Harper, Granite Hills opens title defense

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 8, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Granite Hills 11, Helix 2

Hoss Harper

EL CAJON — Granite Hills may list several pitchers on its staff, but when it came to making the selection to start defense of its Grossmont Hills League crown, the baseball was handed to Hoss Harper.

The selection proved wide.

Haroer carried a shutout into the fifth inning backed by Eagles runs in each of the first five frames in stopping visiting Helix, 11-2, Wednesday (Apr. 8) at Granite Hills Field.

Still growing into his 6-foor-3 frames, Harper overwhelmed the Scotties by posting eight strikeouts. However, it was the intellectual side which is transforming Harper into a future MIL or pro prospect.

Harper knows exactly what to say, without coaching.

“It’s always a good feeling to have a great defense to rely on, being able to make plays behind you and not worry about errors,” said Harper. “You CAN always pitch with confidence.”

Of course, four runs in both the second and third innings to build a 9-0 cushion is also welcome.

Thus, Granite Hills holds first place with El Capitan following the openers. After the Eagles became the first club to post an undefeated league season, could two straight be out of the question?

“It was a nice team win; it’s an awesome feeling feeling being on top,” Harper added. “We just need to hold on to it; just need to keep winning and keep competing against good teams.’

Helix (7-8 overall) was considered the second choice behind Granite Hills (12-3) to capture league. But after falling badly, Friday’s re-match could decide a champon since none of the other three schools seems on the brink of any breakthrough.

Game stuff

Eurijah Schutza powered the Eagles with three RBI on three hits, while Anthony Miotti drove in two runs on a pair of basehits.

Helix was in trouble early, first issuing a pair of leadoff walks on nine pitches, then commiting a throwing error on a chance for a double play, instead allowing an unearned run to score.

In the second, Granite Hills wentin front 5-0. the last three runs on hits, with singles sanwiched an RBI double from Colton Windham .

An inning later, another four-rally started on a two-run, line double by Anthony Miotti.
Frosh Jaden Macias and Miotti posted two hits each.

Patrick Henry 10, Fountain Valley 5
At Boras Classic in Orange County: Patrick Henry shortstop Lukas Oquendo belted a 3-run homer to left field in the third inning, wrapping a six-run rally to snap a 2-2 deadlock and give the Patriots the mild upset win over the Fountain Valley Barons in Wednesday’s (Apr. 8) first round of the Boras Classic. The event is considered the most prestigious event in the Southland, featuring four of the Top 10 teams in the region.

Oquendo batted 2-for-3 and scored twice, while Jayden Goldman added three hits with an RBI double to advance to the consolation semifinals.

Fountain Valley fell to 10-6, falling gor the fourth time in the last five contests.

The event included defending champion Santa Ana0Mater Dei and second-ranked JSerra Catholic.

El Capitan 18, Valhalla 5
At Hostetler Field, Lakeside: Vaqueros fielder Matt Eckis established an East County season high with seven RBI, as El Capitan mounted an 18-9 cushion before clearing the bench in an 18-0 verdict in the teams’ Grossmont Hills League debut.

Eckis slugged a grand slam and a double. The homer to left filed pushed the lead to 5-0, then added a two-run double for a 9-0 cushion.

Freshman pitcher Brett Engle fired five shutout innings for El Capitan, striking out six batters from Valhalla (1-14, 0-1 GHL).

El Capitan (6-9-1 overall, 1-0 GHL) has won four straight in the series, but the clubs are level at 7-all over the last 14 since 2017.

Alex Wilson

Ramona 13, Valley Center 0
At Valley Center: On Opening Day in the Avocado League, Ramona and Westview, the preseason favorites to contend for the title, both posted extremely easy triumphs.

Ramona pitchers Alex Wilson and Cal Melendez yielded nine total hits — Valley Center reported 11 hits — yet still posted an unlikely shutout of the Jaguars, 13-0.

Meanwhile, Westview whipped Poway, 9-1.

Over his five innings, Wilson allowed seven hits, but escaped several jams thanks yo seven strikeouts without a walk. Wilson ran his record to 4-0.

Melendez, who entered the contest with just 16.2 total innings, earned hs first varsity save with a pair of scoreless frames.

he Dawgs (11i -2 o overall, 1-0 Avo) tallied five times in the second inning, then seven markers in the fifth made it a Lucky 13.

First baseman Tallon Ogilvie fueled the offense with a career-best four RBI. Included was a run-scoring single in the fourth for a 6-0 lead, then Ogukvue capped a 4-for-5 outing with a 3-run home to left in the fifth. He also doubled.

Five different players scored twice.