Wrap: Family effort spurs Monarchs
- Updated: March 10, 2022
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
ECS staff report
A round-up on East County baseball for Wednesday (Mar. 9):
Monte Vista 5, The Bishop’s 2
SPRING VALLEY —.The Monte Vista Monarchs saw an early lead almost disappear before plating a pair of sixth-inning runs, pulling away to checkmate the Knights of The Bishop’s School, 5-2, on Wednesday (Mar. 9).
Six-plus innings by Monarchs pitcher Jacob Schweizer kept his ballclub in front. He struck out right batters, then Justyn Stone entered to register the final two outs for the save, ending the cub’s mild, 2-game skid.
“This was a bounce-back game for the team,” said Schweizer. “We had a tough loss Monday, but we were ready to come out strong.
“My off-speed-fastball combination was working great, keeping the hitters off balance all game”
This was more than a one-man show for Monte Vista (2-4 overall).
“Jacob pitched a gem for us,” noted head coach Craig Neu. “In addition, Isaiah Hilke had huge hits and a great diving catch in the seventh inning.”
“We played a good game today. It was a great bounce back win against a quality opponent.”
Hilke, who moved to center fielder just before the inning started by Neu, made a diving grab for the second out and keep runners at first and base.
Stone then coaxed a pop out to shortstop Tyler Lemen for the final out.
Monte Vista’s offense was scattered throughout the batting order.
Included were RBI from Izmael Ocampo, Niko Heidt,Hilke and Schweizer. For Hilke, it was a second-inning triple to center, scoring Lemen for a 2-0 lead.
Earlier in the inning, Lemen started a double play on defense, He sent the ball to
to second baseman Caleb Taa-Jones, who turned the pivot to first baseman Ismail Ocampo.
Virtually every member of the Monte Vista starting nine contributed, including a pair of bunts by Chris Lybarger, plus a sacrifice fly from Niko Heidt.
“It was a great team win and everything came together for us,” added Schweizer. “We had Hike’s RBI triple and Lybarger’s two good bunts.
“In the sixth, we knew we had to push across insurance runs and key hits and base-running allowed that to happen.”
In the last inning, Hilke made a diving catch with bases loaded 1 out, which was huge for us.
In action involving other Grossmont Valley League schools:
Clairemont 4, Valhalla 3
CLAIREMONT —.The re surging Clairemont Chieftains, following a slow start, captured their third straight ballgame on Wednesday (Mar. 9), staving off visiting Valhalla, 4-3.
Clairemont has now won three straight, including a pair against Grossmont Valley League opposition.
Meanwhile, the season is going the opposite way for the Norsemen (1-5),losers in five straight.
No game information was reported.
