Lions Premier: Cougars improve to 2-0 in tourney
- Updated: April 17, 2019
2019 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
East County Sports staff report
SAN DIEGO (4-17-2019) – Action continued on Tuesday’s (Apr. 16) second round of the 69th edition of the Lions Tournament’s Premier Division.
Two East County schools are in the tournament’s third-level division, and one of them, the Steele Canyon Cougars, won for the second straight day to move into division championship contention.
STEELE CANYON 13, Palmdale-HIGHLAND 9: At Rancho San Diego, the Cougars could not stop Bulldogs third baseman Kaden Clark, who belted a pair of homers and knocked in six runs.
However, when Steele Canyon countered Clark’s homer in the first with seven runs in the home-half of the inning, the Cougars went on to an easy victory.
Designated hitter Jonathan Ramirez slugged a pair of doubles in a 3-for-4 outing, good for three RBI for the Cougars.
Brad Barkley went five innings for the Cougars.
“Well today wasn’t pretty but it got the job done,” Barkley said. “My go-to pitch was definitely my slider inside today. I really got lucky with the run support. My team picked me up big time. We are swinging the bat great these past three games against good pitching.”
Cade Stein went 3-for-4 and scored a pair of runs for Steele Canyon.
“(Stein) has been swinging the stick so well,” Barkley said. “He’s definitely becoming a guy we can count on, especially in clutch situations.”
Steele Canyon (12-6), following a 3-5 start, has now captured 9-of-10.
Highland (13-11) also received a pair of RBI from Jose De Jesus Vasquez.
RAMONA 4, VALHALLA 2: At Rancho San Diego, Bulldogs pitcher Jacob Jaramillo carried a 2-hit shutout into the 7th inning before running out of gas, walking in a pair of Norsemen runs. However, Ramona closer Bryan Schreiber stranded the potential game-tying runner at second base to take this Lions Tournament decision.
Riley O’Sullivan posted a pair of double, while Ethan Dunnam added a pair of singles, the lone basehits for Valhalla (14-5), which saw its 6-game win streak snapped.
For Ramona, leadoff batter Jarett Powers stroked a 2-run double for a 3-0 lead in the 4th.
