ROUNDUP: Hillers have winning connection
- Updated: May 26, 2018
2018 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
EastCountySports.com staff report
LA MESA – Sophomore GIO GIGANTI drove in four runs and senior CHRIS GIOVENGO hit a three-run home run as the Grossmont Foothillers trounced visiting La Jolla Country Day, 9-5, in an elimination game of the San Diego CIF Division I playoffs on Friday afternoon.
Giovengo lined his shot over the right-field porch at Gizoni Field to give the Hillers a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third. Giganti had given Grossmont a 1-0 lead with a one-out RBI single to batters earlier.
Giganti had given Grossmont a 1-0 lead with a one-out RBI single two batters earlier.
“Chris stepped up big today,” Grossmont head coach JORDAN ABRUZZO said. “That’s what we will need from our seniors to make a run at this thing.”
Grossmont junior DREW SHIRVANIAN pitched 5 1/3 innings to earn the victory, striking out six Torreys in the process.
Giovengo threw the final 1 2/3 innings, striking out a pair.
“We have another one-game series tomorrow,” Abruzzo said. “Survive and advance.”
Junior ZAK FARRIS had three hits and scored a run for Grossmont (17-12-1).
The Foothillers were scheduled to host Westview, which fell to Carlsbad, 12-6 on Friday, in a Saturday contest scheduled for 11 a.m.
The winner advances to face the Lancers next Tuesday.
EASTLAKE 5, HELIX 0 – The Highlanders were handed an unceremonious exit to the Open Division postseason, as Eastlake senior Grant Holman (9-1), the reigning state player of the year, pitched a one-hitter to send Helix to a second-consecutive playoff defeat.
Helix sophomore JORDAN THOMPSON had the Scotties’ hit to lead off the fourth inning.
The Scots’ THOMAS CANEDAY and ALONZO RICHARDSON combined on 3 1/3 scores innings of relief.
Eastlake (26-4-1) will host fifth-seeded Cathedral Catholic on Saturday at 11 a.m. in an elimination contest.
The Titans hit four home runs.
Helix (21-10) finished the regular season as the Grossmont Hills League champion.
SAN PASQUAL 10, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 6 – The Knights will face Fallbrook in an elimination rematch at West Hills High on Saturday at 11 .m. after dropping Friday’s Division IV contest tot he Golden Eagles.
The Knights beat the Warriors on Tuesday, 5-2.
On Friday, BAILEY LEWIS and KIP FAMOLARO (3-for-4) both drove in a pair of runs for FCHS, which closed a 6-0 lead to 6-4 with a four-run fifth.
However, San Pasqual came back with three more runs in the top of the sixth.
The winner of Saturday’s game will get another shot at the Golden Eagles, needing to win back-to-back games next Tuesday and Wednesday in order to reach the championship game.
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 22, CALVARY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY 8 – The Red Hawks advanced to the fourth round behind three hits and five RBI from WYATT AGUILAR and five hits and three RBI from WYATT MANN.
Mountain Empire’s JACOBE NOLAND added three hits, three RBI and three runs scored.
Red Hawk RYAN SAWYER had two hits, scored four runs and added an RBI.
Junior TREVOR ELLIOTT struck out 14 batters to pick up the win.
The Red Hawks await the winner of Saturday’s elimination game between Calvary Christian and Calvin Christian. The winner would need to beat Mountain Empire twice in order to gain the berth to the championship game.
