- McCormick’s 1-hitter lifts Foothillers
- 2025 Flag Football Standings/Team Pix
- By inches, Pat. Henry grabs Western lead
- Community Colleeges: February 16-22
- Stars win opener at NBC World Series
- ROUND UP: Wolf Pack Take Down Eastlake
- Woodland’s Gem Propels Helix
- Patriots out-slug Vaqs to claim opener
- Rain Doesn’t Stop Wolf Pack
- Gallery: Boys Hoops – Week 10
- Vaqs continue qinning ways In tight contest
- VALLEY: Sultans finish undefeated season
- It takes the Pack to sweep Scotties
- Mujica & Co. keep rolling, win convincingly
- Singer retires again from coaching
- DIII: Southwest Eagles soar to championship
- 2018 EAST COUNTY SOFTBALL Schedule / Scores / Standings
- DV: LIONS ROAR TO CHAMPIONSHIP
- Williams, Vaqueros sweep into D3 final
- D2: After walk-off thrill, Sultans slump
A rule is a rule, until you alter it
- Updated: April 23, 2026
MORE TO COME
2026 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
East County Sports.com
SANTEE — There was a time when, on a fly out, if a baserunners tags and races from second base to third, the batter would receive a sacrifice fly. Now, a runner must score for an official scorekeeper to rule a sac fly.
In 1920, professional baseball outlawed the spitball under the belief that the pitch gave an unfair advantage to those who threw it.
There have been others, such as the standardization of the designated hitter rule in both leagues after being utilize only in the American League since 1973.
On Thursday (Apr. 23), West Hills pitchers lost an opportunity to make history because of a recent alteration in the rules.
The Wolf Pack was tossing a no-hitter at visiting Mount Miguel through five innings. In the past, by holding a 20-0 lead, the contest would be called because of the “run rule” — or “mercy rule” — because they geld a double-digit lead.
However, CIF officials changed the concept, allowing ballgames to proceed to their full conclusion after seven regulation inngs (*and a club wanted to concede).
So the Grossmont Valley e :eague game continued — and you know what happened next.
The Matadors’ leadoff batter to start the top of the sixth, senior shortstop Emilo Lopez send a ground all past the West Hills infield into left field for a clean single.
No more no-hitter. No more school history.
Still, the Wolf Pack finished with a 1-ht shutout after Mount Miguel called it quits after the half-inning.
Note: Another Matadors batter was given a basehit later in the inning by mistake; the play should have been rued a fielder’s choice for the out on the lead runner at third base.
— Nick Pellegrino
Granite Hills 14, Grossmont 1
At Granite Hills: The math (“maths: in England) was simple for Granite Hills: Lose, and the best you can do against the other two contenders in the Grossmont Hills League is 3-3, thus the best finish is a 30way tie for first…if the other scores fall into line.
The alternative e: win and it’s a dogfight for the balance of the season to determine a champion.
On Thursday (Apr. 23), it wasn’t much of a fight.
The Eagles rebounded from an ugly setback to Grossmont earlier in the week with their own lop-sided verdict, 14-1, over the Hillers at Granite Hills Field.
Grossmont falls into a deadlock with Helix for first place at 2-1, but Granite Hills could be considered the leader at 4-2 based on “games behind” despite a pair of league setbacks.
This pennant race should remain interesting.
Game stuff
Granite Hills scored on all six trips tot he plate, including five runs in the third inning to mount an 8-0 cushion.
Eagles freshman Colton Windham belted a three-run homer, while seniors Anthony Miotti and Calvin Jones also knocked in three runs.
Jake Ervin joined Windham as the hits leader with three each.
The wining pitcher was Eurijah Schutza.who yielded just one unearned run on six hits, striking out 11 Hillers batters.
Seele Canyon 17, Monte Vista 5
SPRING VALLEY — Monte Vista failed to handle the pressure of being the favorite to capture the Grossmont Valley League title, going for its first championship in 30 years.
A better term might be :wilted” after committing seven errors and making a host of other mistakes, galling to Steele Canyon in the GVL opener for both ballclubs.
The visiting Cougars mounted an 8-0 lead by the second inning, with either one or three of the runs being earned (scorekeeper differences).
The Monarchs answered with five runs in the second, but the Cougars closed with nine unanswered run to win going away. Neither starting pitcher saw the mound by the third inning, so the win went to Dylan Granados, a sophomore, with 3.1 frames of relief.
Isaiah Hyche drove home three runs for Steele Canyon, while a trio teammates — left fielder Abel Lopez, first baseman Gavin Caha and second baseman Griffin Morrison — registered two RBI each.
Scoreboard
Thurs., Apr. 23
Grossmont Valley League
West Hills 20, Mount Miguel 0 (6 inn.)
Santana 23, El Cajon Valley 1 (6 inn.) — The scire listed in MaxOreos is a prank
Steele Canyon 17, Monte Vista 5
Standings: Santana 1-0, Steele Canyo 1-0, West
Hills 1-0, ECVHS 0-1, Monte Vista 0-1, Mount
Miguel 0-1.
