Bailey maintains victorious ways

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 1, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Grossmont Hills League

Granite Hills 3, Valhalla 0

EL CAJON – There’s still two weeks remaining in the regular season, yet Grabite Hills senioir Luke Bailey may have wrapped up the Pitcher of the Year award following another stellar effort on Thursday (MNay 1).

Bailey struck out a season-high nine batters, allowing Valhalla just onehit in the Eag;es 3-0 verdict over the Norsemen.

The bit for a no-hitter came to a halt just two batters into the ballgame, as Orange catcher Mace Wheeler — the batting average leader in the Grossmont Hills League — lined a basehit up the middle.

Bailey did walk four batters, otherwise, he collected 20 straight outs to close.

Norsemen piotcher Jesse McCormick was almost as impressive in throwing a 3=hit, complete game. But after the Eagles scored in the first, the chances for a comeback were slim.

The run came home on Brandon Lewis to leadoff. For the shortstop, he regained a tie for the East County home run lead with Wheeler on his shoit to left field.

Granite Hills added a pair of insurance runs in the fourth after the first woe batters reach on a basehit and a walk.

A pair oif grund outs, including a roller to the right side by Brodey Vicars nade it 2-0. Phillip Jones followed with his own roller, but it went through the left side of the infirled for a basehit and a 3-0 lead.

The unbeaten Eagles (15-0-2)has now gone a full caledar year withouyt a regular-son setback — a stretch of 21 contests. They are 7-0 in GHL action.

Valhalla (6-14, 2-5 GHL) will host Granite Hills on Friday at 4 p.m., hoping to end a 3-game losing streak (all by shutout) to the Eagles.

Helix 5, Grossmont 4

FLETCHER HILLS – The “ancirnt” rivalry came down to a few precious moments once again.

Even at 3-all, Helix out-scored Grossmont by a 2-1 count in the sixth inning, the difference in the Highlander’s 5-4 decision ovrt the Foothillers at Gizoni Field

The Scotties were gifted the go-ahead runs in a rally that opened on a two walks and an error to load the bases.

Antoin Simpson was then hit by a 2-0 pitch to force homw the game-tying run. Moments later, Alex Carbajal walked on a 3-1 pitch to award another free pass to home plate and a 5-3 advantage.

Grossmont’s rally came ib nmore traditional fashion,

Hillers catcher Johnny Warren doubled on the first pitch, sneding a line drive to center, The next batter, third baseman Nico Clark, registered his second hit to drive home pinch0runner Landon Brewer.

Grossmont evebtually kiaded the bases with one downm but Helix releiver Romeo Briones — a freshman 00 eacaped on a strikeout and a ground ball.

Briones retired the final five Hillers baters, including a 1-2-3 in the seventh, to collect the victory,

Helix (12-10, 4-3 GHL) saw Simpson and Carbajal each drive in two runs. Isaac Fierro added an RBI.

Grossmont (10-13, 2-5 GHL) also received RBI from Colton Burke and Tyler Holmes.

Western League

Patrick Henry 7, Cathedral Catholic 0

SAN MARCOS – Patrick Henry starting pitcher Jimmy Gunn fired six innings of shutout ball, as the Patriots handed Cathedral Catholic its most lop-sided loss of the season in a 7-0 thrashing in a key Western League conteat.

The Patriots now only captured the 3-game series,2-1, they also forged airtual 3-way pile-up for the league lead.

The Dons (13-8, 4-2) holds the win percentage lead, but Patrick Henry and St. Augustine are even in the Games Behind category at 4-3-1.

Gunn yielded just four hitsm striking out four Cathedral Catholic batters. In the seventh, Eli Brum — another junior — closed out the triumph.

Jayden Goldman and Kayden Henson each drovein a p;air of runs. In front of the pair was an Brooke, who singled twice and scored b oth rimes.

Thus contest was over early after the Patriots tallied six runs on their first trip to the plate.

After Gunn retired the Dons in order in the first, Patrick Henry wasted little time.

With one down, Preston Conklin lsced a line double to left, Ian Brooke and Cody Cappelletti both walked to load the bases, then Trevir Bobo singled for what turned out to be the ganme-winning RBI.

Other key hits were consecutive 2-run singles by Nate Moloney, and Ogden.

Elsewhere: St. Augustine 7, Point Loma 0

City League

University City 4, Christian 3

UNIVERSITY CITY – To open the season, University City was considered among the best non-Division I baseball teams in the CIF-San Diego Section.

The Centurions started on a 9-1 streak, defeating a wide selection of Grossmont Conference schools.

Then the rood fell in when league play commenced. However, the Cents are back, thans to this week’s 4-game sweep of the Christian Patriots.

Starting pitcher C. Hildebrandt tossed 4.2 innings of 3-hit ball, but the bullpen almost blew it after Christian scored twice in the seventh innin.

The Patriots loaded the bases on a dropped third strike, a hit batsman and a walk. A ground out scored a rubm then a pair of additional walks forced home a second run,

Hiwever, the Cents survived on a game-ending strikeout.

For Christian (*12-11 overall, 2-7 City), Joey Nunez, Roman Gustin and Xander Molina recorded RBI.

Univ ersity City’s Justin Gonzalez drove in three run, featuring a 2-run homer.

Elosewhere: Coronado 7, at Mira Mesa 4

Grossmont Valley League

West Hills 5, Monte Vista 4

SANTEE – Monte Vista is definitely the “kig” of the comeback, again soring in th seventh inning, yet falling short in a 4-3 setback to West Hills.

Knotted at 3-all, the Wolf Pack scored twice in the sixth, but the Monarchs cut the deficit in half and had a chance in the game’s final stages.

To break the late deadlock, the first three West Hils batters reached, then Joey Hamilton hack-sawweded a basehit through the left side for the game-winning RBI. Coming home were Riley Kulak (lead walk) and Anthony . Rosolino (single).

The Monarchs were partially gifted one run on an error to allow leadoff batter Orlando Rupley to reach. One out later,

Antonio Mccomb followed by ripping an RVI double to right field.

However, West Hills relief pitcher Roy Ruiz registered the final to outs to gain the victory. Ruiz pitched three frames, with both runs coming unearned.

The ballgame’s top hitter was McComb, Monte Vista’s designated hitter, with three hits and two RBI; he fell a home run short to finish with a cycle.

Santana 9, at Mount Miguel 2

SPRING VALLEY – The Santana Sultans (11-10 ov erall, 4-0 GVL) moved above the ,500 plateau by downing host Mount Miguel. More importantly, they remain tied for first place with West Hills in GVL action.

However, the Santana stats state they only allowed one run to the Matadors.

Mount Miguel (7-12, 0-4 GVL), which had been 5-5 at home, has now dropped two straight at Matadors Ballpark.

Steele Canyon 19, ECVHS 0 (5 inn.)

EL CAJON – Steele Canyon scored five times inn the first inning, then seven more times in the second to down host El Cajon Valley, sweeping the GVL series.

Valley League

Ramona 6, Canyon Crest 3

PACIFIC HIGHLANDS RANCH – North County’s Valley League could be in the tightest, wildest pennant race in the county if Canyon Crest cvould beat the Ramona Bulldogs to forge a 3-way deadlock for the league lead.

The Dawgs thought otherwise.

In a ballgame just as tight as the race for first place, Ramona broke a 3-all deadlock by scoring three times in the sevfenth inning Thursday (May 1`), stopping the host Ravens, 6-3.

Ramona (13-8 overall, 5-2 league) maintains its one game advantage over Escondido (15-6,4-3), whil Canyon Crest (10-12-1, 5-4) drops to third

More importantly for Ramona,if the Dawgs can sweep the Ravens series on Friday’s series finale, the only league opponent left on their schule is last-place San Dieguito.

One-out singles by Tyler Haymes and Noah Bedia placed runners on the corners, with Bedia takinbg third on defensive indifference.

Then the Ravems collapsed.

A wild pitch scored Haynes with the go-ahead run, Derek TAylor was hit by a pitch, then a potential inning-ending ground ball was booted for additional runs.

Canyon Crest did bring the potential game-tying run to the plate in the hold-half of the seventh with two down, but Ramona reliefv pitcher Seth Gaines coaxed a pop out to first baseman Tallon Ogilive to win.

Gaines pitched the final 2.2 innings to collect the victory.

Ogilive gave Ramona a 3-1 leadwith a 3-run homer to left in the fourth. However, Canyion Crest got even on a pair of unearned runs in the fifth.