CHULA VISTA – The Imperial High School Tigers' softball team captured the first place trophy at the 40th Annual Hilltop High Softball Tournament this past weekend, with a victory over the Christian High Patriots of El Cajon by a score of 6-3, here on Saturday, March 23.
The championship game was a rematch of the 2023 CIF-San Diego Section’s Division III championship game that saw Imperial defeat Christian by a score of 3-2.
“It’s my first time taking a team there – we went back when I played – and Imperial haven’t been to the Hilltop Tournament in a while,” Imperial High softball coach, Ashley Caro, said. “And because we moved to Division II this season we had to find a tournament with a higher level of competition, and the girls responded.”
“We beat them last year and I told them Christian was going to come out looking for revenge, and that we had to be ready to make plays and get hits,” Caro said. “And they played inspired softball.”
The decisive win saw Imperial (12-2-1), currently power-ranked twelfth overall in the CIF-SDS, win over Christian, power-ranked third. It was an impressive win as the Tigers’ handed East County’s Patriots (10-1-1) their first loss of the 2024 season.
Additionally, the Hilltop Tourney championship game also featured a battle for possible CIF-SDS Division II playoffs seeding with the D-II three power-ranked Tigers upsetting the currently top-ranked Patriots.
“The game almost seemed personal ... and we know we may see them again in the playoffs,” Caro said.
In the championship game against Christian, Imperial scored two runs in the top of the first inning, while Christian countered with a run in the bottom of the first, then adding two more runs in the third inning to lead 3-1.
Imperial re-took the lead with a four-run burst in the top of the fifth inning and never looked back.
Offensively, the Tigers were aided by five Christian errors, with junior Hannah Johnson going 2 for 3 at the plate with a triple and a single. Sophom*ore Madeleine Magdelano had a single and two RBIs.
Imperial junior right-handed pitcher Jayden Rutledge picked up the victory in throwing the first six innings against the Patriots, giving up two earned runs on four hits and striking out six with no walks. The Tiger defense committed just one error.
“Jayden has definitely worked on perfecting her pitches this season, and she came out this spring even stronger and faster than last year,” Caro said. “After last season’s experience in winning CIF, Jayden is stronger mentally. She doesn’t react to pressure and she knows that her teammates have her back.”
Imperial advanced automatically to the Hilltop High Tournament championship game after finishing first in one of the tourney’s two pool play groups based on their record.
The Tigers’ opened the two-week long Hilltop Tournament on Thursday, March 14, on the road at Bonita Vista High in Chula Vista, where they tied the Barrons 1-1.
“It was a tough game ... we trailed 1-0 until we tied it in the last inning,” Caro said.
Imperial followed the tie by picking up two wins at Hilltop High on Saturday, March 16, beginning with a defeat of the CIF-SDS’s 18th-ranked Mt. Carmel High Sundevils, by a 6-1 score.
Against Mt. Carmel, Rutledge tossed a three-hitter, striking out ten, while Magdelano stroked a key three-run triple. Freshman Hailey Lepe and senior Mariana Pesqueira each drove in a run.
“Madeleine is one of the players from last year who is returning; in fact, our whole team is back,” Caro said. “She’s clutch ... when we have a situation where we need runs she brings them in.”
Also in pool play on March 16, Imperial won a time-limit four-inning tournament 8-5 victory over the Helix High Highlanders, where Magdelano picked up the victory by throwing three innings, followed by Rutledge's save in one inning of relief.
The Tigers’ were then scheduled for their only Hilltop Tournament pool play home game on March 21 – picking up a win by forfeit as Eastlake High (Chula Vista) declined to travel to the Valley – with the final score recorded as 2-0 in favor of Imperial.
This week, the Tiger softball team will play one non-league game today, on Tuesday, March 26, when they travel to Central Union High to meet the Spartans at 6:30 p.m. in El Centro.
