Alyssa Stolmack helped herself with a two-run homer.
(El Monte) – Two teams heading in different directions met at Arroyo High School on Tuesday afternoon as La Canada won its fifth straight game to open the young season as they defeated the Knights 11-5 in a non-league game that featured teams from last year’s Division 5 semi-finals.
Powered by three home runs and a seven run third inning, the Spartans blew open a close game.
After being up 1-0, La Canada began the third inning with an innocent grounder to second by Katie Lee. After Michelle Grochow reached on an error, starting pitcher Alyssa Stolmack helped her own cause with a homer to right-center field to give the Spartans a 3-0 lead.
Annie Monroe and Selina Mohr each reached on fielding errors on back-to-back plate appearances. Aubri Thompson followed by lacing a double into center field that scored Monroe and Mohr to widen the lead to five runs.
The nightmare inning continued for Arroyo after Olivia Lam flied to center as Brenna Gay hit a homer to left field to continue the onslaught. The Spartans sent 11 batters to the plate in its seven run inning.
The dream pitching matchup that would’ve featured two of the top pitching prospects in the San Gabriel Valley, never materialized as the Knights Jacklyn Wagner became injured in January and La Canada’s Lauren Cox was given a well deserved break after her performance in the San Dimas Tournament.
Instead, the Spartans were given a brief glimpse into its future for next season with Cox and Catherine Horner sitting on the bench for much of the ballgame.
Stolmack didn’t give up a single until the third inning as she mastered the Arroyo lineup.
Mohr took to the circle in the fourth inning and continued to baffle the Knights until Jesseka Herrera reached on a fielder’s choice after Audrey Serna was thrown out at second. Two batters later, Rebecca Caamano singled in Herrera to give Arroyo its first run of the game.
The Knights tried to battle back in the bottom half of the fifth as Lorena Helguera and Felicia Gonzales each singled with one out. After Jasmin Martinez flied to center, Jacqueline Quinones drew a walk to get the bases loaded. Serna blasted a shot to center field for a grand slam to cut the Spartans lead to three in the fifth inning.
With a scoreless sixth coming and going, La Canada managed to score three more runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Thompson singled and Lam drew a walk to give the Spartans a first and second situation and no outs. Gay grounded back to the circle to move the runners to second and third. Jessica Ogden followed with a shot to over the wall in centerfield for a three-run homer to give La Canada breathing room.
Cox came in the bottom of the seventh inning and made quick work of Arroyo’s batters striking out the side to preserve the win.
With the loss, the Knights have now dropped its fifth straight game.
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