Rachel Stalford’s Arm and Bat Carry Hillers to Next Round of CIF Softball

Rachel Stalford—who has pitched almost every game this season—lifted Grossmont High School into the next round of the CIF-San Diego softball playoffs Friday afternoon as sixth-seeded Grossmont upset No. 3 Torrey Pines High School in San Diego 2-1 in the Division I playoffs.  Rachel threw a complete game and contributed a homer and a single.

Coach Jerry Lerud’s Foothillers will play No. 7 Escondido High School at Grossmont in a 10 a.m. game Saturday. Sisters Sarah and Kaitlyn Nicks, Aubrie May and Megan Crisci also got hits for the Hillers, who had an 8-2 regular season league record.  Rachel, a senior, said she has been playing softball since age 7. “We haven’t been this deep in playoffs in years,”  she said. Lerud said of Rachel: “She’s a gutsy player. She dug down deep today, and pulled out all that she could.”

Rachel started the scoring with her solo homer in the fourth inning. In the sixth, the Falcons tied it up. The Hillers went ahead in the top of the seventh, but had some nervous moments in the bottom of that final inning when two Falcons reached base—on first and second. But the Hillers threw out a player at third, and the next play was a groundout to first base to end the game.