Richardson, Ledgerwood bring power in wins
- Updated: March 16, 2017
Matthew Richardson watches his home run against Montgomery on Wednesday.
2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Bill Dickens
© EastCountySports.com
SAN DIEGO (3-16-17) — Teams that face Montgomery are almost certain to get tangled in the wires.
Coach Manny Hermosillo’s club doesn’t give up an inch – if that much.
Equally as challenging this year are veteran COLE HOLLAND and his Helix Highlanders. Holland’s crew believes they have a legitimate shot at the Division I crown.
“We’re not making any predictions,” Holland said. “But we like our chances. As long as we keep playing good defense, maintain our pitching and get some clutch hits, we look pretty good.
Going into this week Helix, a 4-2 winner over Montgomery, is moving up in some polls, but in others’, the climb has been slow-going.
Helix rallied from a 2-0 deficit from stingy Montgomery (3-2) in the 5th inning with a booming 2-run homer by MATTHEW RICHARDSON in the top of the inning in Wednesday’s (Mar. 15) Aztec-Foothiller Tournament action.
In the 7th inning, JORDAN JACKSON singled to left and advanced to second on an error by Aztec pitcher Jose Cerda. AUSTIN KRETZCHMAR singled to second. One out later ERICK SMELKO walked, advancing both runners to load the bases. Richardson was hit by a pitch and Jackson scored to give Helix a one run edge.
CONNOR KONISHI was hit by a pitch and Kretzchmar scored what proved to be the winning run.
Helix advances to the tournament championship game on Saturday (Mar. 18) at Grossmont High at 10:30 a.m. where they will face Eastlake in a rematch of a non-league game from last season won by the Titans in Chula Vista, 7-6.
The teams will meet again on March 23.
CHRISTIAN 5, GROSSMONT 3 – There are those on the Christian High campus who believe that the Patriots are of the caliber to compete against Grossmont Conference competition.
One of the first head-to-head rounds came on Wednesday (Mar. 15) in the Aztec-Foothiller Tournament when the Patriots’ baseball team edged the Foothillers 5-3.
“That’s a monumental win for us,” said Patriots coach MIKE MITCHELL. “We believe that we can compete at all levels in the Grossmont Conference but we have not received many chances to do so as yet.”
A Patriots plus is the longball, that is, Christian has hit 9 home runs in five games in the season thus far.
JUSTIN LEDGERWOOD has clubbed 3 homers for Christian, 2 in this game.
Grossmont’s JESSE GARCIA just missed hitting for the cycle as he doubled, tripled and homered.
The power show halted with the Patriots, who scored 5 runs on 7 hits.
Christian pitcher JOE MARKOWICZ pitched five innings, allowed only 3 hits and 2 earned runs to earn his 2nd win in as many decisions.
JESSE MATTHEWS came out of the bullpen and struck out 2 in two scoreless innings to earn his first save.
Grossmont couldn’t get off the board and wasted the pitching of KANNON ROMERO and CHRIS GIOVENGO, who pitched two innings, allowed only 3 hits, no runs, one walk and 3 strikeouts.
CORONADO 3, WEST HILLS 0 – Runs and hits came at a premium for West Hills in Wednesday’s (Mar. 15) Aztec-Foothiller Tournament encounter in Coronado.
Half of West Hills’ offensive supply was delivered by BRADEN SANFORD, who was 2-for-3.
DYLAN CRAFT ripped a double and a single in the lost cause.
CHRIS SCHROEDER singled to account for the rest of West Hills’ meager offense.
West Hills wasted strong pitching by NOAH QUINTANA and JONATHAN MAAT, who combined to limit the Islanders to 4 hits.
The frustration continued for the Wolf Pack as starting pitcher Quintana, covering home plate with a runner darting in from third, was caught in a collision that injured his knee and forced him to the sidelines.
SD-SOUTHWEST 8, MOUNT MIGUEL 1 – The Mount Miguel Matadors blazed out of the gates as AUSTIN ORTIZ doubled and scored on a two-out single by CONNOR WHITE in Wednesday’s (Mar. 15) Bully’s East Tournament game.
At that point, things were looking good for the Matadors.
Mount Miguel’s advantage was short-lived as Southwest pounded out three straight singles to tie the game 1-1.
Southwest took command in the 3rd. Edgar Jacome led off the 3rd with a single and scored on a double by Dominic Escobar. Diego Corrales followed with a 2-base hit to make it 4-1.
That all but finished the Matadors (2-2).
Ortiz set the pace for Mount Miguel with 2 of its 6 hits.
Wed., Mar. 15, 2017 Aztec-Foothiller Tournament PATRIOTS 5, FOOTHILLERS 3 Grossmont (3-2) 010 110 0 – 3 1 3 Christian (4-1) 200 210 0 – 5 7 2 Romero, Giovengo (5) and Lombardo. Markowicz, Matthews (6) and Josephson. WP-Markowicz (2-0). LP-Giovengo. Sv-Matthews (1). HR-Ledgerwood (Chr-2,3) 1st, one on; 4th, solo. JGarcia (Gro-1) 2nd, solo. ISLANDERS 3, WOLF PACK 0 West Hills (3-2) 000 000 0 – 0 4 5 Coronado (1-4) 000 201 0 – 3 4 1 Quintana, Maat (4) and Wittmeier. Terry and JPratt. WP-Terry (1-0). LP-Quintana (3-1). HIGHLANDERS 4, AZTECS 2 Helix (5-0) 000 020 2 – 4 8 2 Montgomery (3-2) 020 000 0 – 2 5 1 Chase, Estrada (5),Smelko (7) and Johnson. JoCerda, Gomez (7) and JuCerda. WP-Estrada. LP-JoCerda. Sv-Smelko (1). Bully’s East Tournament RAIDERS 8, MATADORS 1 Mount Miguel (2-2) 100 000 0 – 1 6 2 SD-Southwest (3-4) 304 010 x – 8 11 2 Preciado, Camacho (4) and Montijo. Dominguez, No. 21 (7) and Bojorquez. WP-Dominguez. LP-Preciado.
