East County Sports

ROUNDUP: Garcia’s homers lift Hillers

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

 

EastCountySports.com staff report

 

EL CAJON – Grossmont senior JESSE GARCIA belted two home runs to lead the host Foothillers over the Santana Sultans, 8-3, in a Grossmont Hills League game at Gizoni Field on Friday afternoon.

Garcia homered on a 0-2 pitch for a two-run shot in the first inning, his fifth home run of the season, giving the Hillers a 2-0 edge.

Garcia added his second home run in the third inning, for his sixth of the year, leading off the frame.

“I felt good at the plate this week,” Garcia said. “Hitting is about making adjustments and I felt that I did that pretty well this week.

Grossmont remained one-half game behind first-place Helix in the GHL pennant chase after downing the Sultans on Thursday, as well.

“I am pleased with how we came out to play against Santana,” Garcia said. “If we are going to have a chance to win conference we will need to be solid in hitting, pitching, and defense. I feel that we have a great shot.  

“East County has a group of talented players and it will be a fight to the end.”

Grossmont junior KEONI VALDEZ had a home run in the sixth inning.

Foothiller senior JACK HYDE allowed two runs over five innings, striking out eight and walking one.

ZAK FARRIS had two hits for Grossmont, including an RBI single in the bottom of the first, giving the Hillers a 3-0 lead.

Grossmont’s TYLER PARENT drove in a pair of runs with a single in the bottom of the fifth.

BEN HART had a run-scoring single for Santana to make it 5-2 in the top of the fourth.

Santana senior BRANDON GLOWACKI went 3-for-4 for Santana, while teammate JOSH OEDEWALDT added a sac fly.

“Santana is so well coached that we know it’s always going to be a battle against them,” Grossmont head coach JORDAN ABRUZZO said. “They took a lot of good at-bats today but we were able to find a way to win. We are finally starting to get back to being aggressive at the plate.”

Grossmont (5-3 GHL, 14-9) travels to face El Capitan next Tuesday, while Santana hosts Helix on Tuesday in the next round of GHL games.

 

HELIX 6, GRANITE HILLS 2 – Helix broke open a scoreless game with two in the third and four in the fourth to remain atop the Grossmont Hills League standings.

The Highlanders (17-7 overall) improved to 5-2-1 in the GHL, good for a half-game lead over second-place Grossmont.

Junior GRIFFIN ZAMORA got the win for Helix, allowing two hits over 4 2/3 shutout innings.

Helix senior BRANDON PETERSON got the scoring started with a two-out RBI single in the third, driving in DEVIN BAKER, who led off the frame with a double.

Senior ZACK OWENS then following with a double to right, sending Peterson plateward.

Senior AUSTIN KRETSCHMAR led off the fourth with a triple to highlight the four-run outburst.

Senior JAKE FENN and sophomore RYAN FENN each had an RBI single in the top of the sixth for Granite Hills.

Kretzschmar pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief to finish off the pitching chores for the Highlanders.

Senior BRAYDEN ANDERSON had two hits for Granite Hills.

The Eagles host Grossmont next Thursday in a certain must-win situation to keep their pennant hopes alive.

 

VALHALLA 8, MONTE VISTA 0 – The Norsemen improved to 9-1 in the Grossmont Valley League as sophomore JOSEPH INGRASSIA struck out 11 over six innings, allowing just two hits with no walks, for Valhalla.

Valhalla remained one-game in front of second-place Steele Canyon in the GVL.

Sophomore KYLE CASPER and jnior ETHAN DUNNAM each drove in two runs for the Norsemen.

Valhalla score a run in the top of the first, then scored two in the fourth and two in the fifth to pull away.

 

MOUNT MIGUEL 15, EL CAJON VALLEY 6 – Matador senior JOSEPH MENDOZA pitched six innings for the win and drove in three runs.

Mendoza struck out eight and allowed two earned runs.

Mount Miguel sophomore ERIK KELLY hit his first varsity home run – a two-run shot in the bottom of the fourth which gave the hosts a 9-3 advantage.

Kelly finished with three RBI, as well, for the Matadors, but more notably, the sophomore stole two bases and is 25-for-25 on stolen base attempts this season.

Mount Miguel got on the board in the first when RUBEN PRECIADO-TEJEDA singled to score AUSTIN ORTIZ (3-for-4).

Kelly had an RBI single in the first to make it 2-0 Matadors.

Ortiz drove in a run in the top of the third for a 3-0 Mount Miguel lead.

Mount Miguel’s CAMERON BEAUZEC had an RBI single in the third inning.

“The boys were aggressive and attacking the pitches,” Mount Miguel head coach FRANK COIT said. “We have Monte Vista and Valhalla next week. We were very competitive with both in a couple games. Should be fun.”

El Cajon Valley senior JESUS FAVELA hit an inside-the-park home run over center field for two runs in the last of the fourth, which drew the Braves to within 5-3.

 

SCRIPPS RANCH 6, CHRISTIAN 1 – The Patriots scored first but once again didn’t have the answer for their Western League nemesis Falcons.

Christian High had seven hits and drew three walks, but had trouble pushing the runs across the plate.

 

TRACE RAMOS had a pair of his for the Patriots.

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