Softball advances to round of 16


The Sierra Canyon softball team had a disappointing end to the regular season losing twice and falling to a tie for second place in the Mission League.

Those bad feelings are all gone after a great week with two Div. 3 playoff wins.

The Trailblazers had a tough task Tuesday against No. 3-seed Santa Margarita but went on the road and knocked off the Eagles, 4-3 in 14 innings.

Duke-bound junior Hailey Shuler went 13 innings with 13 strikeouts, facing 50 batters.

Maddie Debs closed the game for the save.

Shuler was 3-6 with two doubles. Central Florida-bound Izzy Mertes was 3-4 with a double and RBI. Ava Debs homered. Nina Peyton-Johnson homered..Natalia Areliz, a promising freshman, had an RBI.

Sierra Canyon faced Sunny Hills on Friday in a rematch of last year’s first-round setback.

The Trailblazers got the revenge it wanted with a 6-1 victory.

Shuler gave up three hits and had nine strikeouts while facing 24 batters. She had two hits, including a double.

Maddie Debs had quite a day with a two-run home run and a two-run double.

Debs two-run blast in the second inning gave Sierra Canyon a 2-0 lead it would never relinquish. Debs two-run double in the fourth extended the lead to 4-0.

Areliz added an RBI double in the fifth and Lianna Lara added a solo home run in the sixth.

Sierra Canyon plays Tuesday at home in the round of 16