ROUNDUP: San, EC, GH, FC, MM, Val, SC, MV
- Updated: March 11, 2016
Foothills Christian at bat against Mount Miguel on Thursday at Barona Indian Reservation.
2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
SANTEE (3-11-16) — Nobody can accuse Santana for playing a lightweight schedule. Coach RIGO LEDEZMA’s squad has scored only five runs in two games, gaining a split in the Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament on Thursday (Mar. 10).
Let’s examine the Sultans’ early competition. A 3-2 loss to the No. 1 ranked team in the nation, Rancho Bernardo on opening day. That obviously was no fluke as Santana bounced back to edge Cathedral Catholic, the No. 3 rated team in the San Diego Section on Thursday (Mar. 10) with a 2-1 victory.
“We’ve faced some pretty good pitching in these first two games,” said Ledezma.
But Santana has held its own with stout pitching of its own. NOAH NUNEZ pitched five shutout innings with 7 strikeouts and no walks. BROCK ELLIS and BRANDON MOSBURG finished the job for the Sultans. Ellis was credited with the win and Mosburg got the save.
The Sultans made the most of four hits. In the second inning with two outs, JACOB ODENKIRK walked, stole second and scored on a base hit by BLAKE PRYOR.
After visiting Cathedral tied the game with a run in the top of the 6th, the Sultans regained the lead for keeps.
AIDAN RASMUSSON singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by JERRY ALESI. Then it was Odenkirk’s chance to be a hero again as he slugged a double off the right-centerfield wall.
“I thought it was going out,” Ledezma said of Odenkirk’s drive. “But we’ll take it. We had some pretty mature at-bats today and our defense was sound.”
EL CAPITAN 11, RANCHO BUENA VISTA 0 – This was a two-fold success for the El Capitan Vaqueros in that CHANCE COLSON pitched a sparkling complete game and the Vaqueros bats riddled two Longhorn pitchers for 14 hits in Thursday’s (Mar. 10) Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament contest.
Colson needed only 55 pitches to complete his 3-hitter that included 2 strikeouts.
The Vaqueros took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. After singles by JASON MOORMAN and KENNY OLHAUSER, JONATHAN SUMMERS hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Moorman. MICHAEL LARWA closed out the inning with an RBI double.
The Vaqueros (2-0) broke the game open with 6 runs in the 5th. El Capitan slashed 5 singles in the uprising to extend its advantage to 8-0. For good measure El Capitan added 3 runs in the 7th against two RBV pitchers.
VICTOR CARLINO paced the hefty El Capitan attack with a double and 2 singles. Moorman was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI. Larwa, who used to be relegated to pinch running duties last season, has become a bona fide offensive contributor. He was 3-for-4, scored 2 runs and had one RBI.
Colson also contributed at the plate as well as at the mound, driving in 2 runs.
Designated hitter MYLES EMMERSON also drove in 2 runs for El Capitan.
— Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com
GRANITE HILLS 7, POWAY 2 – Most baseball fans prefer home run hitters, although many will argue the fact. No doubt the longball will bring ticket holders to their feet.
Granite Hills hammered three home runs in a 7-2 victory over the Titans in Thursday’s (Mar. 10) Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament.
After Poway scored two runs in the first inning, Granite Hills’ leadoff hitter SEAN ROSS slugged a home run to cut the lead in half.
Granite Hills broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. JOSH VERDON singled and ANDREW BROWN blasted a home run to center field.
DILLAN SHRUM followed with a 3-run home run to center, his second long-tripper of the season. DARIEN COSSIO hit a line drive single to center to score pinch runner RILEY REYES to cap the uprising.
Varsity rookie WILLIAM BURTON pitched a complete victory for the Eagles, allowing only three hits while striking out four. Burton allowed only one earned run.
— Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com
FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 4, MOUNT MIGUEL 3 (8 inn.) – Foothills Christian snapped a 3-3 tie with Mount Miguel with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning in Thursday’s (Mar. 10) Bully’s East Tournament action at Barona.
A bunt single by the Knights’ BAILEY LINK in the bottom of the eighth ignited the winning rally. EZRA SIMS followed with a base hit as did KONNER VON DER LIETH to load the sacks.
With two outs, Link faked a steal home and the Matadors’ catcher threw the ball away, allowing Link to score the winning run.
Von Der Lieth was 4-for-4 with a double, triple and a stolen base. He also logged five pitching innings, scattering eight hits and surrendering two earned runs while striking out seven in a five inning outing.
Relief pitchers LIAM CAREY and TREVOR SMALLWOOD blanked the Matadors on one hit over the final three innings.
Smallwood was awarded the win after the Knights scored the winning run in the bottom of the eighth.
ANGEL MELGAR was 2-for-4 with two RBI for Mount Miguel, one in the fourth and one in the fifth.
ANDREW MONTIJO had a triple and scored for the Matadors.
Leadoff hitter JOHNNY NICASIO drove in a run in the second inning to give Mount Miguel a 2-0 lead.
“Every time we got in trouble our defense turned a double play,” said Knights’ coach DAVE LEWIS. “Both our shortstop JALANI BROWN and our second baseman JACOB GUCCIONE are freshmen and they helped us turn double plays and get out of trouble.”
“We had our chances but we just didn’t get it done,” said Matadors coach LB HAVIRD.
— Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com
HILLTOP 11, VALHALLA 9 – In an early season slugfest Valhalla outhit host Hilltop 12-9 in Thursday’s (Mar. 10) Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament at Chula Vista.
The Norsemen fell behind 4-0 in the opening frame but battled back to tie the contest 4-4 in the top of the fourth with three in the second and one in the fourth.
With one out in the top of the second BRYCE MOSIER walked and CALEB ST. CLAIR tripled to right-center, scoring Mosier. CASEY O’SULLIVAN followed with a home run to right field, scoring St. Clair to make it 4-3.
Valhalla tied the game in the fourth inning on an error by the Lancers, which scored Casey O’Sullivan.
Hilltop barged in front with six runs in the fourth inning and the Norsemen were unable to recover.
It was a frustrating defeat for the Norsemen who were led by St. Clair who was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI.
COLE HENDERSON slashed two hits in three at-bats with an RBI, while Mosier was 2-for-2 with an RBI and 3 runs scored.
RILEY O’SULLIVAN was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
— Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com
EL CAMINO 1, STEELE CANYON 0 – The Cougars wasted a powerful pitching performance by sophomore NOAH NADEAU who spun a complete game 4-hitter in his varsity debut against visiting El Camino in Thursday’s (Mar. 10) 35th Annual Pirate Baseball Classic.
Nadeau allowed only one earned run, walked two and struck out seven in the hardluck loss.
The Cougars (1-2) mustered only four hits and stalled on the offensive side most of the afternoon.
AVERY TUCK slashed a double and MATTHEW BRINKMEIER singled and so did JOSH ESQUIBEL. Number nine hitter JASE RUSSELL attempted to pick up the slack as he went 2-for-2 with a walk.
El Camino’s Eric Frolander struck out 11 in a complete game victory for the Wildcats.
— Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com
HOOVER 12, MONTE VISTA 3 – The visiting Hoover Cardinals teed off on four Monte Vista pitchers, collecting 15 hits in the lopsided victory on Thursday (Mar. 10) in the Bully’s East Tournament.
Lewis Butler led Hoover with a 4-for-5 effort, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. He also hit two doubles.
Cesar Serpa was 3-for-4 with two runs scores, while Trevor Sandoval was 2-for-4 with a home run for the Cardinals.
For Monte Vista the first inning was fine as the Monarchs pushed across two runs on miscues by the Hoover defense.
Offensively, though, the Monarchs sputtered and were limited to singles by ANDREW GONZALES, BRANDON COLLIS, DIEGO SANDOVAL and MATTHEW GONZALES.
— Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com
Thur., Mar. 10 Hilltop/Lolita’s Tournament LANCERS 11, NORSEMEN 9 Valhalla (0-1) 030 123 0 - 9 12 2 Hilltop (1-1) 400 610 x – 11 9 1 Henderson, Mosier (4), Tardiff (4), RO’Sullivan (5) and Heider. Gonzalez, Cortez (4)and Tesner. WP-Cortez (1-0). LP-Mosier (0-1). HR-C. O’Sullivan (V-1) 2nd, one on.
SULTANS 2, DONS 1 Cathedral (0-1) 000 001 0 – 1 5 0 Santana (1-1) 010 001 x – 2 4 0 Lunn, McLoughlin (4) and Polinsky. Nunez, Ellis (6), Mosburg (7) and Mora. WP-Ellis (1-0). LP-McLoughlin (0-1). Sv-Mosburg (1).
VAQUEROS 11, LONGHORNS 0 El Capitan (2-0) 020 060 3 – 11 14 1 Rancho Buena Vista (0-1) 000 000 0 - 0 3 0 Colson and Moorman. Peterson, Servi (5) and VanDam. WP-Colson (1-0). LP-Servi (0-1).
EAGLES 7, TITANS 2 Poway (0-2) 200 000 0 – 2 3 0 Granite Hills (1-1) 100 060 x – 7 6 0 Acley, Ryskamp (5) and Johnson. Burton and Fenn. WP-Burton (1-0). LP-Acley (0-1).
35th Annual Pirate Baseball Classic WILDCATS 1, COUGARS 0 El Camino (1-2) 000 100 0 – 1 4 1 Steele Canyon (1-2) 000 000 0 – 0 5 1 Frolander and Matzke. Nadeau and Arias. WP-Frolander (1-1). LP-Nadeau (0-1).
Bully’s East Tournament CARDINALS 12, MONARCHS 3 Hoover (1-0) 205 010 4 – 12 15 2 Monte Vista (1-1) 201 000 0 - 3 4 2 Echevarria and Avila. FGutierrez, Collis (4), JGutierrez (5), Rosario (7) and DSandoval. WP-Echevarria (1-0). LP-FGutierrez (0-1). HR-TSandoval (Hoov-1) 5th, solo.
KNIGHTS 4, MATADORS 3 (8 inn.) Mount Miguel (0-1) 110 010 00 – 3 9 2 Foothills Christian (1-1) 003 000 01 – 4 8 2 Melgar, Montijo (4) and Camacho. Von Der Lieth, Carey (6), Smallwood (7) and Link. WP-Smallwood (1-0). LP-Montijo (0-1).
EL CAJON VALLEY 16, CRAWFORD 1 (No other information provided.)
