Patriots move within two of league crown

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 12, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

SCRIPPS RANCH – Patrick Henry pitcher Cody Cappelletti, just like all pitchers in the City Conference, faces league opponents just once for four games.

In Cappelletti’s case, the senior posted his third shutout in his four starts after downing Scripps Ranch, 3-0, in Western Leaue action.

After allowing an uearned run against Bonita Vista prior to the opening of the league slate, Cappelletti first blanked Point Loma, then was the pitcher in a scoreless daw with St. Augustine.

Cappelletti did not allow an earned run to Cathedral Catholic, although four runs came in on errors for a rare loss.

However, Cappelletti bounced back Monday (May 12) to limit the Falcons on a 2-hitter. He struck out10 Falcons batters, establishing a season-high; the previous best was 8 against Montgomery. With the bat, eh also stroked a double.

Patrick Henry (16-8-2 overall, 6-3-1 league) is chasing St. Augustine for the league title. The Saints, which has a league bye this week, completed the Western slate with a 7-4-1 mark.

Thus, the Patriots need to sweep their two remaining contests with Scripps Ranch to calim the crown outright. Only one win means they chare thr title.

Singles runs inj the 1st, 3rd and 4th innings were enough for Cappellettyi, as Patrick Henry pitchers have now posted three consectivie shutouts, going 22.1 innings without allowing a run.

lex Mestman opened the ballgamne with a double, yet was still stanging at secondbase with two down until Cappellettyi, thge cleanup batter, singles Nestman home for what turned out to eb the game-winning RBI.

In the third, four straight one-out walks saw Ian Brooke take a no-sweat jog around trhe diamond and a 2-0 lead. Kayden Henson was credited the RBI.

An inning later, Jayden Goldman led off by reaching on a dropped third strike. A single and a ground ball moved him to third, then Goldman came home for an unearned run on a ground single by Mestman. The center fielder went 2-for-4 and scored twice.

The lone basehits for Scripps Ranch (6-20, 1-9 league) were by first baseman Jake Sakurauchi and right fielder Kai Kinsley.

The loss was the 20th of the season for the Falcons — the team’s first in the 21st Century — becoming their poorest season since dropping 19 contest in 2013.

Patrick Henry will host the Falcojs on Tuesday’s Senior Day contest, then close the regular season Thursday at Scripps Ranch.

Madison 2, Christian 1 (8 inn.)

CLAIREMONT MESA – Veteran coaches will tell you that pitchers simply can not walk or hit a batter that leads off an inning.

In Christian’s case, they did one of each in the sixth and eighth innings Monday (JMay q2), with both scoring to give Madison a 2-1 victory over the Patriots.

Somehow, Christian avoided losing in the sixth with a touch of skill and a bit of luck.

After a booming triple to center field by Madison’s Harrison Brown brought home the game-tying run in shortstop Jorge Luque (HBP), the Patriots defense came in to choke off the potentail go-ahead run.

Luckily, Warhawks ground balls went to third baseman Roman Gustin and shortstop Max Villalva, chekcing the runner to ramain at third before throwing to first base for outs.

Patriots starting pitcher Wyatt Stanka then capped the inning with his sixth strike out. He exited after seven frames with a no-decision, despite allowsing just three hits.

In the 8th, Madison’s leadoff batter Leo Wilderman was walked, bunt to second, took third on a deep fly ball out, then scored on a two-out basehit to center field by catcher Dakota James.

Christian snaped the scoreles contest in the fourth, when Gustin lifted a sacrifice fly to score Benji Molina.

Madison had other chances to score.

In the second, the Warhakws loaded the bases, but Stanka escaped on a strikeout out. In the fourth, the Patriot sdefense turned an inning-ending double play started by Molina, the second baseman, in the fourth

Madison (20-6 overall, 7-3) must sweep the rest of the 3-game set to earn a share of the league title with idle Coronado (9-3), with owns a eague bye this week.

Christian (12-13, 2-8) will host the Warhawks on Tuesday on Patriots’ Senior Day.