After rain postponed all but one Foothill League softball game last week, the league schedule is finally underway after Tuesday’s games.
The Saugus Centurions handed the Valencia Vikings a shutout loss, the first loss for the reigning undefeated league champions since an 8-6 loss to Hart in the final game of the 2023 regular season. It’s the first Saugus victory over Valencia since 2022.
Elsewhere on Tuesday, the Castaic Coyotes took down the Golden Valley Grizzlies at home while the West Ranch Wildcats beat the Canyon Cowboys at home in a one-run contest.
The Hart Hawks are the lone team to not play a league game so far.
West Ranch is set to visit Saugus on Thursday in a battle of two of the three unbeaten teams in the league. Castaic is slated to travel to Valencia on Thursday while Golden Valley is set to host Hart.
Here’s what happened in Tuesday’s Foothill League softball action:
Saugus 13, Valencia 0: The Centurions (9-2, 2-0) are off to a hot start in league play, shutting out Valencia at home on Tuesday, 13-0.
Through two league games, Saugus hasn’t allowed a run while putting up 25.
Junior Taliya Mata allowed just two hits on Tuesday while striking out three and walking two.
Junior Luci Curiel and senior Jordan Shepherd each had three hits for Saugus. Shepherd had two doubles, scored three runs and drove in one while Curiel scored once and drove in two runs.
Senior Bri Coe hit two home runs for Saugus and had six RBIs while junior Amelia Johnson also hit a homer.
Sophomore Sydney Bolder and junior Blair Rune each had one hit for Valencia.
Castaic 8, Golden Valley 2: The Coyotes (7-4, 1-0) wasted no time in getting their first league win of the year, beating the visiting Golden Valley Grizzlies (2-4, 0-1) on Tuesday, 8-2.
Emma French and Lulu Smith led Saugus with two RBIs each. Samantha Farrell had two hits, including a double and two runs scored, while Alexis Steen had two hits and two runs scored.
Kate Eppenbaugh struck out seven and allowed five hits and one earned run while walking five in a complete-game performance for Castaic.
Golden Valley had four girls record a hit each. Izabella Pauley and Illana Watson each drove in one run while Isabella Diaz and Rohan Elhamamsy scored once each.
Watson struck out seven and allowed three earned runs on five hits and six walks.
West Ranch 3, Canyon 2: The West Ranch Wildcats (4-5, 1-0) eked out a 3-2 comeback victory at home over the Canyon Cowboys (3-7, 0-2) on Tuesday to kick off their league campaign.
All three runs for the Wildcats came in the bottom of the sixth, which started with Canyon leading 1-0. Naomi Stoll scored on a wild pitch to tie things up before Ava Esparza doubled to bring home Elaine Shirley to give the Wildcats the lead. Esparza later came around to score on a bases-loaded walk.
Canyon had opened the game with a run in the top of the first when Amber Phillips singled to drive in Vivian Rangel. A comeback of their own fell short for the Cowboys after Maci Dunagan singled in the top of the seventh to drive in Lanie Rafkin.
Jessica Carr struck out six over six innings for Canyon.
