Cougars out-last Sultans in classic

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 9, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Grossmont Valley League

Steel;e Canyon 7, Santana 2 (9 inn.)

SANTEE – As an outfielder playing in perhaps the most difficult, sun-drenched right field in East County baseball, Steele Canyon’s Jonah Arens knew the importance of accepting a leadoff walk to start the ninth inning with the sun in full set mode.

However, when Arens gained a second at-bat in the ninth, a tight, dliff-hangar of a game was blown into pieces.

In a contest at 1-all for most of an important Grossmont Valley League affair, the Cougars erupted for six runs to eventually take a one-sided 7-2 triumph over host Santana.

The other GVL results on Friday (May 9) were well known for at least an hour, as West Hills and Monte Vista, predictably, took home easy wins to remian 1-2 in the standinga.

Thus, the Steele Canyon-Santaa winner woudl remain tied for second place with Monmte Vista, while the loser would need a near-mnathematical miracle to gain the league championship.

There was also a possibility of a tie, which all-buy-eliminated both the Cougars and Sultans.

But that second at-bat for Arens proved to be th difference. He blasted a difficult-to-see drive to right field, with the ball falling for a 2-run double to cap a 6-run rally.

But first the leadoff walk.

From first base, Arens then stole second base, then advancing to third base when the ball found its way into the outfield (an infielder, not the catcher, was tagged for the error).

Moments later, catcher Cameron Leland lined an RBI single to center, giving the Cougars their first lead of the ballgame.

Leland also registered the game-winning RBI in the firdt gamr of this 2-game set, lifting a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in a 4-2 win on Thursday.

Later in the frame, key t=bats included a 2-run single by POS Gavin Caha, Austin Hall was hit by a pitch with the basesloaded, and then the double by Arens.

Santana answered with a run in the bottom of the ninth, thanks to a lead walk, an error, and a ground ball, but it wasn’t enough.

Santana needed just three batters in the first to open the scoing, as shortstop Gavin Kelly (ead single) came home on a basehit by designated hitter Donovan Shannon.

Steele Canyon finally pulled even in the sixth in similar fashion.

Startubg at he top of te batting card, center fielder Tommy Rimoldi stroked a lead single. However, he was struck at third base with two down when third baseman ogan Pagelined an RBI single up the middle.

For eight innings, the pitchers’ duel was one for the books.

Cougars starter Hunter Haase struc out eight Sultans batters over seven innings.

However, Page hit the mound in the eigfht and fired two no-hit innings to gain the victory. The run hr allowed was unearned.

Santana starter Nathan Dowers was equally as effective, but came out in the sixth when he lost his shutout bid. Dowers alloed just six hits over 5.2 frames.

SBoth ballclubs are 12-13 overall.

Steele Canyon caps the regular season with a home-and-home series with West Hills. The Cougars need a sweep, plus at least one Santana victory over Monte Vista to gain at least a share of the GVL crown.

Grossmont Hills League

Helix 5, El Capitan 2

LA MESA – Run-scoring basehits by Antoin Simpson, Alex Crabajal and Isaac Fiero in the fourth inning allowed Helix to rally from a 2-0 deficit, sending the Scotties to a second place in the Grossmont Hills League after a 5-2 decision over visiting El Capitan on Friday (May 9).

The trio were among six Helix base-runners in the decisive frames, with a lead error igniting the rally and waking up the Higfhlanders, wh weree held hitless for the first three frames.

El Capitan starting pitcher Emilio Fearn-Flores was breezing along, retiring nine of the first 10 Helix batters — the one runner was also on an error. But when the defense failed th Vaqueros’ stooper on the mound, the entire ballgame turned toward the Green.

Meanwhile, the Helix bullpen was stellar, closing the contest with four innings of 1-hit ball.

Sean Sherrod entered in the fourth, finishing by allowing just one hit to collect the victory.. Simpson followed with a perfect 1-2-3 effort in the seventh for the save for Helix (14-11 overa;;, 6-4 GHL).

El Cspitan scored single run in the first two innings for the easrly lead.

Included were sacrufuce flies by David Vera in the first, then Aidan Castrejon in the second.

However, the Vaqs were limited to just two hits over the final five innings.

After Highlanders took the lead, they added on with their own sacrifice f by Simpson to score Kie Ssith (lead double in the fifth).

An inning later, Carbajal was hit by a pitch to lead. A pair of walks sent him to third base, then he came home on a wild pitch, his second run of the contest.

El Capitan (9-14, 4-7 GHL), which has a bye next week, will close the regular season on Tueay (May 13) with a Senior Day ballgame against Grossmont at Hostetler Field.

Pacific League

Foothills Christian 7, Orange Glen 2

ESCONDIDO – Foothills Christian freshman Jr Merino registered a ame-best three RBI, while teammate “Captain” Jack Morgan knocked in a pair, as the Knights moved another step closer to wrapping up second place the Pacific League title after stopping the Orange Glen Patriots, 7-2, on Friday (May 9).

Morgan snapped a 2-2 logjam with a go-shed double in the fourth inning, scoring Johannes Jansen Granillo for what provedf to be the game-winning run.

Moments later, Morgan doubled in a run, then Merino single for a 5-2 advantage.

Meanwhile, Merino settled down after the first two innings to allow just five hits over his six innings. Merino struck out six Patriots batters.

Morgan pitched the seventh and although Orange Glen loaded the bases on him — bringing the potential game-tying run to the on-deck circvl, the Captain capped the victory with a strikeout.

Foothills Christian 14-12 overall, 9-4 Pacific) are tied for second with Coastal, but will complete the league slate with a home-and-road series with cellar-dwelling Tri-City Christian (3-13, 0-12).

Orange Glen (11-13, 4-8) already wrapped up fourth place in the Pacific.

Grossmont Valley League

Monte Vista 9, Mounyt Miguel 1

SPRING VALLEY – Sevn runs in Monte Vista’s first trip to the plate was enough to down visiting Mount Miguel, 9-1, in GVL action.

The Monarchs (8-`7, 6-2 GVL) in running their shutout string on the Matadords to 12.1 innings before they scored in the sixth, maintain a tie for second place with Steele Canyon, one full game behind West Hills with two ballgames left in the GVL schedule –next week, Monte Vista will meet Santanal West Hills gets Steele Canyon.

The early offense consisted of toe straight singles — by Orlando Rupley and Reuben Cabugwas– followed by Antonio Mccomb’s double (game-winning RBI/

And when cleanip batter Damian Ordaz followed with a 2-run trip;e, this game was out to bed — the opening six batters all registered hits.

Winning pitcher Tristan Walker went 4.1 inning before allowing just one hit.

States for the Pride: Robert Vasquez, 3-for-4, 2 RBI 1 run; Ordaz,2RBI, 2 hits; ntonio Mccomb, 2 runs.

Stats for Mount Miguel (7-17, 0-8 GVL): Mike Peralta,RBI; Easton SanchEz, 1 run.

West Hills 33, ECVHS 4 (6 inn.)

EL CAJON – Social media made it clear why Granite Hills, alledgedly, ran uop the score on El Capitan on Thursday, after the Vaqueros dugout started “speaking out’ and forcing their coach to insturct them to knock it off from the third base coaches box in front of the Eagles dugout.

Twenty-four hours later, after West Hills played a “gentleman’s” game in beating El CajionValley by a mild score, what happened in Friday’s (May 9) re-match on Tony Gwynn Day.

The Wolf Pack tallied 10 times in the sixth (and final) inning to bury El Cajon Valley, 33-4.

The run total is one short of the school record, set in 2011. However, the 37 total runs did set a Wolf Pack mark for two teams in a single contest.

Stats for Erdt Hilld (25-22, 7-2 GVL): Gage Chambers, 2-for-5, 6 RBI, 3 runs; Caden Lewis: 4-6, 4 RBI, 5 runs; Joey Monetti, 6 hits (ties school record).

State for ECVHS (0-18, 0-8 GVL): Matias Herrera, 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 run scored; Luis Espinoza, w stolen bases. Defense: 1 double play (SS Matias Herrera to 2B Gavino Kendall-Pinal to 1B Luis Espinoza).