No-doubting Thomas’ comeback story

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 21, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PTP BASEBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior staff writer

EL CAJON – Frankly, Wyatt Thomas had absolutely no business being a member of the Christian Patriots baseball team.

“Wyatt was cut from our team last year (when he was a junior),” noted veteran Christian coach Mike Mitchell. “And he was one day away from being cut this year.”

However, Thomas’ rags-to-riches story started a new chapter in Monday’s (Apr. 21) City League ballgame at Mira Mesa. Noton ly did Thomas throw the last four no-hit innings to gain the victory, Thomas was perfect — 12 up and 12 down — in the Patriots’ 3-1 verdict over the Marauders.

How poor was Thomas? According to Mitchell, he threw strikes less than 28 percent of the time during Winterball,

“If he didn;t make change, Wyatt had sero vhance of making the team.”

Assistant coach John Eichhorst took Thomas aside and told him this was, basically, his last chance.

After Thomas completed “radical changes” in his pitchingmotion, positive results began to occur.

“Wyatt listened and worked his tail off — he needed to re-learn how to throw,” added Mitchell. “It was very tough at first, but Wyatt stuck with it and the improvement has been dramatic.”

Entering the week, Thomas only saw action in six contests for a toal of just six innings. Sure, his earned-run average was 0.00, but the game circumstances were anything but difficult.

“We started wuth outting only in situations that were not ‘high stress.’ yet he has done nothing but continue ti imorove.”

“It’s most amazing turn-around in a player I have ever seen in my 40 years of coaching.”

In retiring all 12 Mira Mesa batters e faced, Thomas did not register a strike out, instead collecting a series of ground balls or shallow pop-ups.

When he arrived in the fourth inning, Thomsd did get sa touch lucky on a pair of line drives hit directly to Christian defencers. However, the final three innings were pops to the infield surrounded by a pair of grounders.

Thomas now has 10 full innings on the “bump” this season and maintains his perfect ERA.

Game Stuff

Tied at 1-1, Christian (12-6 overall, 2-2 league) scored twice in the third inning, the difference in mowing down the Marauders.

A trio of lead singles by Joey Nunez, Max Villalva and Benji Molina (RBI) gave the Patriots the lead for keeps.

Moments later, sophomore center fielder Braeden Casey the second of his two sacrifice flies for a run. Casey also posted an “SF” in the first.

However, Mira Mesa quickly pulled even in the second on a two-out sngle by right fielder Tristan Aguon, the No. 9 hitter for Mira Mesa (7-10 overall, 0-1 league), which had a league bye last week.

History

In the late 1980s, when Grossmont High’s Lance Dickson was East County Player of the Year, going on to eventually pitch in the major for the Chicago Cubs, El Cajon Valley High also had a rags-to-riches pitcher.

In the final game of the regularson, Fickson was throwing a shutout against ECVHS, but the Braves had a developing pitcher named Rusty Pennock, who was also tossing a shutout.

The Hillers won, 1-0, on a walk-off homer that barely cleared the short porch in right field at Gizoni Field.

Dickson captured all sorts of awards, a scholarship to the University of Ariozna, before joining the Cubs in 1980.

But happened to Pennock?

Well, Grand Canyon University, which was then an NAIA school — they are NCAA Division I today — had already utilized its travel budget for recruiting and couldn’t afford to make another trip to San Diego.

Instead, the ‘Lopes coaching staff contacted various coaches and the staff at The Daily California (1892-2000) to see if there was someone that other schools overlooked that might be interested in a school of then just 400 students.

Pennock’s name came up, so Grand Canyon took a chance and signed him unseen, despite a record of just 1-11 in his Braves career.

Four years later, Pennock became the college’s all-time leader in wins, strike outs, and a host of other categories.

Pennock currently is the owner/operator of Sign Me Up printing and graphics, located in San Marcos.