Foothillers re-open Hills race with road win at Granite
- Updated: May 4, 2016
2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (5-4-16) — On Friday, coach JORDAN ABRUZZO said “We’re in need of just getting a big hit.” Boy did they get that hit on Tuesday (May 3) as the Foothillers defeated the Eagles 5-3 in a Grossmont Hills League contest at Granite Hills in a battle of County top 10 teams. The win will break a tie in the CIF-SDS power rankings, as the two teams were tied at 45.14 points going into the game.
Eighth-ranked Grossmont (15-8, 5-3 GHL) got that big hit in the top of the third inning off of CALVIN FARRIS’ bat. Farris hit a triple to right field that brought in KYLE PINEDA and STEVE OUELLETTE.
JACKSON HULETT had a heck of a game. He went 2-for-3 with two runs scored. Both hits were for extra base hits. On the mound, the junior threw a four hit complete game. He allowed two earned runs and a pair of walks, but also got eight punch outs.
The Foothillers got things rolling in the top of the second. With two outs, Huelett hit a triple to right centerfield. He would keep running after a throwing error allowing him to score.
“Jackson (Hulett) did a great job on the mound,” Abruzzo commented. “Doing what he has done all year.”
Then came the big three-run third inning. KALEB TEDOKON led the inning off from the ninth spot in the order with a single to left field. Pineda followed that with an infield single moving Tedokon to second. Ouellette took four straight balls to load the bases. Tedokon scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. After a ground out back to the pitcher for the first out, Farris unleashed his triple to make it 4-0. Farris would be stranded at third.
Granite Hills’ (15-8, 6-2 GHL) designated hitter BRADLEY HARRIS, was the first Eagle to reach base safely and he did it with a single to right centerfield. Unfortunately for the Eagles, he was erased on the very next play on a fielder’s choice. The fielder’s choice allowed JAKE FENN to reach base. TREVOR OMAHEN singled through the famed 5.5 hole pushing Fenn to second. JOSH VERDON, who was batting at the top of the Eagles lineup, singled to centerfield to load the bases.
TREVOR HAZELHURST singled to third base to bring in Fenn and move everyone else up a station. DARIEN COSSIO launched a fly ball to left field for a sacrifice fly bringing in Omahen to cut the lead down to 4-2. Verdon had a chance to move up but initially thought it was going to drop in for a hit and was halfway to third when the ball was caught. No harm, no foul as ANDREW BROWN was hit by a pitch to load up the bases again. But that is where the rally would stall.
“Today, we finally got the big hit we needed,” Abruzzo acknowledged post-game. “When Calvin got the triple and got us up 4-0. We have been needing a big hit and that was it.”
Grossmont would come right back at the Eagles. Hulett would hit his double to get the party rolling in the fourth. A passed ball allowed him to advance to third. JONAS BUCHANAN brought Hulett in on a sacrifice fly to the centerfielder to make it 5-2 ‘Hillers.
The Eagles scored their final run when BLAKE ST. CLAIR reached third on a throwing error that went all the way down the right field line. Harris had an RBI ground out to shortstop to wrap up the scoring at 5-3 Grossmont.
“Any time we play Granite (Hills) it is a battle,” Abruzzo said after the game. “They had a great win against us (on Friday). It was nice to come back and win a baseball game.”
Tue., May 3, 2016 Grossmont Hills League Grossmont ab r h bi Granite Hills ab r h bi Pineda rf 4 1 2 0 JoVerdon 3b-p 3 0 1 0 Ouellette ss 2 1 0 0 Hazelhurst rf 3 0 1 1 ALopez 3b 3 0 0 0 Cossio 2b 2 0 0 1 Farris lf 3 0 2 2 ABrown 1b-3b 2 0 0 0 JGarcia 1b 3 0 0 0 Ross cf 3 0 0 0 Lombardo dh 3 0 0 0 BSt. Clair lf 3 1 0 0 Van Avery 2b 0 0 0 0 Harris dh 3 0 1 1 Hulett p 3 2 2 0 Omahen ss 3 1 1 0 Buchanan cf 2 0 0 1 Fenn c 2 1 0 0 Tedoken c 3 1 2 0 Strickland ph 1 0 0 0 Olson pr 0 0 0 0 JaVerdon 0 0 0 0 Burton p 0 0 0 0 TOTALS 26 5 8 3 TOTALS 25 3 4 3 Grossmont (15-8, 5-3) 013 100 0 – 5 8 2 Granite Hills (15-8, 6-2) 002 000 1 – 3 4 1 GWRBI- E-Hulett 2, Cossio. DP-GH 1. LOB-Gro 4, GH 3. 2B-Hulett. 3B-Hulett, Farris. SF-Buchanan, Cossio. PITCHING SUMMARY Grossmont ip h r er bb so Hulett W(4-1) 7.0 4 3 2 0 8 Granite Hills Burton L(2-2) 6.0 8 5 3 1 4 JoVerdon 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 HBP-by Burton (Hulett), by Hulett (Burton). WP-Burton.
