Granite Hills gains GHL, CIFSDS lead
- Updated: April 30, 2022
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff report
SANTEE — A solid pitchers’ duel for four innings quickly reversed course, especially for third-ranked Granite Hills, which posted 11 runs over the final three frames to transform a 2-2 nail-biter into an Eagles romp, 13-7, over top-ranked Santana to complete a sweep of a two-game series.
First baseman Spencer Davis and starting pitcher Tanner Vielguth each drove in four runs for Granite Hills, which regained the Grossmont Hills League lead by a full game over the Sultans.
The decision also left a possible mess in one of the section rankings. Also on Friday (Apr. 29), No. 2 San Marcos — the ballclub which declined an offer to play in the championship in its Classic Division flight of the Lions Tournament, was also bumped off at No. 7 Rancho Bernardo, 6-5.
Elsewhere, No. 4 St. Augustine was idle this week, while No. 5 Torrey Pines will host Poway on Saturday morning. Thus, Granite Hills is well-expected to return to the top of the rankings.
Even at 2-all, Santana took a short-lived lead on a leadoff home run by Ethan Wright in the fourth. But the bomb only signaled to Granite Hills to also shift into gear.
Vielguth began his hitting barrage with a pair of home runs. Following a game-tying basehit by Davis, Vielguth bombed a 3-run homer to right field for a 6-3 lead.
An inning later, Davis slugged a 2-run shot for a 9-3 lead. The Sultans answered with a pair of runs, but Vielguth responded with his second bomb in leading off the seventh for a 5-run cushion which later expanded to 13-5.
Earlier in the contest, Camden Sos also homered for Granite Hills.
Vielguth also displayed good timing on the mound. Although he only tossed four innings, he came out exactly when the Eagles took the lead, so her was the wining pitcher, yielding three runs and five hits.
Will Smale fired 2.2 frames of relief, then Davis came in to register the final out.
Santana pitcher Destin Allen-Fox was string through four, but ran out of gas in the fifth because of five walks and five strikeouts, elevating his pitch count.
The Sultans received two RBI for both Wright and Elijah Reber, with Reber’s 2-run homer accounting for both of his RBI in the third to offset an early 2-0 Granite Hills lead.
A key to the fifth inning, after Santana pulled to with 6-5, was an inning-ending double play when the host had the bases loaded and only one down.
Sos, the shortstop, fielded a grounder and coverted a 6-4-3 twin-killing on a throw to Brenden Lewis at second base, going on to Davis at first base, with the play’s momentum leading to seven runs over the final two frames.
Granite Hills (17-4 overall, 6-1 GHL) saw Sos bat 3-for-5 with two RBI and his early home run, while Vielguth added two knocks to a 13-hit attack.
Santana (16-5, -4-2 GHL) received two hits from Jayden Agramont, Cody Cappelleti and Wright.
Elsewhere
Helix 9, Grossmont 5
FLETCHER HILLS — Wyatt Laub and Ben Haar blasted late-inning home runs, allowing Helix to stave host Grossmont, 9-5, in Friday’s (Apr. 29) Grossmont Hills League contest at Gizoni Field.
The pesky Foothillers, once down 4-0, moved to within two runs on several occasions. However, Laub ended theHillers threat with a 3-run homer in the fourth, then Haar added a 2-run blst in the sixth to push the margin to 9-4.
Laub’s shot also scored David Blome and James Whitman. Haar’s homer haul also brought home Whitman (2-for-4). Laub was also the winning pitcher, recording five strike outs five of the Hillers over his six-plus innings, then Armando Nuanez pitched the seventh for the save.
Meanwhile, Grossmont pitchers yielded just five hits all afternoon, but seven walks and a hit batsman doomed the trio of pitchers.
Helix (13-8 overall, 5-2 GHL)) has now won five straight contests and is now tied for second with Santana, sitting just one game behind front-running Granite Hills
Grossmont (7-15-1, 1-7 GHL) also had home runs by center fielder Ryan Rodieck and right fielder River Diaz De Leon.
