CIF: Foothillers eliminate Cougs, 7-4

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 19, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
CIF-San Diego Section Chsmpiondshipd

East County Sports.com

Division 2

Grossmont 7, Steele Canyon 4

JAMUL – The Grossmont Foothillers believed they could ofer enough pitching to reach the double-elimination portion of the CIF-San Diego Section Division 2 playoffs.

Although seeded 12th in the 12-team field, they wouldonly need to vapture Tuesday’s postseason opener – then anything could happen.

However, the wrinkle in the rules might give the Hillers a severe disadvantage,

Steele Canyon, which was rated 16th in the division’s computer index, captured the Grossmont Valley League. Thus, the Cougars earned an automatic invitation to continue their season.

Miuch to the detrament of the Hillers, which needed to participate in a Monday (May 19) play-in contest, the ballclub would now need to win twice to reach the Round of 8.

Luckily for Grossmont, they are half-way there.

The Foothillers (12-17 overall) raced to sn early 6-0 lead, then hung on over the final two inninns to eliminate Steele Canyon (14-13), 7-4.

The Hillers avenged a 4-0 setback to the Cougars back in mid-April. They also re-gained their playoff date at fifth-seeded San Pasqual on Tuesday.

Steele Canyon was also in a scheduling quandary.

In the ballclubs’ first meeting, senior Hunter Haase, who is expected to be named to the all-GVL first team, fired a 4-hit shutout over six innings, but do th Cougars use him against Grossmont, or save his arm for a potential meeting with the higher-sdeeded Golden Eagles.

The choice didn’t seem to matter to Grossmont.

After an initial out, the next six Hillers batters registered quality at-bats, producing a fast 3-0 cushion.

Loading the bases were Myles Cata (sinlge), Tyler Holmes (dounle), then Max Tufugafale (walk) to avoid the cleanup hitter.

However, Colton Burke also walked for the game-winning RBI. Johnny Warren lifted a sacrifice flym then Nate McCance singled home a run.

Amd when Trey Crawford led off the second with a solo home run toward the “Great Wall of Jamul” in left field, the cushion went to 4-0.

The lead was enough for Grossmont Tufugafale after the senior quelled a Cougars rally by striking out Tommy Rimoldi, the Couagrs top hotter to strand three baserunners.

Tufugafale struck out five Cougars batters over his 4.1 shutout innings to garner thevictory, allowing just three hits.

Steele Canyon, trailing by six, answered with two runs in the sixth and seventh. However, Grossmont traded the final two runs for outs, ending the ballgamne on a series of ground outs.

Julian Cervantes bombed a 2-run homer to left for the Cougars to dent the scorebiard. Grossmont answered with a run in the seventh when Tufu was hit by a pitch, thenh advanced on a ground ball and a pair of balks.

or the contest, a half-dozen Cougars pitchers — sans Haase — issued five walks, hit a batter, and balked at least three times.

Holmes, the Hillers right fielder, as the lone playere with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI.

Steele Canyon saw Andrew Bravio and Austin Hall each collect two of the team’s right hits.