Granite Hills is among the six High Desert softball teams moving on to the CIF-Southern Section quarterfinals.
Emily Marks drove in six runs and the Cougars erupted for 10 runs in the second inning to roll past Eastside 14-2 in the second round of the Division 6 playoffs Saturday.
Eastside grabbed an early lead after a single and a two-run home run from Bethanie Jimenez to open the game.
But Granite Hills answered immediately and never looked back.
Olivia Young settled in after the first inning and retired the final 13 batters she faced to close the game.
Marks went 2 for 3 with a home run, six RBIs and three runs, while Mackinzie Gomez went 3 for 4 with one RBI and two runs. Brooklyn Williams went 2 for 3 with three RBIs and one run.
Young needed just 46 pitches to complete the victory, allowing two runs on three hits while striking out one batter.
The quarterfinals are set for Wednesday afternoon. Granite Hills (12-8) will face St. Genevieve, which defeated El Monte 9-5.
Other Softball Scores
Division 3 — Riverside Prep 2, Oak Park 1
At Oak Park, Alicia Cazares and Breeanna Garcia each hit solo home runs as the third-seeded Silver Knights advanced to the quarterfinals.
Garcia opened the scoring with a two-out solo home run in the first inning, while Cazares added another two-out homer in the second.
Oak Park scored its lone run in the third inning on an RBI single from Julia Katz, but Riverside Prep held on behind another strong outing from Lila Morris.
Morris struck out four and allowed one run on four hits over seven innings. She stranded the tying run at second base in the seventh after allowing a leadoff walk.
Garcia and Cazares each finished with two hits.
Riverside Prep (25-4) advances to face La Serna, which defeated Highland 8-3.
Division 4 — Oak Hills 6, Sunny Hills 5
At Fullerton, the Bulldogs rallied with four runs in the seventh inning to advance.
Oak Hills trailed 3-2 entering the seventh after Sunny Hills took the lead in the sixth. Amaya Sigala tied the game with an RBI double that scored Mariah Tula, Kayla Cazares followed with the go-ahead hit and Leah Hurd and Riley Jones added run-scoring singles.
Hurd, Sigala, Dallyse York and Sienna Garcia each collected two hits.
Jones earned the win in the circle, allowing two earned runs over seven innings.
Oak Hills (14-9-1) will host Mission Viejo, which defeated Rio Mesa 5-4.
Division 4 — Oxnard 4, Apple Valley 0
At Oxnard, the Sun Devils were held to three hits and couldn’t quite get going offensively.
Hailey Macias hit a lead-off double in the fourth inning but Apple Valley couldn’t capitalize, stranding her at second base.
Oxnard will take on No. 1-seeded St. Bonaventure in the quarterfinals.
Division 6 — Hesperia Christian 5, St. Monica Prep 3
At Santa Monica, Eden Skinner hit two home runs, including a two-run shot in the seventh inning that helped seal the victory for the Patriots.
St. Monica Prep scored once in the bottom of the seventh, but Hesperia Christian held on to advance.
Skinner ended 3 for 4 with four RBIs; Charli Lewis went 2 for 4 with one run and one stolen base; Josslyn Vander Weide went 2 for 4 with one RBI; and Makinzie Porter allowed three runs on seven hits over seven innings.
Hesperia Christian (19-9) advances to face Sierra Vista, which defeated Southlands Christian 10-6.
Division 7 — Victor Valley 12, Orange 2
At Victorville, the Jackrabbits advanced with a mercy-rule victory behind Andrea Garcia’s three-home run performance.
Garcia went 3 for 3 with five RBIs and four runs.
Susanna Aragon Ramirez went 2 for 4 with a home run, one RBI and two runs; Alyssa Vega went 2 for 2 with one RBI and two runs; and Kaylee Martinez struck out six in the win.
Victor Valley (9-16) advances to face Cathedral City, which defeated Chadwick 12-6.
Division 8 — Cobalt Institute of Math & Science Academy 12, Santa Rosa Academy 11
At Menifee, the fourth-seeded Cougars rallied from a six-run deficit with seven runs in the seventh inning to pull off a dramatic comeback.
Reagan Farrand went 3 for 4 with three RBIs and three runs; Mia Higareda went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs; Brianna Olivio went 2 for 3 with two runs; and Madelyn Macias went 2 for 4 with one RBI and one run.
CIMS (11-7) advances to face Workman, which defeated Glendale 17-5.
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: CIF-Southern Section softball playoff scores from across the High Desert
Reporting by Jose Quintero, Victorville Daily Press / Victorville Daily Press
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