 lead over Stockdale.
However, Stockdale put up six hits and five runs in the top of the seventh for an 8-7 lead.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Emma Foster walked and Gigi Gritt followed with a single. Early was intentionally walked to load the bases, then Kamilah Morales beat out an infield single, scoring Foster to tie the game.
A ground out ended the game, as the tournament two-hour time limit had expired.
The tie left the Royals’ record for the Best of the West tourney at 1-1-1 after splitting games on Thursday, losing to Atascadero 9-3 and beating Chamindae 11-2.
San Marcos, now 9-9-1 overall, plays Sutter Hight School and Lompoc in the tournament Saturday.
Early and Tiana Monaghan hit home runs in both of Thursday’s games. Both hit three-run shots in the win against Chaminade. Against Atascadero Monaghan hit a solo shot and Early a two-run homer, providing the Royals with all the runs they scored in that 9-3 loss.
Early’s four home runs in the tournament so far gives her 12 for the year. The two for Monaghan are her first.
In Friday’s tie game, Early was 2-for-3 with three RBI, Kamilah Morales was 3-for-4 with an RBI, Kate Guerra 2-for-2 with an RBI and Gritt 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Dos Pueblos 11, Alemeny 6
Paso Robles 5, Dos Pueblos 3
The Chargers split a pair of games at the Righetti Best of the West Friday, beating Alemeny and losing a back-and-forth game to Paso Robles.
In the first game, Dos Pueblos jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the top of the first inning with five hits and two walks, highlighted by two 2-run scoring doubles by Summer McCeney and Lysandra Pimentel.
Then Bella Nuño hit her fourth home run in two days in the top of the third.
Alemeny mounted a late comeback to close the gap to 8-6, until a two-run double by Paulina Avina put the game out of reach.
Nuño started in the circle, giving up two runs in four innings. Kaitlyn Ashby finished the game for the Chargers.
In the second game, Dos Pueblos fell behind 1-0 early before Mia Reveles hit her second home run in two days to tie the score.
Paso took the lead on a home run in the third.
A single by Trisha Lo followed by a double from Bella Nuño set up Riley Monroe, who promptly singled to put Dos Pueblos ahead. The Chargers could not hold the lead, however as Paso scored two runs on an error and five hits in the bottom of the sixth.
Lo and Nuño had consecutive hits in the seventh, but the Chargers could not bring them in.
Nuño was 5-for-8 with two RBI and a home run, giving her an impressive 8-for-12 with four HRs, two doubles and six RBI for the tournament. Trisha Lo was a solid 3-for-6 on the day.
“We did a great job at the plate today,” Dos Pueblos coach Mike Gerken said. “Any time a team can get 23 hits over two games is a good sign.
“Bella and Mia are really putting on a power display right now. Mia just missed another HR in game one by a foot. Trisha Lo never fails to have impressive at-bats.”
The Chargers, now 15-8 overall and 7-2 in Channel League action, play at Pacifica on Monday and host Oxnard Wednesday.