El Capitan's Rauch impressed by State's recruiting, offer

EastCountySports.com staff

LAKESIDE - Like most high school baseball players in San Diego County, El
Capitan's BRANDON RAUCH grew up watching Padres' right fielder TONY GWYNN set
hitting records at Qualcomm Stadium. When Gwynn, now head baseball coach at
San Diego State University, paid Rauch and his family a home visit on Monday
night (Nov. 4), the power-hitting outfielder was in awe.

"A month ago I was watching Mr. Gwynn on ESPN (as a major league baseball
commentator)," said Rauch, who along with several of his El Capitan teammates
took batting practice at San Diego State last week as Gwynn looked on. "The
next thing you know he's sitting at the table in our dining room talking
about scholarships."

It was a big-time connection for Rauch, who gave Gwynn and the Aztecs a
verbal commitment Monday when the former Padres All-Star and SDSU assistant
coach RUSTY FILTER were in Rauch's Lakeside home.

"There he was - one of my idols - right there in my house," exclaimed Rauch,
who selected Gwynn's Aztecs over Arizona, Arizona State, USC, UC Irvine, Cal
State-Northridge and Chico State.

While Rauch was obviously impressed by Gwynn's presence in the SDSU program,
it was not the only factor behind his ultimate decision.

"Not only is this a great program, it's close to home and I have a baseball
family who would like to see me play," Rauch said.

The bottom line, though, centers around Gwynn.

"Hitters relate to other hitters," said Rauch, who batted .391 with 13 home
runs and 37 RBI last year as a junior at El Capitan. "I want to learn from
the best."

Rauch plans to take advantage of the NCAA's early signing date Wednesday
(Nov. 13) to make his intentions official.

The only thing that could keep Rauch from becoming an Aztec in the 2004
season would be the 2003 amateur baseball draft.

"It will take a lot (of money) for me not to go be taught by one of the best
hitters in baseball history," Rauch said.
(11-05-02)

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Remember the name BRIAN SCHROEDER. Come next spring the power-pitching left-hander out of Christian High could be the best in San Diego County. UCLA certainly believes he's one of the top arms in town, as the Bruins made a handsome scholarship offer and Schroeder gave his oral acceptance.

Christian High baseball coach MIKE MITCHELL is convinced Schroeder is blue-chip caliber.

"He's absolutely dominating," Mitchell says without hesitation. "The movement on his ball is phenomenal. Not only does he have some pop on his fastball, his slider just jumps around. I'm just glad I'll have him one more year."

Convinced that baseball is his future, Schroeder has decided not to play football his senior year at Christian after earning All-County honors as a junior.

"I love football, but I just didn't think I'd go anywhere beyond high
school," said Schroeder, who suffered a knee injury (that required surgery) in the 2001 San Diego CIF Division IV championship game. "I'm a better baseball player, so that's the road I've chosen."

Instead of making tackles or catching passes, the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Schroeder will play baseball every Wednesday night in Orange County for the Angels' Elite team.

"I've added 3 miles per hour on my fastball (since last spring)," he said. "I hit 90 (mph) consistently, and peak out at 92."

Further proof of Schroeder's baseball value is the manner in which colleges recruited him. No major football offers were forthcoming, but several top baseball programs sought him. He turned down Santa Clara, Pepperdine, Stanford and Cal State Northridge.

"UCLA just seemed to be the best fit," he said. "They are looking at me as a starter or a closer the first year (2004). Then, maybe as a sophomore I'll get a chance to swing the bat and play some first base."

Of course, the 2003 draft may change all that for Schroeder, who was 11-4 with a 1.56 ERA and 148 strikeouts last season.

Schroeder's father, Jay, was drafted in the first round (3rd pick overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays out of Los Angeles' Palisades High School (1979) and remained in that organization's minor league system for four years. For the first two of those years the elder Schroeder played quarterback for UCLA and eventually signed with the Washington Redskins. He played 11 seasons in the NFL, including four with the Raiders, one with Cincinnati and one with Arizona.

"My dad helped in that he gave me advice because he'd been through this recruiting stuff himself," the younger Schroeder said. "He left the final decision to me. And I'm sure he's as happy with my choice as I am."
(08-22-02)

Coit lands CSUN scholarship after impressive Showcase

EastCountySports.com staff

EL CAJON - How valuable is the San Diego Showcase to college baseball
coaches, pro scouts and hopeful players?

Ask Granite Hills High senior JOHNNY COIT.

Coit made a lasting impression upon the Cal State-Northridge coaching staff
at the June 23 invitational tryout session conducted by the San Diego High
School Baseball Coaches Association at USD. Enough so that CSUN baseball
coach STEVE ROUSEY presented Coit with a baseball scholarship beginning with
the 2003-2004 school year.

"I was really surprised when they sent that first letter a couple of days
after the Showcase," Coit admitted. "Then, the scholarship offer came. I'm
extremely happy with how things turned out."

Coit, who batted .415 and earned All-East County and All-Grossmont South
League honors as a junior, visited the Northridge campus last weekend (Sept.
20-22).

"They recruited me as an athlete, not as a catcher," Coit said. "They figure
with my speed (he bats leadoff for Granite Hills), I'll play second base,
maybe some center field. Coach Rousey calls me a left-hand hitting Craig
Biggio."

Biggio began his career behind the plate and developed into an All-Star
second baseman for the Houston Astros.

CSUN won the Big West Conference championship last spring and was ranked No.
17 in the nation.
(09-25-02)

Rustich makes UCLA commitment official

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - The Area Code Games annually lure representatives from all 30 major league organizations and coaches from the top college scouts in the nation. But Grossmont High's BRANT RUSTICH was a well-known commodity long before the so-called talent scouts arrived at the 16th annual Area Code Games at Blair Field in Long Beach (Aug. 5-11). Fact is, nine colleges had already offered scholarships to the 6-foot-6, 230-pound right-hander prior to the opening pitch of the prestigious showcase of the nation's top prep seniors-to-be. Rustich, who sparkled in 4 shutout innings of pitching for the Milwaukee Brewers' scout team at the week-long event, has verbally committed to UCLA.

"I had pretty much made up my mind to go with UCLA even before Area Code," explained Rustich, who was 8-3 with a 3.54 ERA in 63.1 innings as a junior for the Foothillers last spring. "I'd always dreamt of going to UCLA, but I never expected to get a scholarship offer that good. This is the Pac-10, the best baseball in the nation.

"UCLA has focused its attention on pitching, and the fact that they've included me in that is really exciting."

Veteran coach Gary Adams and his Bruins should consider themselves fortunate in that Hawaii, Cal State-Fullerton, Santa Clara, USD, Baylor, and UC Riverside among baseball notables also made full scholarship offers.

"I have a whole book of letters," Rustich said.

While pitching is considered Rustich's strong suit, he is also a hitter with power. He batted .354 with 4 home runs and 26 RBI during the 2002 season.

"UCLA is going to let me pitch and hit," Rustich said. "I think I can
contribute as a DH and 1B as well as a pitcher."

In the Area Code Games, Rustich allowed only two hits and struck out four as he was named to the All-Power Bar Team (top 50 prep prospects in the nation).

Scouts at the Area Code Games clocked Rustich's fastball consistently in the 90 miles per hour range.

Baseball America magazine ranks Rustich No. 11 among the Area Code Top 20 prospects. Thus, he figures prominently in the June, 2003 draft.

"For me not to go to college is going to take a good amount of money," Rustich said.

FLOQUET CHANGES GEARS

Former Granite Hills High/Palomar College standout KYLE FLOQUET has decided to cast his fate with San Diego State rather than Sacramento State, as he originally planned. Floquet, who batted .374 as a freshman and .390 as a sophomore for the Comets and earned All-SoCal honors both years, received a full release from Sacto State to accept the SDSU offer.

A two-time all-Pacific Coast Conference pick, Floquet has shown an ability to play any position but catcher and pitcher during his high school and college career.
(08-18-02)

2002 EAST COUNTY SUMMER BASEBALL

Locals play hard, well, but San Diego contingent loses four

EL CAJON - The San Diego County entry in the 21st World League International Boys Baseball Tournament in Japan was one of six teams to finish with a 2-4 record.

The San Diego crew dropped a 3-2 decision to Brazil despite a brilliant pitching performance by SEAN O'SULLIVAN, who struck out 14 and did not allow an earned run.

San Diego dropped a second 3-2 contest to Korea despite solid pitching from LORENZO CHURCH and AUSTIN RAUCH, as unearned runs were again the difference.

In other games, San Diego rocked Mexico Rojo (Tijuana) 13-5 behind solid hitting from O'Sullivan, NIK GARCIA, Rauch, ROSS MATTOX and TORY CARPENTER; lost to Chinese Tapei 10-1; and fell to Japan 4-0 as Granite Hills' BRANDON DECKER managed to bloop a single for the locals' only hit. San Diego beat Alameda 5-4 as Valhalla freshmen JEFF SOPATA drove in two to tie the score 4-4, and BRENNAN BAUM scored on the same play as Alameda overthrew third.

Garcia never missed an inning, hit .388 and always had the dirtiest uniform. Rauch was a complete player hitting, fielding, and pitching. Mattox finished with a .400 average behind O'Sullivan's .422.

O'Sullivan was by far the player attracting the most attention from opposing coaches, as his fastball was in the high 80's to low 90's. Brazil, next year's tournament host, asked O'Sullivan to sign baseballs and take pictures for next year's tournament program.

PROSPECTS FINISH ON HIGH END

The San Diego Prospects 18 & under team - comprised mostly of East County players - finished 19-8 this summer.

The club went into the USABF World Series Tournament with 40 top teams from all over the country, and ended with a 7-3 record. They were eliminated by the Colton Nighthawks 4-2.

The San Diego Prospects Baseball Club is in need of "a few good men" who will not turn 19 until after August 1, 2003. Interested players can send an email to eddiel@cgw.oapi.com for information on playing "fall-ball", winter ball and then another aggressive summer slate.
(08-18-02)

O'Sullivan, Woods part of large local contingent headed to Japan for tournament

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Valhalla High's Sean O'Sullivan and Santana's Jeff Woods will lead the San Diego 15-under baseball team to Japan for the International Friendship Series 2002 tournament August 6-15. The 21-player team is coached by Norsemen veteran mentor Steve Perdue.

Perdue's squad will face teams from Brazil, Italy, China, Japan, Mexico, Korea, Fresno and Alameda.

"These kids have to raise their own money for the trip," Perdue said. "But it's worth every penny of it in terms of the educational value. And it's good baseball. The teams that we'll play over there are very competitive."

Some of the San Diego players are still in need of financial assistance. Anyone - individuals or businesses - interested in donating should contact Perdue at (619) 972-3830.

Perdue is quick to thank the following East County businesses who have donated:
Bob Stall Chevrolet
Drew Ford
Erreca Construction
Area West Fence Co.
Senator Steve Peace
Greg Minshell, Big O Tires, North Johnson Ave., El Cajon

Perdue offered special acknowledgement to Patterson Bros. Lighting, which has donated $1000 for the third year in a row.

"El Capitan grad Kyle Patterson played for me in 1996 when we went to Japan, and his dad has been a contributor ever since," Perdue said.
(07-20-02)

2002 SAN DIEGO COUNTY BASEBALL
15-Under ROSTER
Brennan Baum        Valhalla
Alex Brown          Valhalla
Brandon Decker      Granite Hills
Tory Carpenter      Mission Bay
Lorenzo Church      Mission Bay
Garrett Easley      Valhalla
Nikolas Garcia      El Capitan
Kyle Hirsh          Valhalla
Kyle Johnson        Steele Canyon
JJ Kruger           Valhalla
Davey Lewis         Steele Canyon
Ross Mattox         Valhalla
Michael May         Chula Vista
Chris Moore         Valhalla
Sean O'Sullivan     Valhalla
Victor Porras       Valhalla
Austin Rauch        El Capitan
Jeff Sapata         Valhalla
Dominick Smith      Santana
John Wokuluk        Valhalla
Jeff Woods          Santana    
COACH: Steve Perdue Valhalla
(07-20-02)

• Summer scoreboard - Click here

2002 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
16th annual Area Code Games

Rauch, Rustich slated to showcase talent

LONG BEACH - One of the top picks in the 2003 professional baseball draft figures to be El Capitan High's power-hitting outfielder BRANDON RAUCH. The 6-foot-2, 225-pound multi-talented left fielder will showcase his talents as a member of the Texas Rangers West team at the 16th Annual Area Code Games to be held Aug. 5-11 at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Rauch, who batted .391 with 13 home runs and 37 RBI as a junior, has decided to concentrate exclusively on baseball and forget about a possible football career. Word among the baseball scouting community is Rauch should be drafted someplace within the first three rounds next summer.

Those on the football side, however, believe that Rauch is of Division I scholarship caliber if he elected to follow that path. No question the talented athlete comes from strong football bloodlines. His father ERIC RAUCH is a member of East County's deepest stable of blue-chip running backs out of Granite Hills High.

Tough call? You bet. The thinking here is Rauch should enjoy his high school life and play both football and baseball, albeit there is risk involved.

The Rangers West Area Code crew also includes Morse infielder ADAM JONES, Oceanside outfielder JOSE PEREZ (rated a Division I college football prospect who will play fopotball in the fall), infielder RYAN KOWALSKI (USDHS), and power-hitting outfielder/pitcher JOHN PEABODY (Rancho Bernardo HS).

Grossmont High pitcher/first baseman BRANT RUSTICH is also slated to play in the Area Code Games for the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Rustich, who batted .354 with 4 HR and 26 RBI, was 8-3 with a 3.54 ERA in 63.1 innings for the Foothillers last spring.

Rustich pitched three innings in the California North/South All-Stars Series last month. Since his appearance in that three-game series, the 6-6, 230-pound Rustich has received recruiting overtures from UCLA, USC, San Diego State, USD, Arizona, Baylor, Santa Clara, UC Irvine and UCRiverside.

It once was that the top San Diego high school baseball underclassmen could anticipate being showcased in the Area Code Games during late summer. But for one reason or another, all three Southern California major league organizations - including the Padres - decided to no longer participate in the Area Code program. Thus, players from San Diego County could only hope to be picked up by another organization that does take part in the Area Code Games.

As an alternative, the San Diego County baseball coaches took it upon themselves to orchestrate the San Diego Baseball Showcase the past three summers, which focuses attention on players in this area. One of the earliest developments resulting from last month's San Diego Showcase was Long Beach State's interest in Granite Hills catcher JOHNNY COIT. More opportunities are sure to follow for Coit as well as the other participants in the June 23rd Showcase at USD, which is becoming a must-see event for college coaches and pro scouts.
(07-12-02)

SAN DIEGO SHOWCASE 2002

Rauch, Coit, Stevens, Rustich, Coulter are top easterners invited to meet pro scouts, college coaches

EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO - This is no day-in-the-park game of catch. This is futuristic - an opportunity for San Diego County athletes to display their talents in a formal audition for professional baseball scouts and a legion of college coaches. Sort of a sneak preview for the 2003 high school season.

It is a privilege to participate in the 3rd annual San Diego Showcase, which was held at the University of San Diego's Cunningham Field on Sunday (June 23).

Players were timed in the 60-yard dash, took a round of batting practice with wood bats before squaring off in actual game competition. The East County All-Stars met the best from the City Conference, while the North County elite tangled with the South Bay's best.

This event is patterned after the Area Code Games only it is sponsored by the San Diego High School Baseball Coaches Association.

Last year's San Diego Showcase cast included Rancho Buena Vista pitcher Jesse English, El Capitan first baseman Kyle Phillips and Mt. Carmel catcher Daniel Fitch. All were chosen in the June, 2002 draft - English in the 6th round by the San Francisco Giants, Phillips as a catcher by the Minnesota Twins in the 10th round, and Fitch by the Padres in one of the later rounds. There were a dozen or so who received a college scholarship.

It used to be that the top local high school baseball underclassmen could anticipate being showcased in the Area Code Games during late summer. But, for one reason or another, all three Southern California major league organizations - including the Padres - decided to no longer participate in the Area Code program. Thus, players from San Diego County could only hope to be picked up by another organization that does take part in the Area Code Games.

So, the San Diego High School Baseball Coaches Association launched the San Diego Showcase. A few players are playing for various travel ball all-star teams, but those who participate in the Showcase are guaranteed a "good look" by those in the know.

Among the East County standouts from the Class of 2003 invited to take part in this year's prestigious event are El Capitan power-hitting outfielder Brandon Rauch, Granite Hills catcher Johnny Coit, Helix pitcher-shortstop Robert Stevens, Grossmont pitcher-first baseman Grant Rustich and West Hills catcher-pitcher Clay Coulter.
(06-19-02)

ALL-EAST COUNTY TEAM

Phillips epitomizes East County's diamond qualities

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Rarely has the East County produced a more consistent hitter than
El Capitan's Kyle Phillips. The Vaqueros senior first baseman has not been
hidden in the shadow of, nor has he had to take a backseat to, his brother
Jason Phillips, arguably the finest catcher in all of minor league baseball
today.

What the younger Phillips does best is hit. He is a contact guy with a clue
and an excellent power base. A fluid defender around the bag, the left-handed
swinging Phillips hit safely in 30 of 35 games while compiling a Grossmont
Conference-leading .496 batting average for the Vaqueros this season. His
totals included 20 multiple-hit games, 14 home runs, 46 RBI and a slugging
percentage of .941.

The East County Rookie of the Year as a junior, Phillips was a unanimous
choice for the 2002 East County Player of the Year in balloting conducted by
the EastCountySports.com staff.

Small wonder the Minnesota Twins agreed. They made the talented Phillips
their 10th round draft pick earlier this week and both parties believe the
.461 career hitter has a future behind the plate.

EastCountySports.com extended its post-season awards recognition package this
summer. In addition to the standard three awards, East County's most read web
site has added two new awards to its baseball post-season salute.

Granite Hills coach James Davis gets the nod for East County Baseball Coach
of the Year. Although most regarded the Eagles as a veteran team at the
outset of the season, this was a ballclub lacking in experienced pitching. It
was a painful preseason for the Eagles as Davis virtually held tryouts in
search of pitching staff that would give his solid offensive lineup a chance
to win.

Davis was able to meld an unspectacular, but respectable stable of pitchers
into a successful staff. Fifteen games into the season (April 6) the Eagles
were still spinning their wheels with a 7-8 record. It was after dropping a
non-league doubleheader to Grossmont that the Eagles finally gained some
traction as they took off to win 10 of their next 11 games and continued on
to capture the Grossmont South League championship.

Other award winners included El Capitan outfielder Brandon Rauch, who was
named East County Rookie of the Year with a .391 average, 13 home runs and 37
RBI; Christian High senior second baseman Chris Denhart, who was circled as
the Most Improved Player after winning the East County batting crown with a
.505 average; and Grossmont senior sidearm pitcher Adam Karlsgodt, who was
chosen the East County Unsung Hero for trading in his water polo Speedo to
post a 4-0 mark with two saves and a 1.80 ERA in his only varsity baseball
season.

After earning first-team All-East County honors as a sophomore, Valhalla
first baseman David Dennis faded off the statistical charts as a junior, but
rebounded with a vengeance with a .450 batting average as a senior. Dennis'
totals included 8 home runs and 37 RBI and a first-team berth.

Other repeat first-team picks include Grossmont High pitcher/first baseman
Ben Coon, Helix third baseman Ryan Philben, Grossmont shortstop Aaron Garcia,
Grossmont outfielder Mark Dobbins - who clubbed a school-record 13 home runs
- and Christian High double-threat Daniel Magness.

Two players moved up from second to first team as seniors.

El Capitan outfielder Chris Walston - a 6th-round draft pick of the Anaheim
Angels - belted a state-record 22 home runs and fell one short of the San
Diego CIF season RBI record with 60.

Hard-throwing Santana right-hander Hayden Penn - a 5th-round draft pick of
the Baltimore Orioles - led the Grossmont Conference with 85 strikeouts in
66.1 innings while compiling a 5-4 record, a 2.22 ERA and a .345 batting
average.
(06-06-02)

EAST COUNTY SENIORS SHINE FOR FINAL TIME

EastCountySports.com staff report

POWAY - Thirty-one Grossmont Conference seniors will conclude their high
school baseball careers in Tuesday's (June 4) San Diego County Senior
All-Star Game at Poway High. The East County group will face the City
Conference's top graduating seniors at 4 p.m.

The second game in this night of stars pits the best from the North County
Conference against the top graduating seniors from the South Bay's Metro
Conference at 7:30 p.m.

Both games are scheduled for nine innings.

2002 EAST COUNTY ROSTER

COACHES:
Steve Perdue (Valhalla), James Davis (Granite Hills), Ron Burner (Valhalla),
Corey Henry (Valhalla), Frank Brown (Valhalla), Mike Balsley (Mt. Miguel).

PLAYERS:
GROSSMONT - Ben Coon, Mark Dobbins, Chris Farnsway, Aaron Garcia, Adam
Karlsgodt, Trevor Pike.
EL CAPITAN- Kyle Phillips, Chris Walston.
SANTANA - Paul Cabading, Jesse Leon, Hayden Penn.
WEST HILLS - Jeff Perine, Lalo Roberti.
EL CAJON VALLEY - Oscar Ochoa.
GRANITE HILLS - - Luke McRoberts, James Sinkes, Weston Scott, Chad Williams.
VALHALLA - - David Dennis, Jeff Fink, Kyle Howard, AJ Jezierski, Louie Lange,
Chad Peace.
HELIX - Brent Degen, Larry Pierce, Ryan Philben
MONTE VISTA - Kellen Ellis, Chris Van Story.
MOUNT MIGUEL - Nick Balsley, Nathan Ga.

(06-02-02)

San Diego CIF Playoffs - Division IV Finals

Second chance lets Crusaders take title from Christian

EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO - It is sometimes mystifying how a team's personality can change
so swiftly. How a dominating pitcher can have an "off day" at the most
inopportune time. How a usually stable defense can crumble in the time of
need. How a steady .500 hitter can be shutout with a championship on the line.

Yes, it was a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise memorable season for
the Christian High Patriots, who bowed to Marian Catholic 7-2 in Saturday's
(June 1) San Diego CIF Division IV championship game at San Diego State's
Tony Gwynn Stadium.

"I know the kids are pretty depressed," Christian coach Mike Mitchell said.
"This isn't the ending we had in mind. But, in the grand scheme of things, we
had a great year."

It was not the showcase performance the Eastern League-champions had come to
anticipate as they concluded the campaign 26-7.

"We were pressing too hard," Mitchell said. "I can't remember the last time
we had three errors in a game."

Officially, those mistakes led to two unearned runs. More than that was the
intangible effect that allowed momentum to remain in the Marian Catholic
dugout.

The Crusaders (26-9) were fortunate in many ways, the greatest being that
this the first year of the double-elimination format. Under the old playoff
structure, Marian would have been eliminated by a second round 11-10 loss to
Horizon. Instead, the Crusaders received a second chance and wound up taking
two of three from the upset-minded Panthers. They eliminated Horizon 3-2 on
Xchelt Palofox's two-run home run in the bottom of the 8th inning of
Thursday's semifinals.

Christian, of course, would have preferred to face Horizon - a team that
Patriots pounded 9-0 earlier in the regular season.

"There is no shame in losing to Marian," Mitchell said. "They are a quality
team and they beat us. They deserved to win."

Christian junior left-hander Brian Schroeder, one of the top pitchers in the
county, was not as overpowering against Marian as he's been in the majority
of his starts this season.

As if the uncharacteristically shaky defense behind him wasn't enough
pressure, Schroeder made a costly mistake when he gave up an RBI single to
John Sullivan on an 0-2 pitch that handed Marian a 1-0 lead in the 4th inning.

However, Schroeder, who was roughed up for five runs (4 earned) on 6 hits in
five-plus innings, accounted for two of Christian's 7 hits with the bat. It
was his spark in the bottom of the 4th that helped the Patriots tie the
contest 1-1.

After Schroeder slashed a leadoff double, Daniel Magness pushed a bunt up the
third base line for a base hit to position Patriots at the corners with
nobody out.

One out later, Nick Laughter hit a groundball to second base that the
Crusaders mishandled for an error. Schroeder scored the tying run and the
Patriots had two on with one out. That budding rally - thanks to Marian
sophomore pitcher Memo Siqueiros - went no farther as Josh Paddock popped out
and pinch hitter Travis Conrad struck out.

Two Patriots errors and an RBI double by Sal Castellanos led to a pair of
runs in the 5th inning and a 3-1 edge for Marian.

It only got worse from there for the Patriots. A critical throwing error
opened the door for three additional Marian markers in the 6th inning. Pinch
hitter Chris Sustaista supplied the knock-out blow with a 2-run double.

"Those who have seen him pitch in the past know that Schroeder wasn't as
sharp as usual," Mitchell said. "Plain and simple, he wasn't himself on the
mound. His knee was already hurting a bit. Then, he landed funny on his plant
foot in the 4th inning, and that only made things worse for him.

"Brian is one of those guys who never makes excuses, but he wasn't the kind
of pitcher we know he is today."

Christian catcher Eddie Listander helped the Patriots to finish with a bang
as he led off the 7th inning with his 5th home run of the season. The junior
receiver reached base in all three at-bats with a single and a walk preceding
his home run.

One great thing about this Christian High crew is the majority of the group
will be back next season. Of the those who started Saturday's championship
game, five are returning next season. That includes the 1-2 pitching combo of
Schroeder and Magness.

"We're kind of excited about next year," Mitchell admitted.

For Marian Catholic, it was the Crusaders' 5th SDCIF crown since 1996.
(06-01-02)

Christian heads to finals behind strength of arms

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Christian High's pitching punch of Brian Schroeder and Daniel
Magness rivals the best in the county.

The talented junior southpaw duo has combine for a 19-4 record, a 1.50 ERA
and 202 strikeouts in 131 1/3 innings for the Patriots (26-6).

To further verify the Patriots' pitching prowess one needs only to check out
Christian's post-season pitching performance. In 21 innings, the Patriots
have permitted only one earned run - an ERA of 0.33 - which is the primary
reason why Christian (26-6) has qualified for the 2002 San Diego CIF Division
IV finals Saturday (June 1) at San Diego State's Tony Gwynn Stadium. It marks
Christian's first SDCIF title appearance since 1997.

Magness, the 2001 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year, did not make his first
pitch this year until April 11 due to a nagging arm injury. He appears to be
fully recovered as his 8-1 record and 1.80 ERA will attest.

Magness professed to have his finest stuff in Tuesday's 6-1 victory over
visiting Santa Fe Christian. It was the third time in as many meetings that
the Patriots have polished off the Eagles (24-8).

"I spotted the ball real well and had full velocity," Magness said as he
limited the Eagles to five hits while striking out nine and walking none.
"The big thing, though, is I was working ahead."

Restricted to playing only first base in Christian's first 17 games due to a
shoulder injury, Magness has taken a serious toehold on pitching since April
11.

"I felt like I was at full strength today," Magness said. "I made big pitches
in key spots."

The 6-foot-4 Magness says he's lost 30 pounds while rehabing his pitching arm.

"It seems like my legs are getting stronger, which has helped my velocity and
increased my stamina," Magness said. "I've developed a new pitch - a slider
- and it's really been working for me. I throw it inside to the lefties and
backdoor it on the righties, bust them inside. It's been a big pitch for me."

After surrendering an RBI single to Issac Boyd in the opening frame, Magness
(8-1) blanked the Eagles (24-8) on three singles over the last six innings.
He struck out nine and walked none.

Magness was a double treat, collecting two hits and 2 RBI in as many at-bats.

Third baseman Nick Laughter broke a 1-1 deadlock with an RBI single to left
in the bottom of the 1st inning to give Christian a led it wouldn't lose.
Reliable Chris Denhart slugged his 5th home run with a man aboard to cap a
4-run Christian 4th inning that sealed the victory.

"Nobody ever really hits him hard," Mitchell said of Magness. "A ground ball
here, a ground ball there, he just gets the job done. He is truly pitcher."

An overflow crowd surrounded Christian High's field. One ardent fan, however,
was obliged to follow the game via cell phone. Stuck in San Francisco's
International Airport, Eddie Listander Sr. followed the action on the
play-by-play calls of his wife Cindi.

Folks at the San Francisco airport got caught up in Listander's excitement,
and even held the plane for five minutes while Cindi relayed the final few
pitches to assure the father of the Patriots' catcher that the team had
indeed won the game and advanced to Saturday's championship game.

OCEANSIDE 3, GROSSMONT 1 (8) - Unfortunately, Grossmont's second-best hit in
Tuesday's (May 28) San Diego CIF Division II playoff game was made by right
fielder Evan Amador - without benefit of a bat.

Amador tackled a student - dressed in a Spiderman costume - who was racing
across the field.

"He should have gotten at least two points for that takedown," Grossmont
coach Rob Phillips said of Amador's hit.

Outside of that non-scoring hit, the Foothillers (24-9) were silenced by the
pitching of Oceanside's Brandon Adams, who faced one batter over the minimum
in an eight-inning complete game effort.

Adams retired 18 batters in a row before senior shortstop Aaron Garcia led
off the bottom of the 7th inning with his second home run of the season to
tie the game 1-1. Garcia knocked a 3-2 pitch over the right-center field
fence to send the game into extra innings.

"With one swing of the bat the guy loses his perfect game, his no-hitter and
his shutout," Phillips said. "You'd think we could capitalize on Garcia's
homer with our Nos. 2, 3 and 4 hitters coming up. I knew we had to beat them
in the 7th or our chances of coming out on top would diminish."

Adams refused to buckle. He allowed nothing other than Garcia's home run.
Fact is, Garcia is the only Grossmont hitter who drove the ball in the air
past the infield - and he did it twice.

"We made no adjustments what's so ever to that pitcher," Phillips said. "WE
didn't take very many good swings."

Garcia's home run was Grossmont's 50th as a team - breaking the school record
of 42 shared by the 1997 and 1998 ballclubs. The 50 home runs is the third
highest in Grossmont Conference history.

Wasted was the pitching of Grossmont junior right-hander Brant Rustich, who
allowed only one run and 2 hits over the first 7 innings.

"Brant pitched well enough to win." Phillips said. "But we didn't give him
any offensive support."

RBI singles by Jose Perez and Anthony Serrato in the 8th inning gave
Oceanside the winning margin.

"To me, it's like we had three seasons in one," Phillips said. "We started
out 6-6, then went on a 15-0 run, and finished up going 3-2. In a statistical
sense, we improved one win over last year (when the Hillers concluded with a
23-10 mark)."

EASTLAKE 10, EL CAPITAN 2 - Four times the Vaqueros tangled with the Titans -
three times they came away losers. Unfortunately for coach Steve Vickery's
squad, two of those setbacks came in the double-elimination SDCIF Division II
playoffs.

Eddie Solis smashed two home runs and drove in 5 runs in an 4-for-4 effort as
the Titans advanced to Saturday's (June 1) Division II finals

This the third consecutive season El Capitan has reached the semifinals in
the playoffs. The Vaqueros (25-10) finished with the third most victories in
school history, but still came up short of their title aspirations.

"It was a disappointing end to the season," Vickery said. "But on the bright
side, we have all 25 wins in terms of our arms coming back next season."

Brandon Rauch rifled a two-run home run in the 7th inning to nullify
Eastlake's bid for a shutout. It was his 13th homer and tied the Grossmont
Conference and El Capitan team home run records of 65 round trippers in a
season. The 2000 Vaqueros also launched 65 homers.

"Overall we didn't swing it very well," Vickery said of El Cap's finale. "You
can't get into a hole that deep (7-0 after two innings) and expect to escape."
(05-28-02)

Foothillers, Vaqueros take next step with third-round wins

EastCountySports.com staff report

CHULA VISTA - Ben Coon is a prime time player. Put him in the spotlight,
raise the stakes, and challenge him to succeed and you won't be disappointed.

Coon KO'd upstart Hilltop on two fronts Saturday (May 25) as the Foothillers
(24-8) scotched the Lancers 7-3 in the third round of the San Diego CIF
Division II double-elimination playoffs at Southwestern College.

"I don't want anybody to downplay my hit, and at the same time I don't want
to brag or anything, but I pretty much got all of that one," Coon said of his
6th-inning grand slam that broke a 3-3 tie and lifted the Foothillers to a
7-3 victory.

The versatile senior won't get any argument from those in attendance. His
towering shot to right field would have landed in another county had he
stroked it at Grossmont High's Joe Gizoni Field.

"I'll have to admit that when I saw it go over the fence I got pretty
excited," Coon said of his eighth home run of the season.

Roughed up for 8 runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings of Thursday's (May
23) 14-8 loss to Oceanside, Coon settled down to log his ninth win and fifth
complete game of the season against Hilltop (16-16-1).

The Foothillers flew out of the starting gate for two runs in the 1st inning
against the Lancers. It should have been a more productive inning for
Grossmont, which loaded the bases on singles by Aaron Garcia and Trevor Pike
and a walk to Mark Dobbins. Coon hoisted a sacrifice fly and Brant Rustich
slashed an RBI single for a 2-0 lead. The Hillers' rally stalled after that
when the next two batters struck out.

Suddenly, what was on the verge of becoming a blow out, turned into a
nail-biter.

"When we went up by two it seemed like we got a little flat in the dugout and
on the field," Coon said. "You can't do that at this level. Once you lay
down, you start to make errors and fall apart."

Grossmont, which stranded nine base runners, watched Hilltop slip in front
3-2 in the 5th inning. But the Hillers, who host Oceanside in Tuesday's (May
28) semifinals at 4 p.m., capitalized on two Hilltop errors to knot the game
at 3-3 in the 5th.

In the 6th inning, a pair of Hilltop miscues and a hit batter loaded the
bases with nobody out. One out later, Coon decided the issue with his grand
slam home run.

"In a big yard like this, you have to change your approach when you go to the
plate," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips said. "And we didn't do that. We hit too
many fly balls, left too many runners on base (9). We needed to go short
swings and get the ball on the ground. That didn't happen."

Even on Coon's game-winning blast, Phillips wasn't sure.

"The whole thing I'm thinking in that situation is tag, tag, tag," Phillips
admitted. "Basically, he hit it the only place you can get it out of here."

Albeit proud of his clutch homer, Coon was equally as pleased with his
pitching.

"I was definitely more dialed in, more focused," Coon said. "I just felt
better all around. I could tell, my was adrenaline was up."

EL CAPITAN 1, MIRA MESA 0 (8) - From a statistical sense, the Mira Mesa
coaches made the right move when they brought a left-hander in to face El
Capitan's switch-hitting catcher Jordan Abruzzo with the bases loaded and
nobody out in the bottom of the 8th inning of Saturday's (May 25) SDCIF
Division II elimination game at Southwestern College.

Although Abruzzo is in his first season of hitting from the left side, his
average is a solid .478. Five of his seven home runs are as a lefty, and 30
of his 45 RBI have come as a southpaw swinger.

Abruzzo, who questioned out loud whether the Marauders' brain trust was aware
that he could hit from both sides of the plate, welcomed the challenge.

"I think they did me a favor," Abruzzo said. "I'm a natural right-handed
hitter."

He proved that for all to see when he rifled a 1-0 pitch from senior southpaw
J.J. Maniquis high off the left-center fence for the longest single of his
career, allowing Justin Snyder to score from third base with the winning run.

"It's too bad that ball didn't go out to show how dramatic that hit was for
Abruzzo and our team," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "I know I was
hoping it would get out."

Abruzzo knew he had made solid contact, but didn't know if it would clear the
385-foot sign.

"It was a belt-high fastball," Abruzzo said of his "400-foot" game-winning
single. "Right when I hit it, I knew it was deep enough - that the game was
over. I thought it might get out, but I knew even if they caught it 'Boomer'
(Snyder) would score."

Limited to 5 hits by the Marauders and shut out only once in its previous 33
games, El Capitan (25-9) relied on pitching and defense to qualify for
Tuesday's (May 28) rematch with top-seeded Eastlake (26-6) on the Titans'
field at 4 p.m.

Kyle Wells, primarily a shortstop who had pitched in relief only six times
all season, made his first start in what was El Capitan's biggest game of the
year to date.

Vickery's gamble paid off as Wells blanked the Marauders on 5 hits over 5 1/3
innings before Nick Reagan picked up the slack. Reagan, who has pitched in
all three El Cap playoff games, posted his second win (and 6th in 7 decisions
overall) by blanking Mira Mesa on 3 hits over the final 2 2/3 innings.

"What can I say about Wells," Vickery said. "We were hoping to get 3 or 4
innings out of the kid, and we can't get him out of there. Just a great job
on his part. And Nick Reagan - what a great job he gave us all week."

And people say El Capitan has no pitching.

"We need to know we can win games like this. I think we proved we can,"
Vickery said.

El Capitan defense nailed Mira Mesa base runners at every turn. Two
base-running errors curtailed a possible scoring opportunity for the
Marauders in the 6th inning, and they left the bases loaded in the 7th.

In the bottom of the 8th, Snyder reached base when reliever Ryan Vigil hit
him with a pitch to lead off the inning. Power-hitting Brandon Rauch laid
down his first sacrifice bunt of the season to advance Snyder into scoring
position.

"That was just great execution by Rauch," Vickery said. "He's not asked to
bunt very often, but he gave us what we needed when we needed it."

The Marauders intentionally walked red-hot Kyle Phillips and then made the
first of two pitching changes in the 8th inning. Reliever Ryan Ambrose
unintentionally walked home run king Chris Walston on four pitches to load
the bases.

Pitching change No. 2 put Maniquis on the mound and Abruzzo at the plate.
Two pitches later, the Vaqueros were en route to the semifinals and Mira Mesa
was settling on a 24-8 season.

"There wasn't a guy on this team that we would have rather had at the plate
in that situation than Abruzzo," El Capitan assistant coach Mark Noble said.
(05-25-02)

Schroeder spins another shutout as Patriots advance

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Statistically speaking, Christian High's Brian Schroeder is King
of the Hill among San Diego County high school pitchers. Nobody has more wins
(11), more strikeouts (143 in 84 2/3 innings) or more complete games (9 in 14
starts) than the Patriots' junior. On top of that, his 1.32 ERA is East
County's best.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound left-hander was unflappable in Thursday's (May 23)
second round of the San Diego CIF Division IV playoffs as the Patriots
polished off visiting Santa Fe Christian 4-0.

It was Christian's 8th shutout of the season and 2nd in as many playoff
games, leaving the top-seeded Patriots (25-6) as the only unbeaten team
remaining in Division IV. They will host the winner of Saturday's SFC
(23-7)-Imperial (15-11) game on Tuesday (May 28) at 3:30 p.m.

This victory had a little extra pizzazz for the Patriots, who were denied an
undefeated season and a SDCIF Division IV title in football, losing twice to
SFC. Many of those same players have been reunited on the baseball diamond.
Only this time Christian holds a 2-0 edge and will probably have to beat the
Eagles a third time to annex the baseball crown.

"(SFC) brought a whole bus-load of fans down to (Thursday's) game," Christian
coach Mike Mitchell observed. "They got here a little late so the first thing
they saw was Josh Paddock going yard."

Paddock's 4th home run of the season leading off the 2nd inning gave
Christian a 1-0 edge.

An inning later, Joel Allen doubled and Daniel Magness mashed a deep drive
over the right-center fence for his 5th home run and a 3-0 lead for the
Patriots. Chris Denhart, Nick Laughter and Paddock followed with singles to
load the bases, but SFC escaped when Adam Balderrama lined into an
inning-ending double play.

As Schroeder was striking out 2 or more in 6 of 7 innings, the Patriots were
on the verge of a blow out all day.

"We had a runner on in every inning," Mitchell noted. "It seemed like we were
a hit away all day."

EASTLAKE 7, EL CAPITAN 3 - Shaky defense spoiled a stout pitching effort by
the Vaqueros' junior Travis Lopez in Thursday's second round of the San Diego
CIF Division II playoffs at Eastlake.

"We had them, then let 'em off the hook," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery
said. "We got a great pitching effort, but not much hitting or defense. We
played uptight."

A pair outfield errors by the Vaqueros were major cogs in a four-run 6th that
enabled Eastlake to break a 3-3 tie.

It was Vickery's belief that some of the younger, less experienced members of
the El Capitan cast got rattled by the large, boisterous, and basically
partisan crowd.

"It was a big-time playoff atmosphere," he said.

Five of Eastlake's runs were unearned against Lopez, who allowed only 4 hits
in 5 2/3 innings.

El Capitan was not denied the long ball as Brandon Rauch rocked his 12th and
Kyle Phillips clubbed his 14th . The problem - both were solo shots.

The large audience fanned Phillips' flame, however, as he accounted for half
of El Capitan's 6 hits. In two playoff games, he has piled up 7 hits in 9
at-bats, with 3 home runs and 6 RBI. In his last 6 games, he's batting at a
.577 clip (15-for-26) with 5 homers and 13 RBI.

It's true that the Vaqueros' numbers are impressive. They have 64 home runs
in 33 games - one shy of the Grossmont Conference record they set two years
ago.

However, if they don't defeat Mira Mesa (24-7) on Saturday (May 25), the
Vaqueros' season will be over. Site of that game is expected to be
Southwestern College, with game set for 11 a.m.

OCEANSIDE 14, GROSSMONT 8 - Thursday's (May 23) rematch of last year's SDCIF
Division II title bout offered little resemblance to the Foothillers' nifty
3-0 championship-clinching victory over the Pirates at San Diego State last
June.

The Pirates pulverized a trio of Grossmont pitchers for 18 hits - including
two-run home runs by Jose Hernandez and Brandon Adams - that propelled
Oceanside to a 6-0 lead in the 3rd inning.

What made victory sweet for Oceanside (22-7-1) and distasteful to the
Foothillers (23-8) was the manner in which the Pirates manhandled Grossmont
ace Ben Coon.

"They hit the mistakes - definitely - I'll give them that much," said Coon,
who blanked the Pirates on 4 hits in last year's section finale. "You have
days when you're on, and days when you aren't."

This was clearly an "off-day" for Coon, who was cuffed around for 8 runs and
10 hits in 3-plus innings by the Piranha-like Pirates.

"Anything close in the zone, they were hacking at it," said Coon, who saw a
personal 8-game winning streak end.

Four Pirates produced multiple-hit games, with Anthony Serrato driving in 5
runs with a pair of well-timed singles.

Falling behind 11-1 after 4 1/2 innings, the Foothillers attempted a comeback
with 5 runs in the 5th. Scott Tagwerker and pinch-hitter Justin Baum
contributed RBI singles, and Mark Dobbins plated a run with a sacrifice fly.

But the Pirates were never in serious danger of relinquishing the momentum.

Grossmont must now run the table if the Hillers are to repeat as Division II
section champions. The uphill quest begins Saturday (May 25) when Grossmont
meets Hilltop at Southwestern College at 2 p.m.

"Now the fun begins," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips said sarcastically. "To
even get a chance - to go to the finals - we have to win three games. The
cards are stacked against us, that's for sure."

USDHS 5, SANTANA 3 - For three innings, the youthful Sultans (14-17) went
toe-to-toe with the visiting Dons (16-14) in Thursday's SDCIF Division III
elimination game.

Then USDHS senior Steve Boggs belted a solo home run in the 5th to break the
tie.

Not even ace right-hander Hayden Penn - who struck out 3 while pitching the
final 2 innings in relief - could save Santana this time.

"For us, it hasn't been a question of our pitching," Santana coach Jerry
Henson said. "We just haven't been able to score very many runs."

In 16 of their 31 games, the Sultans have scored 4 runs or fewer. Nine times
they tallied 2 runs or less.

Santana freshman pitcher Jeff Woods, who was 6-for-10 in the three playoff
games, gave the Sultans a 1-0 lead with an RBI single in the first inning
against USDHS' Kyle Brewer.

But Woods could not hold the lead. After the Dons knotted the score with a
run in the second, Dave Kachorek cracked a two-run home run in the 3rd to
give USDHS the lead.

Santana capitalized on two errors and Nick Caraveo's RBI single to even the
score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the 3rd.

Henson said he was pleased with the effort of his team this season, but is
eagerly looking forward to 2003 as he loses only four seniors off this
ballclub.
(05-23-02)

Vaqueros overcome early 7-0 deficit, will face Eastlake

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - No matter where the El Capitan Vaqueros take up their batting
stance, they cause a ruckus. Sort of an offensive melee. That was the case in
Tuesday's (May 21) opening round of the San Diego CIF Division II playoffs.

Falling behind visiting Mira Mesa 7-0 after 2 1/2 innings as the Vaqueros
did, would have finished most teams. For El Capitan, however, such a deficit
is not unlike allowing the opening kickoff to be returned for a touchdown.

No problem. Plenty of time.

Seemingly undaunted, the Vaqueros rallied for a 14-8 victory over the
Marauders to set up a third meeting with top-seeded Eastlake (24-6) on
Thursday (May 23) in South Bay at 4 p.m. The two clubs split a high-scoring
doubleheader on May 4 in Lakeside.

El Capitan coach Steve Vickery was more impressed by his ballclub's comeback
against Mira Mesa (23-7) than he was interested in looking forward to a
rubber match against Eastlake.

"Our kids showed great composure when we were down 7-0," Vickery said. That's
a pretty big hole, but we knew we have the guys who could lift us out."

That's not idle chatter, but stone-cold fact.

El Capitan senior first baseman Kyle Phillips sounded the charge, driving in
5 runs by powering his 12th and 13th home runs of the season. His three-run
blast in the 6th inning capped a 6-run rally and stamped victory on the
Vaqueros' comeback.

"That three-run job was the farthest ball Kyle has ever hit for us," Vickery
said. "It landed three-quarters of the way up the driveway across the
(Ashwood) Street. It was a 1-2 pitch and he got all of it."

Phillips' first home run of the day followed Brandon Rauch's 11th homer of
the campaign leading of the 4th inning.

The Vaqueros (24-8) used the long ball to tie the game 8-8 in the 6th inning
when Jordan Abruzzo hoisted a solo home run over the top fence in center
field - a 420-foot shot.

Two walks and an error set the stage for Rauch's game-winning blow in the
6th. Instead of swinging for the fences, Rauch drilled a two-run single to
give El Cap a 10-8 lead. That set the stage for Phillips' game-clinching
crunch.

Reliever Nick Reagan (5-1) held the Marauders to 2 hits and 1 run over the
final 4 1/3 innings to earn the pitching nod.

Reagan now figures large in El Capitan's playoff plans, considering the
Vaqueros are without Scott Boller.

Boller (4-2, 3.46 ERA) was penciled in as El Capitan starter on Thursday at
Eastlake until he was injured running the bases against Mira Mesa. The
versatile junior, in the lineup as a designated hitter, suffered a compound
fracture of his right ankle while legging out a slow roller to load the bases
in the 3rd inning.

"It was a bang-bang play at first base and Scott was attempting to avoid a
tag," Vickery said. "The throw was a little bit wide of the bag, and Scott
snapped the ankle as he tried to get in under the tag. It's too bad, because
he has contributed so much to this ballclub."

A 30-minute delay followed as paramedics were called to administer to Boller,
who was in obvious pain and eventually transported to a local hospital.

GROSSMONT 8, SCRIPPS RANCH 0 - Grossmont coach Rob Phillips played a hunch
in Tuesday's (May 21) opening round of the San Diego CIF Division II playoffs
that resulted in a rematch of last year's division championship game.

Oceanside (21-7-1) - blanked 3-0 by the Foothillers and Ben Coon in the 2001
title bout at Tony Gwynn Stadium - gets another shot at Grossmont (23-7) as
playoff action resumes Thursday (May 23) at the Foothillers' Joe Gizoni
Field.

Having Coon - winner of his last 8 pitching decisions - ready to face the
Pirates at 4 p.m. - was key to Grossmont coach Rob Phillips' way of thinking.

Phillips credits the pitching performance turned in by junior Brant Rustich
(8-2) against Scripps Ranch as pivotal to the Hillers' playoff chances.

"To throw a shutout on our field means you are definitely doing your job,"
Phillips said. "You have to give credit to Brant. Coming off that
devastatingly emotional loss to El Capitan (on May 10), he did a great job.
He put himself back in the groove."

Of course, Rustich had 7th inning help from side-arming senior Adam Karlsgodt
to complete Grossmont's third shutout in 30 games.

"Adam got two strikeouts off changeups in that last inning," Phillips noted.
"His story is simply amazing."

If Coon can beat Oceanside, the Foothillers will receive a bye on Saturday
(May 25), and won't return to the field until Tuesday (May 28).

"Rustich did what we needed him to do," Phillips said.

Grossmont wasted little time taking the lead against Scripps Ranch (17-11-1)
as Aaron Garcia hit the second pitch from Falcons' starter Kyle Tye (2-5) for
a double. Two pitches later, Mark Dobbins was circling the bases after
clouting his Grossmont-record 13th home run of the season - a deep drive over
the right-center field fence - handing the Hillers a 2-0 lead.

"A lot of good players have played on this field since 1921 (when Grossmont
opened its doors)," Phillips said. "To be the greatest home run hitter of
them all says something."

Grossmont's Chris Fransway ripped a two-run home run and finished 3-for-3,
accounting for 5 runs along the way.

Trevor Pike belted a 2-run home run - his 8th of the campaign - to help
propel the Hillers to their 17th win in 18 starts.

CHRISTIAN 9, MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 0 - No ambush this time.

After being bushwhacked by Midway Baptist in their 2001 SDCIF Division IV
playoff opener, the Eastern League-champion Patriots were all business
Tuesday (May 21) as they dismantled visiting Mountain Empire to live up to
their No.1 seeding. The score doesn't reflect it, but the Redhawks (19-7)
were regarded as a worthy opponent having won 19 of their previous 20 as
they arrived at Christian.

Junior southpaw Daniel Magness (7-1) was masterful for Christian (24-6) as
usual. Kevin McCleary's two-out single up the middle in the first inning was
Mountain Empire's only attempt at generating an offense.

"We didn't need much of a pep talk," Christian coach Mike Mitchell said. "All
nine of our starters were here when we lost to Midway Baptist (and were
eliminated from the playoffs in the first round). The main thing is we were
more focused in this year. We didn't want a repeat of that disaster."

Christian jumped in front when Joel Allen singled, stole second and scored on
a double to left-center by Magness.

A bases-loaded walk to Allen coupled with sacrifice flies by Brian Schroeder
and Magness all but sealed the deal when Christian scored 3 runs in the 2nd
inning to make it 4-0.

Eight of Christian's starters contributed to a 10-hit attack. Allen, batting
in the lead-off spot for the first time, clubbed a two-run home run in the
4th inning. Schroeder launched a solo shot in the 6th.

Magness struck out 7 and walked 2 in his five innings. Junior Cory Hujing
hurled two shutout innings in relief to finish the job.

SERRA 3, SANTANA 0 - Three Santana pitchers fused talents to limit Serra to
two hits, but those safeties in Tuesday's (May 21) SDCIF Division III playoff
game came in the first inning following a wild spell by the Sultans' starter
Chenne Giles.

The result was a frustrating defeat for the Sultans (14-16), who must now
eliminate visiting USDHS on Thursday or the season is over.

"There is no reason we couldn't have won this ballgame," Santana coach Jerry
Henson said after Serra senior Eric Windish (9-2) fired a 4-hit shutout.
"After that slow start, our pitching was sound."

Giles, 5-foot-6 sophomore, "never threw a strike" as he hit the first Serra
batter, walked the next two and then gave up an RBI single to Jeff Streeper.

Before Santana senior reliever Michael Wood could restore order, sophomore
Charles Nolte sliced a double down the right field line to score two runs,
giving Serra (20-10) a 3-0 edge in the opening frame.

Only one Serra runner reached base in the ensuing four innings.

But it was too late for the Sultans, who were rationed to three singles and a
double by Windish.

Freshman Jeff Woods was 2-for-3 with a double for Santana. He is 5-for-7 in
post-season activity.
(05-21-02)

Penn mows down Central Union with 15 strikeouts

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE - Santana's Hayden Penn, no doubt, has pitched better games during his
career. But make no mistake about it, the hard-throwing senior right-hander
has not won a bigger game than he did in Monday's (May 20) opening round of
the San Diego CIF Division III playoffs.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound Penn struck out a career-high 15 batters as Santana
edged El Centro's Central Union 5-4 on freshman Jeff Woods' RBI single in the
bottom of the 7th inning.

Penn produced at least one punchout in each of the seven innings as the
Sultans (14-15) advanced to the double-elimination tournament which begins
Tuesday (May 21) at No. 4 Serra (19-10) at 4 p.m.

"Hayden was right around 90 (mph) all day," Santana coach Jerry Henson said.
"He got a lot of strikeouts with his high fastball and almost as many with
his changeup. (Central Union) was a very aggressive club, and he had them
guessing."

Penn (5-4) fanned two or more Spartans in 6 of the 7 innings, striking out
the side in the 2nd and 6th innings.

So how did Central (17-6) score four runs? Key errors gave the Spartans the
edge they needed, as all of the runs they scored were unearned.

Pro scouts have mixed opinions on Penn's future. Some believe he will go as
early as the 3rd round in next month's draft. Others figure his name won't be
called until the 10th round.

Penn may well have made his final prep pitching appearance. Although he is
eligible to pitch 3 more innings this week, Henson said Penn will be limited
to 3rd base duty on Tuesday, and possibly longer.

"If he pitches at all, it won't be until Thursday or Saturday," the coach
said. "CIF is important to us, but not at the risk of Hayden's career."

Although this is predominantly a team of underclassmen, the Sultans aren't
ready to fold.

"We had two of our freshmen come through in the clutch for us against
Central," Henson said.

In the bottom of the 7th, with two outs and Penn at first base, Nick Caraveo
walked. Woods took the first two pitches from reliever Don Gonzalez for
strikes and then laced the 0-2 pitch into left field to score Penn with the
winning run.

Santana players poured out of the third base dugout to heap a hero's welcome
on the clutch yearling.

"It was good to see that kind of emotion," Henson said.

Woods was 3-for-4 and had an RBI single in the 6th inning as Santana rallied
from a 4-2 deficit. Freshman designated hitter Brandon Haley was 1-for-1 with
an RBI.

"I didn't want to leave Hayden out there for the whole game, but this was a
case where you had to win one to get at least three (playoff games).
Everything we do from here on out is gravy," noted Henson.

SAN DIEGO 6, GRANITE HILLS 4 - After reeling off nine consecutive victories
to secure the Grossmont South League championship, the Eagles faltered in
their regular season finale with a loss to Mount Miguel.

That negative momentum carried over to the San Diego CIF Division I playoffs,
which is why the Eagles' season came to an abrupt conclusion in Monday's (May
20) Play-In round.

"This is one of the most embarrassing games I've ever been associated with,"
Granite Hills coach James Davis said. "Here we've done a lot of good things
this season and to end it like this is very disappointing. We were dominated
by the fear factor. We played scared. We played tense."

San Diego starter Adrian Pina dazzled the Eagles (17-11) with a steady dose
of off-speed pitches.

"We pressed terribly at the plate," Davis said. "They had a guy who wasn't
throwing more than 70 mph and we were getting ourselves out."

Granite Hills ace Weston Scott, who had won six in a row, was rocked for all
6 runs and 7 hits in two-plus innings by Harbor League-champion San Diego
(17-11).

Fernando Martinez belted a three-run home run in the first inning off Scott
(6-3), who failed to get an out as the Cavers cashed in 3 additional runs in
the third inning. Granite Hills reliever James Sinkes eventually restored
order, but not before Rene Manzanares' RBI double gave San Diego a 6-1
cushion.

"I tried to calm the kids down, telling them that we still had a lot of the
game left to make a comeback," Davis noted.

Sinkes did his part on the mound, turning in five shutout innings while
striking out 4.

Andy Roberts got Granite Hills on the scoreboard with a solo home run - his
5th - in the 2nd inning. The Eagles added a run on a passed ball in the 3rd
inning.

In the 5th, the Eagles loaded the bases on base hits by Sinkes, Roberts and
pinch-hitter Marshal Wygant, but had to thank San Diego for turning a routine
grounder into a fielder's choice and an error worth 2 runs.

Granite Hills was never retired in order, but the Eagles did leave 14 runners
on base.

"That, right there, is the most telling statistic," Davis said.

TORREY PINES 9, VALHALLA 5 - Norseman coach Steve Perdue expected more from
his ballclub at the outset of the season. The primary question mark was
pitching, and that was an area that never developed the way Perdue imagined
it would.

"I'm as disappointed as my players are with the way the season ended," Perdue
admitted after underdog Torrey Pines (13-16) eliminated the Norsemen (15-15)
from the SDCIF Division I playoffs.

"We all expected more, but for us to win 15 games when our (pitching) ace is
a freshman (Sean O'Sullivan) is quite an achievement. He was the only
consistent guy we had on the mound."

Even O'Sullivan could not save the Norsemen from a first-round knockout on
Monday (May 20).

"Sean had an off day, he really struggled," Perdue admitted. "But I tell you
this - that kid is a jewel, a true winner. He carried us on his back as long
as he could. Not many freshmen could accomplish what he has done. The really
neat thing about him, is he is such a humble kid. His best days are ahead of
him."

After falling behind 5-0, the host Norseman battled back with a run in the
bottom of the 4th and a three-spot in the 5th.

Valhalla broke through for a run against Torrey Pines sophomore starter Kyle
Zeis for its first tally, when David Dennis doubled and eventually scored on
Jeff Fink's sacrifice fly.

In the Valhalla 5th, Andrew Jezierksi walked, Kyle Howard singled, and Dennis
followed with a run-scoring base hit, slicing the Falcons' lead to 5-2. Louie
Lange launched a 2-run double, and suddenly Valhalla was back in the ballgame.

When Dennis stepped to the mound in the 7th inning, the Falcons teed off for
4 runs to pull away - again.

"David has done so much for this team this year," Perdue said. "But he didn't
have it on the mound today. I should have gotten him out of there sooner."

Nevertheless, the Norsemen still had a chance in the bottom of the 7th.

Dennis ignited the rally with a double and scored on Fink's single after
Lange had walked. Claye Cantwell also walked to load the bases, but the game
and season came to an end when Torrey Pines turned a hard-hit ground ball off
Chris Olsen's bat into a double-play.

"This senior class has never quit," Perdue praised. "Hopefully, this rubs off
on our younger guys."

O'Sullivan was charged with 5 runs and 11 hits in four innings. He walked
none and struck out 6.

"We'll be back," Perdue said. "I think we're proving that we're not the same
old Valhalla anymore."

MIRA MESA 8, HELIX 3 - Eight errors undermined the pitching of Robert
Stevens as the Highlanders (14-15-1) failed to hold a 3-1 lead in losing to
host Mira Mesa (23-6) in Monday's (May 20) Play-In round of the SDCIF
Division II playoffs.

Joe Scalisi's 2-run single gave Helix a 3-1 lead in the top of the 4th
inning, but the uncharacteristically porous Highlanders' defense provided the
Marauders with seemingly endless scoring chances.

"We are a better team and I know we could have beaten them if we hadn't made
all those errors," Helix's first-year coach Cole Holland said.

Stevens, a junior right-hander, was 3-1 with a 1.45 ERA in his previous four
appearances. He was roughed up for 5 earned runs and 8 hits as he logged his
third-straight complete game.

"He blamed himself for this loss," Holland said. "But nothing could be
further from the truth. He got the groundballs. We just didn't make the plays
behind him."

Holland said Juggs-Gun-toting scouts told him that the 5-foot-11, 165-pound
Stevens "hit 89 mph six times" against Mira Mesa.

"He's going to be one of the best in the county next season," Holland
predicted.

Rick Ledesma and Scalisi were the only Highlanders to generate more than one
hit, as they were each 2-for-3. The top five hitters in the Helix order were
collectively 1-for-14.

"I really enjoyed this team. Holland said. "I just wish we could have ended
on a happier note."
(05-20-02)

Playoffs finally adopt popular format

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - For the first time in San Diego CIF history, the baseball
playoffs will feature a more appropriate approach to determine four division
champions. Double elimination will finally become a reality.

Modeled after the College World Series, the SDCIF playoffs will again have 12
teams in four separate divisions. The top four seeds will automatically be
placed into the double elimination bracket. Seeds 5-12, however, will conduct
a "Play In" round on Monday (May 20), with the winners joining the four
seeded teams in the double elimination format the following day.

Three of East County's seven playoff teams have already been guaranteed a
ticket to the double-elimination phase of the post-season tournament.
Christian (23-6) is top-seeded in Division IV, while Division II has
Grossmont (22-7) seeded No. 2 and El Capitan (23-8) at No. 4. All three teams
are guaranteed a minimum of two playoff games.

The other four Inland squads must win Monday or the season is over.

In Division I, Grossmont South League-champion Granite Hills (17-10) hosts
Harbor League-champion San Diego (16-11), and Valhalla (15-14) entertains
Torrey Pines (12-16) in Monday "Play In" contests at 4 p.m.

In Division II, Helix (14-14-1) travels to Mira Mesa (22-6), while Santana
(13-15) hosts Central Union (17-5) of El Centro in a Division III "Play In"
on Monday at 4.

"Every other level of baseball - from Little League on up - has a
double-elimination format, so this is long overdue," Christian coach Mike
Mitchell said. "This is the best means for determining a true champion. If
you have a bad day, you get a second chance."

And Mitchell knows the devastating feeling of being an early-round casualty.
A year ago, the Patriots were seeded No. 1 and were eliminated by No. 8
Midway Baptist 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

"Double-elimination adds a whole new dimension to your strategy," said
Grossmont coach Rob Phillips, whose Grossmont North League-champion
Foothillers are the defending SDCIF Division II champions. "You have to
develop more pitching to be successful under a double-elimination format."

Granite Hills coach James Davis concurs.

"I like to build my team around pitching," said Davis, whose Eagles flew away
with the Grossmont South pennant. "The playoffs are all about pitching."

The Eagles do have a solid 1-2 pitching punch in Weston Scott (6-2, 3.16) and
James Sinkes (4-4, 3.35). If they do cage the Cavers on Monday, they earn a
trip to Rancho Bernardo to face the 4th-seeded Broncos (26-5) on Tuesday.

Grossmont can send a pretty solid trio to the mound in Ben Coon (8-2, 3.08),
Brant Rustich (7-2, 4.03) and Adam Karlsgodt (4-0, 1.27).

Few teams have a better threesome than Christian with Brian Schroeder (10-3,
1.44 ERA, 130 Ks) Daniel Magness (6-1, 2.22) and Joel Allen (4-0, 2.63).

El Capitan does not have an overpowering starter, but the Vaqueros have a
handful of capable hurlers, a .376 team batting average and the state's home
run leader in Chris Walston (22 HRs, 60 RBI).

Helix's record isn't impressive, but the Highlanders have enough pitching
depth to wreak havoc if they make it to the double-elimination rounds.

"I think we deserved to get into this thing," first-year coach Cole Holland
said of his Highlanders. He'll hand the ball to junior Robert Stevens (5-4,
4.15) to see if the Marauders are as good as their record.

Valhalla has the finest freshman in the county in right-hander Sean
O'Sullivan (5-3, 2.65) and solid hitter in senior first baseman David Dennis
(.438), but depth will be a problem.

Some have suggested that Santana coach Jerry Henson "save" hard-throwing
right-hander Hayden Penn (4-4, 2.44) for a later round. No dice. Henson tried
that strategy two years ago when he "saved" ace Michael Bass for round two.
Trouble is, the Sultans suffered a first-round KO.

Central Union can plan on seeing Penn, Henson said.

Note: See playoff pairings under Schedule link.
(05-15-02)

San Diego doesn't cave in after Wolf Pack rally

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - West Hills ignited its offense after the fact on Thursday (May 16)
as the Harbor League champion San Diego Cavers (16-11) claimed a 5-0 lead on
a pair of home runs in the first two innings, and continued on for the 7-5
non-league victory.

The Pack clawed back on an RBI triple by Dustin Beechler in the 4th inning
and RBI hits by Jeff Perine and Matt Luna in the 5th.

West Hills (8-20) played catch-up all day, but refused to throw in the towel.

Luna chipped in with an RBI double in the 7th, and Clay Coulter drove in a
run in the final frame, but the Pack could never catch the Cavers.

Despite West Hills' less-than-spectacular finish, Luna went out on top as he
hit safely in his final six games while collecting 12 hits in his last 21
at-bats (.571).

SERRA 9, CHRISTIAN 3 - Usually when someone says they're going to
Disneyland, it's because they've won a major championship. It's sort of a
post-game celebration.

Christian High's focus on the Magic Kingdom was a bit premature to Patriots'
coach Mike Mitchell's way of thinking.

On Senior Grad Night at Christian High, some of the Patriots got a little
prematurely preoccupied, and it showed in Thursday's (May 16) Eastern League
finale at Serra High.

After Chris Denhart belted a 3-run homer in the first inning, the Patriots'
offense went flat as the Conquistadors won for the first time in three
meetings between the two schools.

One of the highlights for Christian High was Adam Balderrama, who finished
3-for-3 to extend his two-game hitting streak to 7-for-7.
(05-16-02)

Stevens secures regular season finale for Scotties

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY - Robert Stevens has always wanted to be a principal
participant in Helix High's pitching plans. An injury to senior teammate Ryan
Philben provided that window of opportunity for Stevens, a 5-foot-11,
165-pound right-hander.

Since a mysterious elbow injury placed Philben on the shelf a month ago,
first-year coach Cole Holland has had to rely on other sources to pick up the
Highlanders' pitching slack.

Primarily a slick-fielding shortstop, Stevens has stepped up to take a
toe-hold on the mound. He posted his third win in his last four starts
Wednesday (May 15) as the Highlanders decked Monte Vista 6-3 in the Grossmont
South league regular-season finale for both clubs.

"Pitching is my favorite part of the game," Stevens said without hesitation.
"I like to be in control of the game. I like to set a fast-paced tempo, which
I know will keep my fielders on their toes."

In his last seven pitching appearances, Stevens has coined a 0.90 ERA over 30
innings, but has only a 3-2 record to show for his efforts.

"Stevens has been huge for us," Holland said of his junior stalwart. "Against
Monte Vista he struck out 8 of the 9 starters and faced the minimum number of
batters over 4 2/3 innings."

Helix took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Philben's RBI single and
extended that advantage to 3-0 in the 3rd inning.

Nick Decaro, the only starter Stevens was unable to strike out, closed the
gap for Monte Vista with a two-run home run in the 4th inning.

"I hung a curveball on a 1-2 pitch and he got all of it," Stevens said. "But
I cleared my mind of all of that and went back to work."

Helix (14-14-1, 6-6) fought back with 2 runs in the 5th inning. Singles by
Philben and Larry Pierce and a costly error by Monte Vista enabled the
Highlanders to pad their lead to 4-2. Helix tacked on another run in the
inning on an infield out.

Stevens turned in his second straight complete game, as he rationed the
Monarchs (11-18, 4-8) to 4 hits and 2 earned runs.

"He's one of the best we've seen all year," Monte Vista coach Steve Dolias
said of Stevens.

Helix figures to qualify for the San Diego CIF Division II playoffs.

"The key for us is to get past the first round and into the
double-elimination part of the tournament," Stevens said. "If we can do that,
I think we have the pitching depth to do better than people expect."

GROSSMONT 2, SANTANA 1 - A classic pitching duel, pitting Santana power
pitcher Hayden Penn and Grossmont pinpoint perfectionist Ben Coon lived up to
its pre-game billing Wednesday (May 15) in Santee.

Despite their contrasting styles, both pitchers were in command as the
visiting Grossmont North League-champion Foothillers squeaked out their 16th
win in 17 games.

Coon (8-2) prevailed, silencing the Sultans (13-15, 6-6) on a 5-hitter as he
claimed his 8th -straight victory, while striking out only 3.

"This shows what kind of pitcher Ben is," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips said.
"He didn't have his best stuff or his usual velocity, but he still gets the
job done by making the big pitch when he needed it."

Santana's Penn was equally as effective, surrendering only 3 hits to East
County's second-best hitting ballclub.

"It was a typical Hayden day," Santana coach Jerry Henson said. "He pitched
well enough to win, but didn't get the support he deserved. That's been the
case in almost every game he's pitched."

When Penn is on the mound, pro scouts stick around regardless of the score in
the game.

"They tell me Hayden was hitting 91 (miles per hour) on the (radar) guns in
the 7th inning," Henson noted.

Bryce Nelson, batting No. 9 in the Santana order, knocked his second home run
of the season to dead center field to give the Sultans a 1-0 edge in 3rd
inning.

That could well have been enough for Penn. He handcuffed the top six batters
in Grossmont's lineup, who were collectively 0-for-17 against the
hard-throwing right-hander.

The bottom third of the Hillers' order managed to scrape together a rally in
the 5th inning. With one out, Justin Baum belted an 0-2 pitch into the
right-center field gap for a double. Brad Wilkinson ran for Baum and scored
the tying run on Scott Tagwerker's base hit. Tagwerker alertly advanced to
second base when the Sultans made a futile throw to the plate in an attempt
to nail Wilkinson.

Jerad Norris made Santana pay when he singled in Tagwerker with what proved
to be the winning marker.

Scoring chances were scarce on both sides. Santana got the lead-off batter on
base three times, but only once did the Sultans have more than two runners
aboard in the same frame. That was in the 5th when Tommy Wiley led off with a
single and Jesse Leon followed with a base hit two outs later.

"In some games, it seems like the only way we get guys past first base is
when they come back to the dugout," Henson said.

EL CAPITAN 13, EL CAJON VALLEY 1 - The 9th-ranked Vaqueros (23-8, 8-4)
closed out the regular season with their fourth-straight victory Wednesday
(May 15), belting the visiting Braves in a Grossmont North League encounter.
But the story of this game focuses on the continuing saga of 6-foot-6,
235-pound El Capitan slugger Chris Walston.

Walston, the most prolific home run hitter in state history, launched his
22nd round-tripper of the season in the first inning to lift the Vaqueros
into a 2-1 lead. He has homered in 16 of El Capitan's 31 games.

Two innings later Walston doubled off the top of the right-center field fence
to chase home his 60th RBI of the campaign. He moved into 4th place on the
all-time San Diego CIF record list for RBI in a season, passing USDHS's Mark
Prior - last year's No. 1 draft pick of the Chicago Cubs -- with Wednesday's
effort.

Only Todd Cady (Grossmont High) with 62 in 1990, Jon Cox (Christian) with 61
in 1998 and Ben Leuthard (Mission Bay) 61 in 1997 have driven in more runs in
a season.

If Walston is to eclipse the section RBI record, he'll have to do it in the
playoffs. The Vaqueros are guaranteed one playoff game, but El Capitan coach
Steve Vickery is convinced that his club belongs among the top four seeds in
the 12-team SDCIF Division II.

"If our 23 wins aren't enough to get us a No. 3 seed, there is something
wrong with the system," said Vickery, noting that a first-round playoff bye
would qualify his club for the 8-team double-elimination segment of the
tournament.

If the seeding committee follows Vickery's line of thinking, Walston would be
assured of at least two more games to assault the record book.

For the 7th time in the last 8 games, El Capitan first baseman Kyle Phillips
put together a multiple-hit game, driving in 3 runs against the Braves.
Phillips has hit safely in 27 of 31 games, producing 18 multiple-hit efforts.

Travis Lopez scattered 6 hits over five innings as he tucked away his 6th win
in eight decisions.

Things started out well for El Cajon Valley (7-22, 0-12), which took a 1-0
lead in the first inning. Kyle Whisenhunt smacked the first of his two
singles leading off, but was forced out at second on Oscar Ochoa's ground
out. Ochoa stole second and continued on to third when the throw from catcher
Jordan Abruzzo was wide of its mark. Ochoa jogged home when Justin Schmidt
grounded out.

El Cajon Valley senior Greg Fisher snapped an 0-for-14 streak with 2 hits in
three at-bats in his high school finale.

MOUNT MIGUEL 11, GRANITE HILLS 7 - Two teams headed in opposite directions
surprised the so-called experts as they brought a couple of lengthy streaks
to an end in Wednesday's (May 15) Grossmont South League finale at Granite
Hills.

The Matadors (7-21, 3-9) snapped an 8-game losing streak, while clipping the
Grossmont South League-champion Eagles' winning streak at 9 games.

"It was a nice way for our seniors to go out on a high note," Mount Miguel
coach Ernie Reyes said.

Despite being battered by the Eagles 19-4 and 16-1 in two previous bouts, the
Matadors displayed no shortage of confidence as they controlled a 9-0 lead by
the fourth inning on Wednesday.

"We got some players in that don't normally get much opportunity to play,"
Granite Hills coach James Davis said. "We didn't have anywhere to move in
terms of (San Diego CIF Division I) seeding. Everyone I've talked to believe
we can't move into the top four, that we are locked in at No. 5."

Granite Hills (17-10, 10-2) turned to some of its lesser-used pitchers to
work the game, and the Matadors capitalized on the generosity. Nick Balsley,
who is 12-for-22 (.545) in his last 7 games, banged a two-run double in the
opening frame to give Mount Miguel a positive send-off.

RBI singles by Dane Ponciano, Javier Brown and Fernando Ruiz extended Mount
Miguel's advantage to 5-0 in the 3rd inning.

Joey Street's 2-run double was the key blow in the 4th inning as Mount Miguel
inflated its bulge to 9-0.

Sean Pepin drove in three runs and Andy Roberts plated 2 for Granite Hills,
which had the tying run at the plate when the game ended.
(05-15-02)

Christian clobbers Komets for first pennant since '97

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Christian High clobbered Kearny 13-6 Tuesday (May 14) to claim
exclusive rights to the Eastern League championship - the first pennant for
coach Mike Mitchell's club since his 1997 Patriots swept through the Harbor
League undefeated.

The Patriots (23-5, 10-1) made it look easy against the visiting Komets
(6-19, 3-8), using a 7-run second inning as a springboard to a 13-0 lead they
would enjoy at the end of four innings.

"We wanted to win this thing by ourselves," said Mitchell after his club
crushed any hope second-place Patrick Henry - the only league team to beat
Christian - had of creating a co-championship.

Eight Christian batters reached base safely in the 2nd inning before Kearny
could record an out. East County batting-leader Chris Denhart led the charge
with the first of six consecutive singles. Nick Laughter, Joel Allen, Adam
Balderrama, Eddie Listander and David Riley joined the base-hit barrage
before Brian Schroeder broke the spell with a walk. Josh Paddock was the
eighth straight batter to reach base as he was hit by a pitch to force in a
run. That gave Christian a 5-0 lead.

The string would have stretched to nine had it not been for a diving stop by
second baseman Terrance Copeland that robbed Daniel Magness of a hit and
resulted in a force out at second base. Finally, Kearny had an out.

The Patriots added one more run (to lead 7-0) and another hit in the inning
that closed after 12 batters had paraded to the plate.

A base hit by Balderrama followed by Listander's 4th home run of the year
made it 9-0 in the 3rd inning.

Balderrama, who had seen his batting average plummet below the .300 mark due
to a 1-for-11 skid, finished 4-for-4 with 4 RBI against Kearny.

"He really has hit into bad luck this year," Mitchell said. "There have been
days where he has hit the ball a lot harder than he did today and come up
empty."

Lady luck was at his side this time around. Balderrama's first home run of
the season received a little boost from Komets' left fielder Jason Carniero,
who appeared to bat the ball over the fence with his glove as he attempted to
make a catch.

Magness' luck wasn't all that good as he was tagged with 5 unearned runs in
the 5th inning.

"That was kind of a cartoon inning for us," Mitchell said. "Magness had to
get six outs because we made all 3 of our errors that inning."

Nevertheless, Magness walked away with his 6th win against one loss.

Christian, which figures to earn one of the top two seeds in the San Diego
CIF Division IV playoffs, closes the regular season Thursday (May 16) at
Serra.
(05-14-02)

Vaqueros prove rank with conference tournament win over Helix

EastCountySports.com staff report

LA MESA - The Grossmont North/South League Tournament began on March 18. For
a variety of reasons, the championship game of the East County event was
delayed until Monday (May 13). Albeit that lag kind of tarnished the title
bout, nobody inside the El Capitan dugout was complaining after the Vaqueros
edged the Highlanders 4-2 for Grossmont Conference supremacy.

"I think this (win) has to qualify us as a top 4 seed (in Division II of the
San Diego CIF playoffs)," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "I'll put our
record (22-8) and strength of schedule up against anybody's.

"Sure, we're glad to win this tournament championship. But the fact that it
came so late in the season I think the value of winning carried more weight
in terms of playoff seeding."

Junior Scott Boller and sophomore Nick Reagan shared the pitching chores for
the Vaqueros who defeated the Highlanders (13-14-1) for the second time in as
many meetings this spring.

"We've really been happy with our pitching the last couple of games." Vickery
said. "And the really great thing about it is all 22 of those wins are coming
back next season."

As far as Helix coach Cole Holland is concerned, he'd just as soon celebrate
the graduation of El Cap catcher Jordan Abruzzo. Too bad for the Highlanders'
skipper - Abruzzo is only a junior.

"That guy owns us," Holland said, noting that the Vaqueros' switching-hitting
receiver belted a grand slam in El Capitan's 8-3 romp over Helix earlier this
season.

Abruzzo supplied the knockout blow in round two, as well. Batting from the
left side for the first time in his career this season, Abruzzo continued to
prove the experiment has been a rousing success as he belted a two-run home
run that gave the Vaqueros a 4-1 lead in the 5th inning.

"That's 8 losses to Top 10 teams for us this year," Holland noted. "We have
to win at Monte Vista on Wednesday (May 15 in the regular-season finale). If
we can do that and finish at .500, I think we'll make the (San Diego CIF)
playoffs. Going into this game, there were nine teams that had better records
than us."

Twelve teams will be invited to the SDCIF Division II playoffs at Friday's
(May 17) seeding meeting.

El Capitan took a 2-0 led in the third inning on an RBI double by Kyle
Phillips and a run-scoring single by Vern Wengeler.

Helix pitcher Brent Degen drilled an RBI single in the bottom of the 3rd and
Joe Scalisi drove in a run with a base hit in the 6th.

Helix had its chances to overtake the Vaqueros, but left the bases loaded in
the 5th and 6th innings.
(05-13-02)

Helix's Philben has final answer for Matadors

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY - Just knowing senior Ryan Philben is close to being back at
full strength gives Helix coach Cole Holland a rush. For good reason, too.
Philben banged his fourth home run in as many games and drove in 5 runs
Saturday (May 11) as the Highlanders whipped the Matadors 9-3 in a Grossmont
South League game at Mount Miguel.

In his last 4 games, Philben has produced 7 hits, 10 RBI and scored 6 runs in
13 at-bats for the Highlanders (13-13-1, 5-6), who are 3-1 during that span.

"We're a different team when we have a healthy Philben in there," Holland
admitted. "He's definitely a spark that gives us better offensive punch. And
now, his doctors say he should be able to play (his normal) third base again
by next week. He's been throwing the ball well on the sidelines, so we think
he might be able to do some pitching for us by the playoffs."

After Larry Pierce ripped an RBI single to give Helix a 1-0 edge in the 3rd
inning, Philben pounded a two-run double. Ryan Hulbert and Rick Ledesma
followed with RBI singles to make it 5-0.

Mount Miguel (6-21, 2-9) countered on Nick Balsley's two-run double in the
bottom of the 3rd, but the Matadors were never really back in the game after
Helix's hefty top of the 3rd. Balsley accounted for half of Mount Miguel's
four hits and drove in all three runs.

Aaron Bailey scattered 4 hits and allowed 3 runs while striking out 9 over
six innings to pick up the pitching win for Helix.

Ledesma belted a solo home run - his third of the year - in the 5th inning
for the Highlanders, who host El Capitan in the long-overdue Grossmont
Conference North-South Tournament championship game Monday (May 13) at 4 p.m.

A bright spot for the Matadors was the relief pitching of Armond Piligrino,
who blanked the Highlanders on 2 hits over the final 2 2/3 innings.
(05-11-02)

Walston's two home runs gives him state single-season mark

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - At the rate El Capitan's Chris Walston has been belting home runs
of late, who knows how many balls the 6-foot-6, 235-pound senior can deposit
beyond the fences before he dons his cap and gown.

Walston produced his fifth multi-homer game of the season Friday (May 10),
reaching two milestones in the process, as the Vaqueros snapped host
Grossmont's 15-game winning streak with a 9-5 Grossmont North League victory.

Walston broke the San Diego CIF season home run record with his 20th
round-tripper - a 3-run drive in the first inning. But that was only the
beginning as the bonanza belt came an inning later when Walston whacked a
grand slam to become the most prolific single season home run hitter in
California high school history.

"With everybody talking about it, it's hard not to think about records,"
Walston admitted. "Once I got to 17 (tying Leo Daigle's Grossmont Conference
record), I became more obsessed with breaking records."

Once Walston tied the section season home run mark of 19 set by Rancho
Bernardo's Danny Putnam with a pair of circuit clouts on Wednesday (May 8)
against West Hills, he said "I was more relaxed. Without sounding cocky, I
knew I had a pretty good chance to get the record."

Realistically speaking, Walston wasn't sure how many home runs it took to
etch his name into the various record books.

He presented home run ball No. 19 to his orthodontist - Dr. Coco Garcia.

"We were joking around and he told me when I broke records I should grin and
say 'Smile by Garcia,'" Walston noted.

Walston had further reason to grin as his second-inning grand slam broke the
state record of 20 set by Chris Martinez of Canoga Park Chaminade in 1988.

As it stands now, Walston's season marks are: 21 home runs, 57 RBI and a .402
batting average. His career counts are: 42 home runs, 128 RBI, 120 runs, 114
hits and a .373 average.

Unlike the shaky stock market, Walston's numbers are subject to growth at
every game.

"With the kind of power he has, the sky's the limit," El Capitan coach Steve
Vickery said. "Right now, he's just not missing any pitches. He's a target
out there and pitchers want to work him inside. Well, they better get the
ball in there tight or he's going to lose it on them."

Jason Guzman (6-2) turned in a gutsy pitching performance for El Capitan
(21-8, 7-4), limiting Grossmont (21-7, 10-1) to 7 hits and 5 runs. His
numbers might have been a bit more tidy had Mark Dobbins not knocked a
three-run homer over the right-center field fence in the 5th inning to make a
game of it.

The 12th homer of Dobbins' senior season matches the school record set by
Beau Craig in 1998.

It was a rugged day on the mound for Grossmont starting pitcher Brant
Rustich, who exited the mound after surrendering 8 runs in 1 2/3 innings.

"He was like a deer in the headlights when Walston was at the plate,"
Grossmont coach Rob Phillips said.

Confidence has hardly been in short supply for Rustich when he's been at the
plate. He was 2-for-3 against the Vaqueros to extend his East County-leading
hitting streak to 15 games.

"You can't dispute it - this was Mr. Walston's Day," Phillips said. "But I'm
plenty proud of my kids because we won the league championship, beat these
(El Capitan) guys 2 out of 3 and had a (county-best) 15-game wining streak."

GRANITE HILLS 3, HELIX 1 - For a game that had little significance for
Granite Hills other than a possible upgraded seeding position in the San
Diego CIF Division I playoffs, Friday's (May 10) Grossmont South League duel
with Helix was filled with emotion.

Granite Hills pitcher Ryan Jones was mourning the death of a close family
member only two days before when Eagles coach James Davis was mulling over
pitching plans for Friday's game with the Highlanders.

"Obviously, anytime you have a death in the family it's tough," Davis
acknowledged. "Ryan's father said his son was deeply affected by the loss,
and wasn't sure if his son would make it to school let alone be at the
baseball game."

When Davis saw Jones at school on Friday he asked the 6-foot, 150-pound
southpaw if he would be at the baseball game that afternoon. The answer was
affirmative.

When Jones arrived for pre-game warm-ups, Davis held the ball out to his
budding standout. "I gave him all the options from playing to not being
there. Then I asked him if he wanted the ball, did he want to start."

Again, Davis received positive feedback.

Not only did Jones take the ball, he ran with it. That is, he fired a
complete-game 4-hitter, while striking out 8 and walking only 2 as the
Grossmont South League-champion Eagles (17-9, 10-1) posted their 10th
consecutive victory.

"He's always been a quiet kid, but today he was pretty emotional," Davis
noted. "He was a man on a mission and pitched probably the best game we've
had all year."

Only Ryan Philben's third home run in as many games (in the 6th inning)
separated Jones from a shutout.

"In all my days in baseball, never have I been more proud of a kid than I am
of Ryan Jones," said Davis, a veteran high school coach, pro scout and former
major college player. "He's been through so much emotional trauma, and then
to come out and pitch like he did is remarkable."

Helix coach Cole Holland, who, along with assistant coach Mike Miller, was
ejected, was far more impressed with Jones than he was with the two umpires
working the game.

"You have to tip your cap to that kid," Holland said. "He was able to
consistently throw his curveball for strikes, even on 2-0 and 3-1 counts. Our
kids refused to adjust, refused to swing at anything but fastballs. (Jones)
wasn't overpowering, but he definitely was effective."

The Eagles picked up an unearned run to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Consecutive singles by John Coit, Chad Williams and Luke McRoberts gave the
Eagles a 2-0 edge in the third.

In the 6th, James Sinkes doubled, took third on Josh Claret's single and
scored when Andy Roberts tapped into a fielder's choice force out.

Coit, McRoberts and Claret collected two hits apiece for Granite Hills, while
Philben accounted for half of Helix's four hits.

VALHALLA 4, MONTE VISTA 2 - With second place in the Grossmont South secured
and an overall winning record cemented in, the Norsemen (15-14, 7-5) must now
sit back and wait to learn their post-season fate.

Will they receive a San Diego CIF Division I playoff berth? Or will they be
denied as they were a year ago.

"I think we have a real good chance of getting in," Valhalla coach Steve
Perdue said. "We finished above .500 overall and in our league."

Freshman right-hander Sean O'Sullivan, who has developed into Valhalla's most
reliable pitcher over the course of the season, shook off a shaky start to
post his fifth win in eight decisions. He struck out six and walked none.

On the offensive end, reliable David Dennis struck the key blow for Valhalla
as he snapped a 2-2 deadlock with an RBI double in the 5th inning.

The visiting Monarchs (11-17, 4-7) were determined to make Valhalla's
regular-season finale a struggle as they staged a two-out rally against
O'Sullivan in the opening frame. With two outs, Nick Decaro and Chris Van
Story singled and Jeff Alexander doubled to make it 2-0.

"They didn't touch him after that," Perdue said of O'Sullivan, who limited
the Monarchs to two hits over the final six innings of what was to become his
fourth complete game. "Just another in a long line of great jobs by
O'Sullivan."

Ditto for Monte Vista starter Ward Minich, who parceled out only 7 hits and 2
earned runs in a complete game effort.

"Minich did a great job, too," Perdue said. "One of the biggest differences
between the two pitchers was the defense they had behind them."

Plagued by a porous defense much of the year, the Norsemen played error free
in support of O'Sullivan.

"(Shortstop) Kyle Howard made some gems in the field," Perdue said. "And
Dennis made some unbelievable plays at first."

Offensively, the Norsemen made their hits count. Chad Peace and Jeff Lange
doubled in the 1st inning to cut Monte Vista's early lead to 2-1.

In the 5th , Howard delivered the second of his three singles, stole second
and scored when Peace reached on a throwing error. That set the stage for
Dennis' game-winning double.

The Norsemen added an insurance run in the 6th. Jeff Fink walked, and Eddie
Mapula ran for him. Mapula moved up 90 feet on Chris Olsen's sacrifice bunt,
and scored on Howard's RBI single.

WEST HILLS 6, SANTANA 2 - First-year head coach Jarrod Carman and his Wolf
Pack had a dugout-full of frustrations this season. But one of the most
rewarding factors was winning the season series from their Grossmont North
League, and Santee rival, Santana on Friday (May 10).

Jeff Perine sparked a 5-run second inning with a two-run single and Clay
Coulter turned in a powerful pitching performance to carry the Pack (8-19,
5-7) past the Sultans (13-14, 6-5) for the second time in three meetings.

Coulter allowed only 2 hits and one earned run as he picked up his second win
in as many tries against Santana this season. The hard-throwing 6-foot-2,
200-pound right-hander gave up an RBI single to Ryan Howard in the first
inning, and surrendered Nicholas Caraveo's first varsity home run in the 4th
frame.

The top two hitters in the West Hills batting order - Perine and Matt Luna -
drove in 4 runs between them. Perine's bases-loaded blooper gave the Pack a
2-1 edge in the second. Luna's RBI single made it 3-1 and two Santana errors
enabled West Hills to stretch its advantage to 5-1.

Eddie Pryor, who was mired in a 1-for-19 slump, is 4-for-5 with 3 runs and 2
RBI in his last two outings.
(05-10-02)

Patriots clinch share of Eastern League title

EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO - It's not quite time for "turn out the lights, the party's over,"
as the first place Christian High Patriots aren't where they want to be in
terms of the Eastern League pennant.

Baring some kind of catastrophic temper tantrum by Mother Nature, the
Patriots will win the Eastern League championship. Lock, stock and barrel.

After absorbing a severe battering from second place Patrick Henry on
Tuesday, the Patriots (22-5, 10-1) returned to their Top 10 form on Thursday
(May 9) at Morse as they tamed the Tigers 13-1 to assure themselves of
nothing less than a lion's share of the Eastern League prize.

Of course, when you hand the ball to junior left-hander Brian Schroeder, you
have to like your chances for coming out on the high end of the final score.

Schroeder was nothing short of sensational, as he dissected the Tigers
(7-15-1, 4-6) in six innings of 3-hit pitching, striking out 11 and walking
only one.

"Brian was pretty dominant," Christian coach Mike Mitchell said. "The first
two guys he faced got on with bunt-type singles. I don't think the two balls
they hit went more than 15 feet between them."

That fact was not lost on Schroeder (10-2), who proceeded to strike out six
Morse batters in succession en route to retiring 16 Tigers in a row.

"They didn't hit a ball to the outfield until one of their guys rolled a
grounder through in the 6th inning," Mitchell said.

Schroeder served up 84 pitches - 56 for strikes - before reliever Cory Hujing
came on to throw a shutout 7th inning.

The Patriots scored 2 runs in each of the first six innings and might have
made it seven had David Riley not been nailed attempting to stretch a double
into a triple in the 7th frame.
Josh Paddock extended his hitting streak to eight games with an RBI single
that capped a 2-run first inning for the 9th-ranked Patriots. Daniel Magness'
two-run single made it 4-0 in the second inning. The somewhat methodical
onslaught continued from there.

Christian needs one win in its final two regular-season games to stamp
"Exclusive" on the Eastern League flag. The Patriots will try to make that
happen when they host Kearny on Tuesday (May 14) at 3 p.m.
(05-09-02)

Walston clubs 18th, 19th home runs, ties section record

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Some might call him cocky, but those who know El Capitan's Chris
Walston believe the 6-foot-6, 235-pound senior right fielder genuinely
believes he can become the most prolific home run hitter in San Diego CIF
history.

Walston launched a pair of solo homers off West Hills' left-hander David
Adams Wednesday (May 8) to tie the SDCIF single season home run record of 19
set by Rancho Bernardo's Danny Putnam a year ago.

Baseballs were flying all over the place Wednesday at El Capitan as the
Vaqueros out-slugged West Hills 11-9 to complete a 3-0 sweep of the season
series between the Grossmont North League rivals.

The focal point in the game played at El Cap with West Hills serving as the
home team, was the power-hitting of Walston. His long-ball heroics were
clearly hogging center stage.

"I couldn't believe how far he hit that (record-tying home run)," West Hills
coach Jarrod Carman said. "The plate umpire told me after the game that the
pitch Walston hit was 6 inches inside. It tells you what kind of hitter he
is, that he could still get his hands through the zone on a ball that far
inside."

Walston's record-tying launch landed in the middle of the El Capitan student
parking lot.

What amazed El Capitan coach Steve Vickery most about Walston's 450-foot
drive was the pitch preceding his record-breaking knock.

Adams snapped off a 1-1 curveball that landed in the dirt. It was a pitch
that Walston couldn't refuse, which left him behind in the count at 1-2.

"No doubt he was fooled on that pitch," Vickery said.

Adams, however, elected to challenge Walston with a fastball on his next
serve and that proved to be unwise. A tape-measure home run was quick to
follow.

"I know it must sound like I'm exaggerating when I keep talking about how far
the balls he hits travel," Vickery said. "The one that tied the record had to
go 440-to-450 feet, and that's a conservative estimate. He absolutely crushed
it."

More importantly is Walston's record shot tied the game 6-6.

"I feel like I just came home from the dentist's office," Vickery said. "Wins
just aren't coming easy for us right now."

Kyle Phillips, one of the most heavily-recruited members of the El Capitan
cast, fouled off back-to-back 3-2 pitches from Adams before he punched a
go-ahead home run leading off the 6th inning.

"That was probably the biggest at-bat of the game," said Vickery of Phillips,
who lifted his home run total to 11 with a pair of circuit clouts.

Walston followed with a walk and Jordan Abruzzo singled. Vern Wengeler, who
was promoted from the JV a week ago, slashed an RBI single. Jason Guzman
followed suit, and suddenly El Capitan (20-8, 6-4) was sitting on a 9-6 lead.

Abruzzo's two-run single in the top of the 7th swelled El Cap's advantage to
11-6.

Not that West Hills (7-19, 4-7) was searching for the white flag. Much to the
contrary as the Wolf Pack came storming back on an RBI double by Matt Luna
and a run-scoring single by Lalo Roberti. Singles by Greg Field and Cody
Dennis produced another run and suddenly West Hills was trailing by only with
the tying runs on base.

With one out, Andrew Nichols coaxed a walk off reliever Jason Guzman to load
the bases. But Guzman put the brakes to any upset aspirations the Pack was
entertaining as he got pinch hitter Andrew Springer to bang into a
game-ending double play.

"It's like we played the same game with them three times," Carman said.
"They're just relentless, just keep hitting the ball. In each of those three
games, we hurt ourselves by putting men on base with walks and errors. You
can't keep putting men on in front of all those power-hitters and expect to
survive."

On a brighter side for West Hills, Eddie Pryor broke out of a 1-for-19 slump
by yanking a two-run home run across Mapleview Avenue to give West Hills a
4-3 lead in the second inning. Roberti finished 2-for-3 with three RBI,
including his 4th homer of the season.

"There were a lot of hitter's counts today, and that is going to contribute
to how many home runs are hit," Vickery said.

Brandon Rauch ripped his 10th homer of the campaign for the Vaqueros in the
4th inning with a man board.

El Capitan has launched 54 home runs in 28 games this season, the
second-highest total in East County history.

GROSSMONT 13, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 - Ask any coach or player in the Grossmont
Conference and the majority will say that El Cajon Valley's
beautifully-groomed field is the toughest park for hitting home runs.

Thus, it was somewhat ironic that Grossmont set a school record for most home
runs in a season with Wednesday's (May 8) lopsided Grossmont North League
victory at El Cajon Valley (7-21, 0-11).

Six-foot-4, 240-pound senior Mark Dobbins supplied the record-breaker with a
mammoth three-run smash in the sixth inning. The 420-foot shot was Dobbins'
11th homer of the season and No. 43 for the Foothillers, breaking the mark of
42 established by the 1997 Grossmont team and matched by the1998 crew.

For good measure, Justin Baum followed a double by Brant Rustich later in the
6th inning with his fifth home run, lifting Grossmont's record-breaking total
to 44.

Meanwhile Rustich, who gave way to pinch runner Justin Strauss prior to
Baum's bomb, extended his East County-best hitting streak to 14 games.

It was an extra-base hit bonanza for Grossmont (21-6, 10-0), which stretched
its county-best winning streak to 15 games. Included in the Hillers' 17-hit
attack were 9 doubles, a triple and 2 homers.

Dobbins was the Hillers' hammer, driving in 5 runs with a pair of doubles and
his record-breaking homer. Lead-off man Aaron Garcia was 3-for-5 with a
double and a pair of stolen bases. Ben Coon also cracked two doubles for
Grossmont.

Making only his second start in the last 13 games, Blake Brands pitched five
shutout innings to roll his season ledger to 2-1. The junior right-hander
rationed the Braves to four hits, while striking out 4 and walking 2.

Grossmont reliever Michael Fay, sidelined with a sore shoulder since April 6,
looked sharp in 2 shutout innings of relief. He retired all six batters he
faced, striking out 2.

Kyle Whisenhunt accounted for half of El Cajon Valley's four hits with a pair
of singles in the leadoff spot.

In a sentimental pre-game ceremony, El Cajon Valley coach Wayne Weightman
handed out roses to the seniors of both teams, asking that they make a
personal game dedication to the person of their choice. Players were handed a
microphone so that they could make their intentions known to the crowd.

GRANITE HILLS 9, VALHALLA 5 - Ironman Weston Scott racked up his sixth
straight victory Wednesday (May 8) while the Eagles reeled off their 9th
consecutive win by bowling over crosstown rival Valhalla to secure their
third Grossmont South League championship in five years.

Celebration? Not really.

"You'd think we might have had a dog pile at the mound or something," Granite
Hills coach James Davis said. "This is kind of a low-key group that takes
things in stride."

Maybe a championship at the next (SDCIF) level will charge up the Eagles'
emotions.

"I'd like to find out," Davis admitted. "The main thing is we won this
championship. No asterisk. No co-championship."

Granite Hills provided Scott with a fluffy first-inning cushion when the
Eagles (16-9, 9-1) capitalized on two Valhalla errors, a passed ball and Andy
Roberts' two-run double to put 5 runs on the board.

"We didn't help him much defensively, but Scott pitched very well," Davis
said. "He's come a long way. He's worked his butt off."

Scott, it seems, is as poker faced as a casino blackjack dealer.

"When it's his turn to pitch, the guy doesn't say 'boo,' " Davis said. "He
has a pretty good plan of what he's trying to do out there."

Valhalla (14-14, 6-5) clawed its way back into the game with two runs in the
fifth inning as David Dennis belted his 8th home run with a man aboard to
make it 6-4. Dennis was 2-for-4 to increase his hitting streak to 9 games.

A squeeze bunt by Roberts in the bottom of the 5th put the Eagles back in
control 7-4.

After Claye Cantwell clubbed a solo home run for Valhalla in the top of the
6th, Chad Williams countered with a two-run homer in the bottom of the inning
to seal the Eagles' victory.

HELIX 8, MOUNT MIGUEL 7 - How valuable is Ryan Philben to the Helix
Highlanders?

Just ask Helix first-year skipper Cole Holland.

Philben's walk-off homer followed a one-out walk to Brian Ricard in the
bottom of the 7th inning of Wednesday's (May 8) Grossmont South League game
in La Mesa.

It was a double celebration of sorts as there was a time Holland believed
Philben could be lost for the season.

An elbow injury has deleted Philben's name from Helix's list of available
pitchers and limited his defensive roles to first base. Thus, making an
impact with the bat is how he feels he can best contribute.

So far, so good. Philben has homered in his last two games.

The long ball was the order of the day on Wednesday, as the two clubs
combined for six home runs. Catcher Larry Pierce belted a two-run smash,
Brent Degen drilled a two-run drive and Robert Stevens smacked a solo shot
for the Highlanders, while Yarinn Gonzalez hammered his third homer in four
games for Mount Miguel (6-20, 2-8). Antelmo Gomez also homered for the
Matadors.

Stevens pitched the final two innings in relief, surrendering just one
unearned run to nail down his 4th win in 7 decisions.

Mike McLaughlin struck out 11 in a complete game effort for Mount Miguel.
(05-08-02)

Other Patriots no slouch, put Christian title plans on hold

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Reality came calling at Christian High in Tuesday's (May 7)
Eastern League showdown against visiting Patrick Henry.

Christian, which had beaten its previous three opponents by a combined 38-1
score and had rolled up nine straight wins, was anticipating clinching the
Eastern League pennant at Henry's expense.

It didn't turn out that way.

Patrick Henry (15-10, 7-3) pounded five Christian pitchers for 16 hits -
four of them home runs - to pulverize coach Mike Mitchell's ballclub 13-1.

There was no suspense in this one, as Henry took a 2-0 lead on Keith Nester's
2-run homer off Daniel Magness in the opening frame. It was a harbinger of
things to come, as Henry ganged up on Magness for five more runs in the 3rd
inning for a 7-0 lead.

Again, it was the longball that paved the way for Henry. Jason Neilson
slugged a 3-run homer, and Sal Busalacchi followed with a 2-run homer in the
same inning. Busalacchi belted a solo homer off reliever Clint Gerlek in the
6th inning for Henry's final run of the game.

The firepower was more than enough support for Henry starter and winner
Derrick Teachout (9-2), who spun the Christian Patriots in circles with a
wicked curve ball. Teachout struck out 9 and walked one, while rationing
Christian to 4 hits during a five inning stint.

"People tend to under-estimate us," Teachout said. "But that's OK, because we
like being the underdog. I think maybe we'll surprise some people in the (San
Diego CIF Division II) playoffs."

Make no mistake about it, Teachout kept Christian's hitters guessing. No.
9-ranked Christian (21-5, 9-1) is a team that is used to lop-sided victories,
but this loss to Henry was it's most decisive setback this year.

"There's no shame in losing to a team like Patrick Henry," Mitchell said.
"They're going to cause some problems for people in the playoffs. Right now
our focus is to win two of our last three games."

By doing so, Christian will be assured of winning the Eastern League crown
outright. One victory will guarantee Christian of at least a tie.

Christian's highlights against Henry were few. Eddie Listander's third home
run accounted for the Patriots' only tally. Josh Paddock's 5th inning single
extended his hitting streak to seven games. Chris Denhart was 2-for-2 with a
double and has now hit safely in 10 of his last 11 games.

Christian travels to Morse on Thursday (May 9) for an Eastern League game at
3 p.m.
(05-07-02)

Penn cools El Capitan bats to give Sultans season series

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE - Santana's Hayden Penn proved that good pitching can and does beat
good hitting on Monday afternoon (May 6). One of the most highly sought-after
pitchers in East County, Penn flirted with a no-hitter as the Sultans stung
the Vaqueros 5-1 to win the Grossmont North League season series two games to
one.

As a couple dozen professional baseball scouts hovered around and near the
Santana backstop to secure a radar gun reading on the 6-foot-3, 185-pound
right-hander's fastball, Penn was consistently popping Sam Phillips'
catcher's mitt in the 92-to-93 mph range.

El Capitan, which galloped into Santee boasting a .390 batting average,
hardly raised a whisper for five innings as Penn held the Vaqueros hitless.
Only two El Cap runners reached base - both on walks -up 'til then.

With one out and a runner at first in the 6th inning, Justin Snyder tapped a
dribble past the mound that Santana's Bryce Nelson flagged wide of the base.
By the time Nelson wheeled and threw to first, Snyder had beaten Penn to the
bag. Base hit for Snyder - spell broken.

Showing no signs of being rattled, Penn - who finished with 11 strikeouts -
retired the next two Vaqueros on lazy fly balls to the outfield.

"I love being in the big games when the stakes are high," Penn said. "The
scouts, well, they can be overwhelming at times. But I'd be lying if I said I
didn't like the attention."

Penn said he's talked to scouts from all 30 major league organizations.

"I've heard a lot of stuff about the draft," he said. "I've heard top 30, 2nd
round, 3rd round just a bunch of stuff. My telephone, especially on Sunday
nights, gets so crazy that I have to leave the house for a while. I'd rather
have it that way, but some times I just need a break."

El Capitan (19-8, 5-4) avoided being saddled with its second shutout of the
season when Chris Walston and Jordan Abruzzo banged back-to-back doubles to
open the 7th inning. JV recruit Vern Wengeler drew a walk, which brought the
tying run to the on-deck circle.

Although Santana skipper Jerry Henson admitted getting a bit jittery, Penn
polished off the Vaqueros with a strike out and a game-ending double-play
grounder.

"That's the best game I've ever seen Penn throw," El Capitan coach Steve
Vickery said. "He was just overpowering."

Penn needed 116 pitches to finish off the Vaqueros.

"That was the best he's thrown all year," Henson agreed. "He was a man on a
mission."

Penn also contributed at the plate with a two-run triple in the 6th inning.

Freshman Jeff Woods gave Santana (13-13, 6-4) a 1-0 lead with a two-out RBI
single in the first inning. Jesse Leon's squeeze bunt with the bases loaded
gave the Sultans a 2-0 edge in the fourth inning.

"That play right there was typical of the way we played," Vickery said. "We
thought they were going to squeeze, so we had a pick-off play called at third
base, and our guy missed the sign."

By losing, El Capitan (19-8, 5-4) fell out of San Diego County's Top 10 poll,
and more importantly, allowed idle Grossmont to officially claim the
Grossmont North League championship outright.

VALHALLA 10, MOUNT MIGUEL 7 - Most guys in David Dennis' situation would be
reduced to a cheerleader's role. Permanent bench duty. Pine City Station.

You see, the senior first baseman has a fractured right hand. That would be
hard to convince those playing against Dennis, as the 6-foot-2, 220-pound
slugger is riding an 8-game hitting streak, which he extended with his 7th
home run - a two-run shot that gave the Norsemen a 4-3 edge in the second
inning of Monday's (May 6) Grossmont South League victory over visiting Mount
Miguel.

Despite the injury to his glove hand, Dennis has lifted his batting average
to .438 (39-for-89).

"He is so focused on his senior year that he vows that nothing is going to
stop him," Valhalla coach Steve Perdue said. "The maturity, the growth he's
had between his junior and senior years is just incredible."

Dennis' injury occurred when he was hit on the right hand by a pitch thrown
by Monte Vista's Mike McDole on April 29.

"It was a running fastball in on his hands," Perdue recalled. "It was just
one of those things, nothing intentional."

After the game when Dennis reported to the hospital following a 3-for-4, 4
RBI hitting effort against the Monarchs, doctors talked in terms of placing
the injured hand in a cast.

Dennis balked at the idea, but left the hospital with a soft cast on his
injured limb.

"There is no question he has a fracture on the top of his hand," Perdue said.
"It needs to be in a cast, but David doesn't want to miss the rest of his
senior year with a cast on. But, as his coach, I don't want to take any
chances of hurting the kid. His mother and the doctors have cleared him to
play, and that's why he's still in the lineup."

Two days after he was fitted with the soft cast, Dennis removed the
protective devise.

"That's how bad he wants to play," Perdue said.

During his current hitting streak, Dennis is batting at a .531 (17-for-32)
clip.

Nevertheless, the Norsemen (14-13, 6-4) have been all but eliminated from the
Grossmont South League race.

"We came into this week knowing we had to win at least two out of three to
have a decent shot at making the playoffs," Perdue said. "That means we have
to get at least a split of these last two games (Granite Hills on Wednesday
and Monte Vista on Friday)."

Valhalla took a firm grip over Mount Miguel in the third inning, scoring
three runs on an RBI single by Drew Garcia and a 2-run single by Claye
Cantwell for an 8-4 advantage.

Garrett Allyn limited Mount Miguel to one run and 4 hits over 3 1/3 innings
of relief to secure his second win in as many decisions. Sean O'Sullivan,
primarily a starter, pitched the final 2 innings in relief.

Yarinn Gonzalez continued his torrid hitting for the Matadors (6-19, 2-7)
with a pair of doubles, a single and two RBI in four at-bats. In his last
four starts, the senior infielder is 9-for-17 with two home runs, 5 runs
scored and 7 RBI.

Nick Balsley has also been a major offensive influence for Mount Miguel of
late with 7 hits in his last 13 at-bats.

WEST HILLS 3, EL CAJON VALLEY 1 - Sophomore Matt Luna, whose pitching
endeavors had been limited to five brief relief stints for the Wolf Pack this
season, turned his first varsity start into one of those ESPN Moments as West
Hills edged visiting El Cajon Valley in a Grossmont North League game on
Monday (May 6.).

The 5-foot-9, 160-pound right-hander pitched a complete-game 1-hitter,
striking out 8 while walking only one. Luna permitted only three El Cajon
Valley base runners.

Oscar Ochoa's double off the center field fence in the 3rd inning was the
only hit for the Braves (7-20, 0-10). Unfortunately for Luna, Milad Isho was
on base due to West Hills' only error of the game. Isho was able to sprint
from first to home on Ochoa's blast to give El Cajon Valley a 1-0 edge.

Luna was also a force with the bat. In the 4th inning, he singled, stole
second and scored on Lalo Roberti's double to left-center. After advancing to
third on a wild pitch, Roberti scored what proved to be the winning run on
Greg Field's single up the middle.

An infield single by Luna keyed the final West Hills' rally in the 6th. Clay
Coulter extended his hitting streak to 12 games with an RBI double, cashing
in Luna with an insurance run.

GRANITE HILLS 8, MONTE VISTA 4 - The Eagles reduced their "Magic Number" to
one Monday (May 6) as they used a 7-run second inning to help them clinch at
least a tie for their third Grossmont South League championship in five years.

In other words, any combination of Granite Hills victories, or Valhalla
losses, adding up to one will wrap up the title for the Eagles.

Granite Hills (15-9, 8-1), which won its eighth straight and second in three
meetings against Monte Vista, hosts second place Valhalla on Wednesday (May
8). A victory over the Norsemen will give the Eagles exclusive rights to the
league title.

For the first time in nearly a month, the Eagles saw their defense crumble.
Six errors, more than Granite Hills had totaled in its previous five games
combined, nearly led to its undoing.

"We played our ugliest winning game of the league season," Granite Hills
coach James Davis said.

Strong pitching by James Sinkes - a complete-game 5-hitter where he allowed
only 2 earned runs and struck out 9 - helped the Eagles overcome their shoddy
fielding.

"He didn't have his best stuff, but he gave it a pretty gutsy effort," Davis
said. "We pushed him to the limit."

The Monarchs (11-16, 4-6) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Kellen Ellis
singled, took second of the first of his three steals and scored on Chris Van
Story's double.

It was all Granite Hills after that. Sophomore Kevin James clubbed a 2-run
home run and Luke McRoberts drilled a 2-run double to highlight the Eagles'
7-spot in the second.

John Coit was 3-for-4 in the Granite Hills leadoff spot.
(05-06-02)

Walston ties Daigle for conference season HR record
Matadors fate at most bodacious San Dimas decided late, early

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - In what could be a preview of the San Diego CIF Division II
championship, host El Capitan and Eastlake divided a non-league doubleheader
on Saturday (May 4). The Vaqueros won the opener 15-5, as Chris Walston tied
the Grossmont Conference single season home run record, while the Titans
rebounded to take the nightcap 14-10 in eight innings.

The Vaqueros (19-7), who are ranked 9th overall and No. 3 in Division II,
scored in every inning as they toppled the Titans in Game 1. Seven of El
Capitan's 16 hits in the opener went for extra bases, including Walston's
17th home run, which tied the conference record set by Monte Vista's Leo
Daigle in 1997.

Walston, just two short of the SDCIF record set by Rancho Bernardo's Danny
Putnam last year, launched a 3-run shot during a 5-run second inning as the
Vaqueros took a 6-1 lead over Eastlake. Walston also had a triple, and
finished the game 2-for-3 with 4 RBI.

El Capitan put the game away with 4 runs in the 6th inning. Kyle Phillips
helped put the lock on the victory with a 2-run homer - his 9th of the year.

Seven Vaqueros enjoyed a multiple-hit game at the expense of three Eastlake
pitchers. Justin Snyder was 3-for-5 with a double, 2 runs scored and 2 RBI.
Brandon Rauch was also 3-for-5 with a double, 3 runs scored and one RBI.

Jason Guzman labored through 5 1/3 innings to record his 5th win in seven
decisions. He gave up 9 hits, 5 runs, 5 walks and struck out 6. Nick Reagan
came on in relief to slam the door, permitting only one hit and no runs while
striking out 3.

Vern Wengeler, promoted from the El Capitan junior varsity, was 2-for-3 with
a double and an RBI in Game 1, and 1-for-3 with a run scored in the nightcap.

The No. 6-ranked Titans fell behind 6-0 after one inning of the second game,
but four El Capitan pitchers failed to protect the early advantage.

"Can you believe, we're up by a touchdown after one inning, and we can't hold
lead," El Capitan skipper Steve Vickery said.

Actually, the Vaqueros eventually fell behind 10-7, but rebounded to tie the
contest on Rauch's 9th home run with two men aboard in the bottom of the 6th.

The Titans, however, put the game away on Eddie Solis' grand slam in the 8th
inning.

"The best thing about this double-header is we had a chance to play quality
competition for 15 innings," Vickery said. "We knew we had to get at least a
split, but we had an opportunity to win two. When you score 10 runs (in the
second game), you should be able to win the ballgame.

"Our pitching has not been able to prevent the big inning. It's been
inconsistent. We don't have anybody stepping up to be the No. 1 guy."

Rauch finished the twinbill 6-for-10 with 3 extra base hits, 4 RBI and 6 runs
scored. Phillips was 5-for-7 with a home run, 2 doubles and 4 RBI, while
Snyder was 5-for-10 in the leadoff spot. Kyle Wells finished the day 3-for-5
with 4 RBI and a pair of doubles. Catcher Jordan Abruzzo was 3-for-9 with a
double, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

SAN DIMAS 9, MOUNT MIGUEL 3 - Coach Ernie Reyes took his Matadors north on
Saturday (May 4) to face the San Dimas Saints, coached by his former Azusa
Pacific University teammate Mike Regan.

The Saints jumped out to an 8-0 lead after four innings, leaving the Matadors
to play catch-up. Mount Miguel managed to tie San Dimas 7-7 - only that was
in hits, rather than runs. But five errors led to the Matadors downfall.

Yarinn Gonzalez was 3-for-4 with a double and 2 RBI for Mount Miguel, which
also received a 2-for-3 effort - including a double and one RBI - from Nick
Balsley.

Mike McLaughlin saw his 13-game hitting streak end as he went 0-for-3 against
the Saints. His luck wasn't much better on the mound, as he surrendered 8
runs - five of which were unearned - during a five-inning stint.

SAN DIMAS 11, MOUNT MIGUEL 2 - It was more of the same for the Matadors
(6-18) in the second game of Saturday's (May 4) doubleheader at San Dimas.

The Saints snapped a 1-1 tie with 5 runs off Matador starter Joey Street in
the bottom of the 3rd inning.

Yarinn Gonzalez drove in both Mount Miguel runs, the first coming on a solo
home run in the 3rd inning.

Nick Balsley also had 2 hits, as did Nathan Ga for the Matadors.
(05-04-02)


(05-04-02)

Highlanders get nod over nemesis Norsemen

EastCountySports.com staff report

LA MESA - When it comes to close encounters, no East County teams know more
about the frustration that results from coming up a run short than the Helix
Highlanders and the Valhalla Norsemen. As one might expect, when those two
clubs locked horns in a Grossmont South League encounter Friday (May 3) at
Helix, the outcome was decided by a single run.

HELIX 4, VALHALLA 3 - Back-to-back home runs by Ryan Philben and Aaron Bailey
in the 4th inning helped the Highlanders wipe out a 2-0 deficit, and Brent
Degen's RBI single in the 5th gave Helix a lead it wouldn't lose.

Ironically, it was a weak ground ball to shortstop off Philben's bat with the
bases loaded in the 5th inning that proved to be the difference in the game.
That slow roller allowed Brian Ricard to sprint home from third base, giving
Helix a 4-2 advantage.

The Norsemen (13-13, 5-4) cut the deficit to 4-3 on Kyle Howard's RBI single
in the 6th. The Valhalla offense stalled after that and the Norsemen were
saddled with their sixth one-run loss of the season.

"It's feels good to finally win a one-run ballgame," said Helix coach Cole
Holland after his club - which is 4-4 in one-run decisions - snapped a
4-game losing streak. "These are the kind of games we have to win."

Holland was relieved that Valhalla's Howard - a Highlanders' nemesis - did
not beat his club again.

"That guy owns us," Holland said of Howard, who is 6-for-8 with 3 RBI this
season. "It doesn't matter what pitch we throw, the guy hits it. He hits
everything to the right side and it always finds a hole."

Valhalla coach Steve Perdue was disappointed, but not dismayed by his club's
latest loss - 7 of which have come by 3 runs or less.

"These kids don't quit and I'm proud of them for that," he said. "They could
have folded a long time ago, but that hasn't been the case. I think we'll
make it to the playoffs, but we need to win two of our last three games."
Norseman senior David Dennis, playing with a broken right hand the past two
games, extended his hitting streak to 7 games with a single and a double
against Helix. He is 16-for-28 with 15 RBI over that span.

GROSSMONT 9, WEST HILLS 3 - The streaking Foothillers strolled to their
14th-straight victory and clinched at least a tie for the Grossmont North
League pennant Friday (May 3) as they disposed of the visiting Wolf Pack for
the fourth time this season.

Senior right-hander Adam Karlsgodt, who has taken to pitching like a polo
player does to water, logged his fourth victory without a loss. The
submariner scattered 8 hits and allowed 3 runs en route to the first complete
game of his career.

"Adam is by far our most improved player," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips said.
"He was a JV pitcher last year and never played before that. And now, he's
come up to the varsity to get us 4 wins and 2 saves.

"All we were for hoping for this time (Friday) is Adam could go deep into the
game. But he keeps on amazing us, and goes the whole way. Talk about a plus,
this guy has been a pleasant surprise and more."

Ben Coon carried the offensive banner for Grossmont (20-6, 9-0), accounting
for 6 runs with a 3-for-4 effort that included his 7th home run. His 2-run
homer with Mark Dobbins aboard, broke a 2-2 tie in the 3rd inning.

An RBI single by USD-bound Trevor Pike pushed Grossmont's advantage to 5-2 in
the 4th .

Grossmont's Brant Rustich stretched his hitting streak to 13 games with a
pair of singles, a run scored and one RBI. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound junior was
also on the front end of a double steal in a 3-run 5th inning that hiked the
Hillers' lead to 8-2.

Justin Baum, starting at third base in place of injured Chris Fransway, was
2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

West Hills leadoff man Jeff Perine put together another fine effort of
2-for-4 with two steals. In his last two games, the senior shortstop has 5
hits, 5 steals, 2 RBI and 3 runs in 9 at-bats.

Wolf Pack junior Clay Coulter extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a
pair of singles in three trips against Karlsgodt.

Matt Luna was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI for the Pack (6-18, 3-6).

SANTANA 13, EL CAJON VALLEY 2 - Sophomore Shane Kaufman notched his first
varsity victory Friday (May 3) to keep the Sultans (12-13, 5-4) in third
place, just one-half game behind second-place El Capitan in the Grossmont
North League race.

Kaufman allowed only 2 runs and 5 hits while striking out 6 and walking none
during a five-inning stint that balanced his ledger at 1-1. It was a far cry
from the rocky introduction he endured earlier in the season.

Kaufman was clobbered in his first three varsity appearances - surrendering
11 earned runs for a 77.0 ERA. Following that disheartening start, the
5-foot-11, 145-pound Kaufman worked 8 1/3 innings without allowing a run
leading up to Friday's victory celebration at El Cajon Valley.

Paul Cabading and Hayden Penn each pitched one shutout inning of relief to
preserve the victory for Kaufman.

Ryan Howard paced the Sultans on the offensive end, going 3-for-3 with two
RBI and three runs scored. He gave Santana the early lead with a two-run
single in the first inning.

An RBI single by Jesse Leon and Cabading's run-scoring double gave Santana a
5-1 edge in the second inning.

El Cajon Valley's Oscar Ochoa ripped a fly ball over the center fielder's
head in the first inning and turned it into an inside-the-park home run - his
6th round-tripper of the year.

Ochoa accounted for the Braves' second run in the third frame as he singled,
stole second and raced home on Kyle Whisenhunt's base hit. That cut the
Sultans' advantage to 5-2, but El Cajon Valley's offense fizzled the
remainder of the way.
-
MONTE VISTA 11, MOUNT MIGUEL 9 - The Monarchs were sitting on an 8-0 lead
after 3 1/2 innings, but needed some nifty relief pitching from senior Chris
Van Story to escape with the Grossmont South League victory Friday (May 3) at
Mount Miguel.

Van Story made major contributions with the bat, too, driving in two runs
with a pair of hits in four at-bats.

Kellen Ellis also carried a big stick, as he went 4-for-5 with 3 RBI and 2
runs scored for Monte Vista (11-15, 4-5). He singled and scored on Chris
Anderson's single in the first inning.

Ellis delivered an RBI single in Monte Vista's 5-run 3rd inning, plated
another marker in the 5th with a base hit and doubled in a run in the 7th.

Mike McLaughlin was 3-for-3 with an RBI for Mount Miguel (6-16, 2-6). Yarinn
Gonzalez rifled a solo home run and Eddie Gonzales smacked an RBI triple for
the Matadors.
(05-03-02/Rev. 5-4-02)

Patriots complete sweep of teams from old conference

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - The five Harbor League teams are probably glad to note that
10th-ranked Christian High won't be picking on them anymore this year. Coach
Mike Mitchell's Eastern League-leading Patriots completed a clean-sweep of
the Harbor League quintet with the taming of the visiting Crawford Colts 7-0
on Thursday (May 2).

The Patriots (21-4, 9-0) boat-raced the Harbor squads by a composite 51-7
score, and did so while making wholesale substitutions.

Junior left-hander Brian Schroeder needed only 83 pitches to author a 2-hit
shutout, which yielded his San Diego County-leading 9th victory. He threw 54
strikes, recording 12 strikeouts for his effort. He leads county pitchers
with 115 strikeouts in 69 1/3 innings. Eight of Schroeder's 12 starts have
resulted in complete games.

Christian third baseman Nick Laughter continued his hitting tear, driving in
two runs with a double in the first inning. He has six hits and 11 RBI in 9
at-bats this week.

Josh Paddock extended his hitting streak to six games with a 3-for-3 effort
against Crawford. Included in his totals was a two-run home run in the 3rd
inning that padded the Patriots' cushion to 5-0. Paddock is 11-for-17 (.648)
with 7 runs and 7 RBI during his current streak.

Christian, which has won nine in a row and 11 of 12, can clinch the Eastern
League championship with a victory over Patrick Henry (14-9, 6-2) on Tuesday
(May 7). Henry is also coming off a five-game sweep of the Harbor League in
the Eastern/Harbor Crossover tournament. That match-up begins at Christian at
3 p.m.

WEST HILLS 9, EL CAJON VALLEY 1 - Chris Hufft, who posted 4 pitching
victories as a sophomore, finished in the winner's circle for the first time
this season on Thursday (May 2) when he and reliever Rusty Brazwell combined
to throw a 3-hitter at host El Cajon Valley in a Grossmont North League
makeup game.

Hufft limited the Braves to 2 hits and an unearned run in the first inning
during a 5-inning stint - his longest of the season. He struck out 4 before
Brazwell blanked the Braves (7-18, 0-8) on one hit over the final two frames.

Shortstop Jeff Perine went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases and had a hand in
three West Hills rallies. He singled, stole second and scored on Clay
Coulter's double in the first inning. Perine doubled and scored on Lalo
Roberti's base hit in the 4th inning and capped his efforts with a two-run
single in the 5th.

Coulter stretched his personal hitting streak to 10 games with a single,
double and triple against the Braves.

The Wolf Pack (6-17, 3-5) pounded out 15 hits against two El Cajon Valley
pitchers. First baseman Greg Field was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while
Dustin Beechler was 2-for-4 with 2 runs and an RBI double.

Oscar Ochoa collected one of the Braves' three hits and struck out 7 West
Hills batters during his 5 innings on the mound. Reliever Jesse Ortiz fanned
4 in two innings.

Kyle Whisenhunt and Albert Armendariz accounted for El Cajon Valley's other
two hits.
(05-02-02)

Rustich settles in to lead Hillers to 13th-straight win

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - By rights, Grossmont High's Brant Rustich could have been rattled
when Santana's Hayden Penn touched him up for a home run in the top of the
first inning of Thursday's (May 1) Grossmont North League game at Joe Gizoni
Field.

To the contrary, however, Rustich rolled his pitching record to 7-1 while
extending his hitting streak to 12 games with a first-inning single and an
RBI double in the third as the league-leading Foothillers (19-6, 8-0)
smothered the Sultans 10-2 for their 13th positive verdict in a row.

Nevertheless, Penn did his darndest to make life miserable for Rustich. The
Sultans' third baseman, known more for his power pitching than his power
hitting, broke a 1-1 tie when he punched his second circuit drive over the
right-center field fence in the third inning.

Other than Penn, though, none of the Sultans raised much of a ruckus as
Rustich rustled up a complete-game 6-hitter.

An error in the bottom of the 3rd inning helped jumpstart the Grossmont
offense. After Trevor Pike reached base on the Santana boot, Mark Dobbins
walked and Ben Coon singled to knot the score at 2-2. Rustich doubled into
the left-center field gap to plate Dobbins with what proved to be the winning
run. Later in the inning, Rustich was involved in a double steal with Jerad
Norris that enabled Grossmont to extend its advantage to 5-2.

Dobbins supplied the crowning blow with his 10th home run - a 2-run shot - in
the fourth inning that handed the Hillers a 7-2 cushion.

EL CAPITAN 21, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 - Chris Walston blasted his 15th and 16th
home runs of the season to help the visiting Vaqueros vanquish hapless El
Cajon Valley in Thursday's (May 1) Grossmont North League contest.

Walston's circuit clouts - a two-run shot in the second inning and a
three-run blast in the 6th - make him the most prolific home run hitter in El
Capitan history, breaking the mark of 14 set by Kevin Nulton in 1999.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Walston is one home run shy of the Grossmont
Conference record set by Monte Vista's Leo Daigle (1997), and three off the
San Diego CIF mark of 19 set by Rancho Bernardo's Danny Putnam a year ago.

This game was the mismatch one might expect from a vengeful band of Vaqueros
(18-6, 5-3), who were grounded by Grossmont 12-2 on Tuesday, thus ending any
Grossmont North League title hopes the Vaqueros might have held.

"The main thing for us is to gain some momentum for the (SDCIF Division II)
playoffs," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "Climbing back up into the
saddle after the loss to Grossmont is a good start."

While the Vaqueros riddled El Cajon Valley pitching for 22 hits, including a
three-run home run by Kyle Phillips, Vickery believes El Capitan's playoff
seeding hinges on Saturday's (May 4) double-header against Eastlake at noon
in Lakeside.

Junior catcher Jordan Abruzzo, who is hitting from the left side of the plate
for the first time this season, was 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI.
Abruzzo is batting at a .512 clip from the left side of the dish.

"Talk about a duck to water, this guy is a quick learner," Vickery said of
Abruzzo.

Ray Neder came off the El Cap bench to go 3-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of
runs.

While the focus of the Vaqueros' visit to El Cajon Valley's well-manicured
pristine lawn was the offensive onslaught on a quartet of Braves' pitchers,
Vickery also pointed out the fine work of 6-foot-4 El Capitan sophomore
pitcher Nick Reagan (4-1), who spun a 3-hit shutout.

GRANITE HILLS 16, MOUNT MIGUEL 1 - The Eagles (14-9, 7-1) won their 7th
straight on Thursday (May 1) to all but mathematically eliminate three of
their four Grossmont South League rivals. Only idle Valhalla - at two games
back with four to play - remains a viable contender.

The Matadors put up a brief challenge to the high-flying Eagles when Mike
McLaughlin doubled in Nathan Ga, who drew a two-out walk in the 1st inning.

After that, however, Granite Hills right-hander James Sinkes (3-4) pulled the
plug on the Matadors (6-15, 2-5), spinning a 2-hitter as he rolled to his
third straight win.

Sinkes retired eight Matadors in a row before hitting McLaughlin with one out
in the 4th. Dane Ponciano followed with a single and Armond Piligrino drew a
two-out walk to load the bases. But once again, Sinkes gained a toe-hold,
escaping the threat and concluding the game by setting down the final 10
batters in succession.

The Eagles erased the early Mount Miguel lead with 3 runs in the second
inning when Matadors' starter Joey Street had trouble finding the plate.
Sinkes launched the comeback with a single, and wound up the lead man with
the bases loaded after Andy Roberts reached on an error and Jeremy Clark
walked. After Sean Pepin singled in Sinkes to tie it 1-1, Street hit John
Coit to force in a run and then hit Chad Williams with a pitch to make it 3-1.

RBI singles by Clark and Pepin made it 5-1 in the third.

Williams, who was hit by a pitch in his first two times at-bat and walked in
his third trip to the plate, ripped a 2-run single in the 5th inning and
slammed his seventh home run leading off the 7th inning. He totaled 4 RBI on
the day.

Granite Hills' Josh Claret was 3-for-4 at the plate, and came on in relief of
Sinkes to strike out the side in the bottom of the 7th .

MONTE VISTA 4, HELIX 3 - In a survival-of-the-fittest Grossmont South
League encounter, the Monarchs handed the Highlanders' their fourth one-run
defeat of the season on Thursday (May 1) in La Mesa.

Monte Vista (10-15, 3-5) rallied from a 2-1 deficit on RBI singles by winning
pitcher Ward Minich and Jeff Alexander in the 5th inning.

The Monarchs tacked on a most valuable insurance run in the 7th as Chris Van
Story singled, pinch hitter Alex Barajas walked and Alexander produced his
second RBI single.

Helix (10-12-1, 2-5), making one final charge, had Rick Ledesma at first (hit
by a pitch) with two outs in the bottom of the 7th. Brent Degen singled to
put the tying runs on base. A Monte Vista error on Ryan Philben's ground
ball to shortstop prolonged the game and allowed Ledesma to score. But Minich
(2-1), who went the distance on the mound, coaxed a game-ending pop up to
secure the victory for the Monarchs.
Minich had the Highlanders eating out of his glove, as he allowed only four
hits. One was Larry Pierce's 4th home run of the year which tied the game 1-1
in the second inning. Degen accounted for two of the remaining three hits off
the Monarchs' senior right-hander.

CHRISTIAN 9, HOOVER 1 - Daniel Magness is catching up in a hurry. After
missing the first two-thirds of the season with a shoulder injury, the
6-foot-3, 205-pound junior left-hander has won five games in three weeks.

Winning in style, too. Magness has whittled his ERA down to 1.05 over 26 2/3
innings while recording a 35-to-5 strikeouts-to-walks ratio - in other words,
for every guy he walks, he strikes out seven. Now, that's impressive,
especially for a guy one might expect to be rusty from two months of pitching
inactivity.

In his latest effort, Magness struck out 7, scattered 8 hits and did not
allow an earned run over 6 2/3 innings as Christian (20-4, 8-0) clipped the
Cardinals (7-14) on Thursday (May 1) in an Eastern/Harbor Crossover contest.
It was Christian's eighth straight victory.

Nick Laughter (2-for-3) drove in four runs to pace the Eastern League-leading
Patriots. The senior third baseman is 5-for-6 with 9 RBI and 5 runs scored in
his last two outings.

Laughter's first-inning single scored Magness (walk) for a 1-0 lead that held
up until the 5th inning when he extended Christian's advantage to 3-0 with a
two-run double. Laughter scored the fourth run on Josh Paddock's single.

Christian broke the game open with 5 runs in the 7th.
(05-01-02)

Patriots take batting practice against Hornets

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - A mismatch to be sure, but not a pretty sight in anyone's eyes
was Tuesday's (April 30) Eastern/Harbor leagues crossover match up between
the hapless Hornets of Lincoln and Christian High, the No. 10 ranked team in
San Diego County.

Lincoln, which has to practice on a Little League field and is unable to take
regular batting practice, limped into town and was handed a 22-0 shellacking
for its 17th loss in as many starts.

Christian coach Mike Mitchell shuffled his lineup from the get-go, providing
extensive playing time for everybody in uniform. Twelve Patriots contributed
to a 20-hit attack, seven of them garnering multi-hit games.

"It was like taking batting practice against somebody else's pitchers,"
Mitchell said. "We could have scored 40 runs the way things were going. But
we started taking one base at a time by the third inning."

Nick Laughter, who wasn't in the starting lineup, went 3-for-3 with a grand
slam, a double and 5 RBI for the Eastern League-leading Patriots (19-4, 7-0).
Travis Conrad clubbed his first home run and finished 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.
Chris Denhart was 2-for-3 with a triple and 3 RBI.

Five Christian pitchers took a turn on the mound, with Magness being awarded
his fourth win with two shutout innings.

Lincoln, which saw four pitchers add a dozen walks to the Patriots' offensive
bounty, generated just 3 hits.

"I'll say this for them - they played hard from start to finish," Mitchell
said. "On the final out of the game, one of their guys made a head-first
slide in an attempt to beat a throw at first base. You have to admire their
spirit."
(04-30-02)

Coon helps Grossmont extend win streak to 12 games

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Grossmont's Ben Coon showed the El Capitan Vaqueros how good he
can be when he gets a little rest between pitching appearances. Refreshed
from a week-long break, the Foothillers' senior southpaw stunned the Vaqueros
with a suffocating 3-hitter on Monday (April 29) as visiting Grossmont
clubbed El Capitan 12-2 to all but assure itself of a Grossmont North League
championship.

Cuffed around for 8 runs and 8 hits by the Vaqueros in an earlier game won by
the Foothillers 10-8, Coon took a superior toe-hold in round two. Squaring
off against an El Capitan ballclub that boasts a .389 team batting average,
Coon cut down 15 Vaqueros in succession after Justin Snyder's opposite field
single in the opening frame.

While the Vaqueros (17-6, 4-3) were going belly-up for Coon, Grossmont (18-6,
7-0) was roughing up previously unbeaten Scott Boller en route to its 12th
straight victory.

It was Coon, in fact, who led the offensive charge for the Foothillers,
driving in 6 runs with a grand slam, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.

"That was Ben's best all-around game of the year," Grossmont coach Rob
Phillips said.

While Coon obviously had a major offensive impact on the outcome, Phillips
was most impressed by his pitching.

"To me, that's the most imposing lineup 1-through-9 he'll face all year," the
Hillers' coach said.

Grossmont provided Coon with a lead before he delivered his first pitch.
Aaron Garcia walked, stole second and scored on Trevor Pike's double. One out
later, Coon cashed in Pike with a base hit for a 2-0 first-inning advantage.

A throwing error by Boller set the stage for Grossmont's 5-run burst in the
5th inning. Three walks, a fielder's choice and Pike's sacrifice fly extended
Grossmont's edge to 3-0. Coon's line-drive home run with the bases loaded
was the first of 2 hits in the fifth frame.

The Vaqueros would probably have been saddled with their second shutout loss
of the year had it not been for two Grossmont errors in the 7th inning.

"When (Coon) isn't throwing 10 innings a week he has a little more zip on his
fastball," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "And that helps make his
off-speed stuff more dramatic."

Even the most steady of El Capitan's hitters were staggered by Coon. Reliable
Jordan Abuzzo saw his 10-game hitting streak come to an end, while Kyle
Phillips, who had hit safely in 11 of his previous 12 games, went 0-for-3.

"Coon isn't flashy, but he's one of the best when he's fresh like he was
against us today," Vickery acknowledged.

VALHALLA 13, MONTE VISTA 0 - Any doubt as to who is the ace of the Valhalla
pitching stable was cleared up by freshman right-hander Sean O'Sullivan in
the Grossmont South League rout of the Monarchs Monday (April 29) in Spring
Valley.

While the Valhalla bats were peppering a trio of Monte Vista pitchers for 15
hits, O'Sullivan was executing an impressive 1-hit shutout. Only two Monarchs
reached base against O'Sullivan, who gave up a double to Chris Van Story in
the 2nd inning and plunked designated hitter Alex Barajas with a pitch in the
5th.

"Sean works fast and throws strikes," Valhalla coach Steve Perdue said of
O'Sullivan, who needed only 67 pitches to roll his varsity record to 4-3
while lowering his ERA to 2.82 over 49.2 innings.

Pitchers with those qualities tend to receive more defensive support than
those who fidget on the mound and go deep in the count to every hitter, thus
causing some of their fielders to lose concentration.

"There is definitely a correlation, no question about it," Perdue said. "Our
defense played huge (error-free) behind Sean today."

It was not a case of O'Sullivan just raring back and firing the ball at the
catcher's mitt. He moved the ball around, made the Monarchs do some guessing.

"He's legit - a kid with a gift who has the know-how and work-ethic to use
it," said Monte Vista coach said Steve Dolias, who played three seasons of
professional baseball. "He has a nice combination of good mechanics and
confidence. You can tell he's been taught how to play the game. He's not
afraid out there. He's a big impact player, one of those kids who comes
along only every 3-to-4 years. Like a Joey Metropoulos (a Monte Vista grad
now at USC) or a Leo Daigle (a former Monarch, now in the Detroit Tigers'
minor league system)."

Senior David Dennis supplied the offensive leadership for the Norsemen
(13-12, 5-3), driving in 4 runs with a double and a pair of singles. Andrew
Jezierski was 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored, while Kyle Howard and Claye
Cantwell were a composite 3-for-5 with 6 runs scored.

SANTANA 6, WEST HILLS 2 - Santana had so many reasons to celebrate that
the visiting Wolf Pack had no way to defuse the Sultans' emotional edge in
Monday's (April 29) Grossmont North League encounter between Santee rivals.

Santana coach Jerry Henson and his wife Catherine were celebrating their 35th
wedding anniversary. The Sultans also had two birthday boys in senior
shortstop Paul Cabading and freshman starting pitcher Jeff Woods.

"If you can't win a game with an edge like that, you're in trouble," Henson
laughed. "Something good has to happen when you have all that going for you."

Santana's goodness began with Woods, a 5-foot-11, 170-pound right-hander who
rationed the Wolf Pack (5-17, 2-5) to two hits, while striking out 3 and
walking 3.

"The key was his ability to consistently throw his breaking ball for
strikes," Henson said of Woods (2-0).

Santana's Nick Caraveo and Hayden Penn punched out 3 hits apiece for the
Sultans (11-12, 4-3), who are three games behind front-running Grossmont in
the Grossmont North League race.

Caraveo doubled and scored on Woods' single to give Santana a 1-0 lead in
the 2nd inning. The Pack fought back to take a 2-1 edge on Clay Coulter's
two-run single in the 5th inning.

However, West Hills starter Dave Adams could not hold that lead as Santana
stormed back for 4 runs in the bottom of the 5th. Penn doubled, Ryan Howard
walked and Tommy Wiley was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Penn scored on a
wild pitch to tie it 2-2 and then Caraveo doubled to left center to give the
Sultans the lead for keeps.

GRANITE HILLS 2, HELIX 1 - Casey Craig's walk-off home run in the bottom
of the 7th inning Monday (April 29) spoiled an otherwise brilliant pitching
performance by Helix's Robert Stevens as the Eagles (13-9, 6-2) won their 6th
straight game.

"Like Yogi (Berra) says, it was like déjà vu all over again," an elated
Granite Hills coach James Davis said, referring to a similar Eagles' victory
over Helix a year ago. "Last year it was Jared Birrenkott who hit the
walk-off shot, only he did it on the first pitch."

Craig's game-winning blast came on Stevens' second pitch in the 7th inning.

"Robert threw only 69 pitches in six innings," Helix coach Cole Holland said.
"They beat him on his second pitch of the 7th, and even that wasn't a bad
pitch. He might have gotten too much of the plate with it, but it wasn't up.

"We're just a frustrated baseball team right now."

It was the fourth straight loss for the Highlanders (10-11-1, 2-4) and their
second setback in two meetings with Grossmont South League-leading Granite
Hills.

Brent Degen gave Helix a promising start when he drilled a first-inning home
run off Granite Hills starter Ryan Jones. But Jones regained his poise and
gave up only 3 hits and 5 walks in 4 1/3 innings before Weston Scott took
over with two runners on in the 5th inning.

"Ryan gave me everything I asked of him, which was to keep us in the game and
give us a chance to win," Davis said.

Scott immediately put out the fire by recording back-to-back strikeouts in
the 5th. Fact is, he permitted only one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings and
was rewarded with his 5th straight win when Craig closed the curtain with his
third homer of the campaign.

Scott served up a lead-off double to Aaron Bailey in the 6th, but retired the
ensuing three batters to quell the threat.

Brian Ricard opened the 7th inning with a walk and moved to second on a
passed ball with nobody out. Once again, Scott dealt frustration to the
Highlanders.

Granite Hills, which totaled only 3 hits off Stevens, tied the game 1-1 on
Josh Claret's RBI double in the 2nd inning.

"Stevens gave us next to nothing," Davis admitted. "He's sneaky fast - a
short-armer who gets the ball on you before you know what's going on."
(04-29-02)

Vaqs' bats come through in late innings against Sultans

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Power pitcher Hayden Penn and the Santana Sultans were closing in
on a victory that would all but eliminate the heavy-hitting El Capitan
Vaqueros from the Grossmont North League pennant race Saturday afternoon
(April 27). Penn and Co. were sitting on a 6-2 advantage with one out in the
bottom of the 6th inning. That's when the roof collapsed for the upset-minded
Sultans.

Center fielder Brett Stephens, known more for his contributions to El
Capitan's championship basketball team, keyed a 5-run sixth inning with a
3-run double to vault the Vaqueros to a come-from-behind 7-6 victory.

"You have to give credit to the bottom of our batting order," El Capitan
coach Steve Vickery said. "Not so much because they compiled numbers in bulk,
but for coming up with the key hits."

El Capitan's Brandon Rauch, who saw his 14-game hitting streak end, struck
out to begin the 6th inning. Kyle Phillips, who was 3-for-4, pounded a Penn
fastball for his second opposite field double off the left field fence. Chris
Walston followed with a line shot up the middle, leaving runners at the
corners. Reliable Jordan Abruzzo then doubled to right-center to score
Phillips. Jordan Anderson sprayed a flare into center field, scoring
Walston. Ray Neder drew a walk to load the bases with El Cap trailing 6-4.

That brought Santana skipper Jerry Henson to the mound.

"In hindsight, I probably should have pulled (Penn)," Henson said. "I went
out to the mound with the intention of making a change. But he talked me out
of it. He's my ace. He told me he wanted to stay in."

Up stepped Stephens to center stage. Penn immediate took control of the
situation, jumping ahead in the count at 0-2.

"Our team batting average with two strikes is .268," Vickery noted. "That
tells me our kids are good at making adjustments."

Henson noted that Penn had thrown only 103 pitches, so risking injury was not
a factor in the manager's decision.

The problem - in Santana's eyes - was Penn piped an 0-2 change-up right down
the middle to Stephens, who reacted accordingly.

"It was belt-buckle high," Henson lamented. "He (Stephens) crushed it - hit a
line drive that landed on the bank."

Jason Guzman (4-2) turned in a complete-game pitching effort for El Capitan
(17-5, 4-2), which is in desperate need of a victory when the Vaqueros host
Grossmont North League-leading Grossmont at 4 p.m. on Monday (April 29).

Santana's Jesse Leon, who opened the game with a home run, was 4-for-4 for
the Sultans (10-12, 3-3).

GROSSMONT 7, HELIX 3 - One might think limiting the top four sticks in the
Foothillers' batting order to two hits in 15 at-bats would create a
disastrous ripple - a domino effect - a stumbling block resulting in defeat.

While the visiting Helix Highlanders were able to muzzle a few of the
Foothillers' top guns, Grossmont (17-6) received a boost from some of its
less familiar faces to stretch its winning streak to 11 games with Saturday's
(April 27) non-league triumph.

"When you're on a little bit of a roll and things are going well, somebody
always seems to find a way to make it happen," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips
said.

Justin Baum WAS the bomb for Grossmont when he blasted a grand slam to the
left of the Joe Gizoni Field scoreboard, erasing a 3-2 Helix lead in the 5th
inning.

Mark Dobbins drilled a solo shot - his ninth of the season - for Grossmont's
final run in the 6th inning.

Two of the Foothillers' offensive mainstays - catcher Trevor Pike and
shortstop Aaron Garcia - silenced by Helix pitching on this day, made key
defensive contributions. Pike cut down two would-be base-stealers, while
Garcia used the leather to make what both coaches agreed was the pivotal play
of the game.

Helix (10-10-1) did all of its scoring in the second inning. Brent Degen's
RBI single made it 1-0, and the Highlanders had runners at first and second
with nobody out. Rick Ledesma laced a sharp groundball that had the makings
of being an RBI single before Garcia made a diving stop and turned it into a
double play.

"If Aaron doesn't make that play, Helix would still be hitting," Phillips
said.

"That was the play of the game," Highlanders coach Cole Holland agreed. "If
he doesn't make that play, it's a whole different ballgame."

As it turned out, Joe Scalisi, who moved to the top of the order from the No.
9 spot, slashed a 2-run single to give Helix a 3-0 advantage.

Grossmont retaliated with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Pitcher
Brant Rustich singled and Chris Fransway and Ben Coon walked to load the
bases with nobody out. Jared Norris singled in one run, and a sacrifice fly
by Garcia cut the Helix lead to 3-2.

Junior Ryan Hulbert, making his first varsity pitching appearance for the
Highlanders, might have come away with a victory had it not been for a
one-out error in the 5th inning. By rights, Hulbert should have been back in
the dugout after making 7 pitches if not for the crucial infield miscue.

Instead, the Foothillers went on to load the bases on a two-out single by
Rustich and a walk to Fransway. The spotlight belonged to Baum from there.

Despite the loss, Holland was pleased by Hulbert's pitching debut.

"After the Mount Miguel game on Friday, he told me he wanted the ball against
Grossmont," the coach said of Hulbert. "He did a great job. He gives us
another pitcher who can eat up innings."

Another positive note for Helix is the anticipated return of senior
right-hander Ryan Philben on Tuesday (April 30).

"Not having Philben the past 10 days was like a triple kayo for us," Holland
admitted. "He can pitch, hit and play shortstop or third base. We're not
overloaded at any of those positions, so his absence really hurt."

Philben has been sidelined with a tendon strain in his pitching elbow.

Although this was merely a non-league game, it could have playoff seeding
implications. By winning, Grossmont gained a split of the two-game series
between the San Diego CIF Division II rivals.

VALHALLA 18, MOUNT MIGUEL 7 - Drew Garcia, David Dennis, Chad Peace and
Claye Cantwell combined for 10 RBI as the visiting Norsemen (12-12, 4-3) kept
their Grossmont South League pennant hopes alive Saturday (April 27) with a
lopsided victory over host Mount Miguel.

"It's tough to be chasing," said Valhalla coach Steve Perdue after his
Norsemen (12-12, 4-3) pulled to within 1 1/2 games of the Grossmont South
leader Granite Hills (12-9, 5-1). "But we have to take care of our own
business and not worry about what other teams are doing."

After falling behind 3-1 in the first inning, the Norsemen scrambled back to
take the lead with 4 runs in the second frame. Cantwell's 3-run home run was
the definitive blow.

Dennis, who is 11-for-20 with 10 RBI in his last five starts, pitched in with
one inning of shutout relief. It was Dennis' first pitching performance in
more than a month.

"Dennis deserves a lot of credit," Perdue said. "He is as dangerous a hitter
as there is in our (Grossmont) Conference. And, I still believe that his
future ticket in this game may be on the mound. Having him available to pitch
should help us down the stretch."

Mount Miguel (6-14, 2-4) committed seven errors against Valhalla, which
resulted in a dozen unearned runs.

"We don't seem to play well when we play back-to-back," said Mount Miguel
coach Ernie Reyes, whose Matadors downed Helix on Friday. "For some reason,
this team is too young to create the proper mindset."

Catcher Dane Ponciano was 4-for-4 with two doubles and 4 RBI for Mount
Miguel, which also saw Adrian Perez belt his first varsity home run.
(04-27-02)

Vaqueros sack Pack to give Vickery victory No. 400

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Rain denied El Capitan's Steve Vickery his 400th coaching win
earlier in the week. Clay Coulter and the West Hills Wolf Pack came close to
spoiling the party a second time on Friday (April 26). But the veteran of 23
seasons reached the milestone mark when the Vaqueros scored 4 runs in the
fifth to sack the Pack 9-6.

Vickery is the seventh coach in San Diego County baseball history to reach
the 400 victory perch.

"You know something, it really feels special to be included in an elite group
like that," Vickery admitted. "You look at the other guys who put those
numbers up and you have to be impressed."

The only East County coach with more baseball triumphs than Vickery is
Granite Hills' Gordy Thompson. Marked by the Roger Maris syndrome in that his
victory count includes an asterisk, Thompson totaled 473 wins in a 31-year
career that began with eight seasons in Minnesota. Of his totals, 379
victories came during a 23-year tour at Granite Hills.

Chris Walston led the Vickery Victory Party by driving in 3 runs with a
double and his San Diego County-leading 14th home run. He scored twice,
including once on the front-end of a double steal in the decisive 5th inning.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound Walston reached a milestone of his own, tying the El
Capitan single-season home run record set by Kevin Nulton in 2000.

But the hero of the day was Vickery, now in his 18th season of coaching at
his alma mater. After winning 68 games in five seasons at Valhalla (1980-84),
the El Cap skipper has directed the Vaqueros to 332 victories, seven
Grossmont League championships, and into two San Diego CIF finals.

Vickery's victory legacy includes winning 20 games or more in 8 of the last
10 seasons. In the last 13 years, his teams have not finished lower than
second place in a league race.

"I look forward to coming out here every day because I know I have a lot of
help - just a long line of outstanding assistant coaches," Vickery said.

It was a perfect plan Friday, although the weather was acting up, threatening
to postpone Vickery's quest for No. 400 for the second time in three days.
While the leaden skies managed to hold their water, the visiting Wolf Pack
tried to take a bite out of the blueprint.

West Hills broke a 1-1 tie in the 3rd inning when Lalo Roberti lined his
third home run of the season over the left-center field fence into the
student parking lot, and then Coulter knocked the next pitch from El Cap
starter Travis Lopez over the right-field fence for his second round-tripper
of the year. Coulter was 3-for-3, which included a pair of doubles.

"I'll tell you what, West Hills is maybe the most improved team out here (in
East County)," Vickery said. "It's not just a case of us showing up and we
win. They're playing well and they're playing aggressively."

In the bottom of the 3rd with nobody out, the Vaqueros (16-5, 3-2) loaded the
bases on a walk to Jazon Guzman, a single by Brett Stephens, and a West Hills
error. Brandon Rauch followed with a double into the right field corner to
extend his East County-leading hitting streak to 14 games while driving in
two runs to tie the game at 3-3.

El Capitan kept pecking away and added two more runs in the third frame via
groundouts to lead 5-3.

West Hills made one final charge in the 5th inning. A two-base error and a
walk put Jeff Perine and Eddie Pryor on base with the tying runs.

That finished Lopez, as Vickery summoned Kyle Wells to the mound. Roberti
greeted Wells with a line drive base hit to score Perine, who drew a throw,
allowing Pryor and Roberti to move up a base. Wells intentionally walked
Coulter to load the bases, but unintentionally walked Greg Field to force in
the tying run.

Dustin Beechler followed with a sacrifice fly to put the Pack on top 6-5.

Wells settled down to retire the final two Wolf Pack hitters, setting the
stage for El Capitan's 5th inning comeback.

Rauch launched the winning rally with a one-out single, and took second on a
wild pitch. He advanced to third on Kyle Phillips' single, and scored the
tying run when Walston doubled off the right-center field embankment.

Jordan Abruzzo singled up the middle to score Phillips, giving El Capitan a
7-6 lead. That completed Coulter's pitching chores for the day.

Reliever Rusty Brazwell pitched well enough to hold the Vaqueros in check,
but a throwing error enabled El Cap to tack on a pair of insurance runs.

"We were aggressive at the plate and I'm happy about that," said West Hills
coach Jarrod Carman after the Wolf Pack out-hit the Vaqueros 10-8. "But our
inconsistent pitching hurt us, as it has all year. We fell behind in too many
counts. And you can't do that against a team like El Cap."

MOUNT MIGUEL 12, HELIX 4 - Pitcher Joey Street is one of the best kept
secrets in East County. The 6-foot, 155-pound junior right-hander made it a
point to formally introduce himself to the visiting Highlanders in Friday's
(April 26) Grossmont South League contest, as he pitched a complete game
2-hitter.

"Joey is a real durable guy who can throw a lot of pitches and still be
effective," Mount Miguel coach Ernie Reyes said. "When he's on his game he
can be pretty tough."

Street held the Highlanders (10-9-1, 2-3) hitless for 4-1/3 innings before
surrendering a double to No. 9 hitter Joe Scalisi in the 5th. Seemingly
rattled by having his gem spoiled, Street steered off the mark as he hit the
next two Helix batters - Brian Ricard and Rick Ledesma - to load the bases.

Street fought back, as he struck out Larry Pierce before serving up a grand
slam home run to Ryan Hulbert. It was Hulbert's 5th round-tripper of the
season, but it had little impact on the outcome.

"Except for that one pitch where their big bopper tattooed him for a grand
slam, Joey had things under control all day," Reyes observed.

For one of the few times this season, Mount Miguel dictated policy from the
get-go. Yarinn Gonzalez greeted Helix starter Aaron Bailey with a leadoff
double - one of three two-baggers the Matadors' shortstop had in the game.
Gonzalez scored on Nathan Ga's double, and then Ga cruised home on Mike
McLaughlin's base hit.

Mount Miguel led 2-0 after the 1st inning, and it was only the beginning of
what was to become a 12-0 avalanche for Reyes' squad.

Yarrin Gonzalez, Nick Balsley, Ga and McLaughlin were collectively 11-for-17
with 10 RBI and 8 runs scored at the top of the Mount Miguel batting order.

"We were able to put some hits back-to-back-to-back today," said Reyes, who
also coaches third base for the Matadors (6-13, 2-3). "It was a nice feeling
to use my arm to wave some guys around third and send them home.

"This is a balanced league, and now we're sorta back in it at 2-3 (one-half
game out of second place). Maybe we can make some waves now."

GRANITE HILLS 10, VALHALLA 1 - For the first time this season, the Eagles
(12-9, 5-1) have a little breathing room in the Grossmont South. And they can
credit their pitching and airtight defense more than their 18-hit attack for
creating a two-game cushion between themselves and the second-place Norsemen
(11-12, 3-3).

James Sinkes fired a complete-game 4-hitter and struck out 8 to guide Granite
Hills past Valhalla for the second time in as many tries.

"We've got a little momentum going," said Granite Hills coach James Davis of
his Eagles, who have won five straight. "This was a big swing for us."

Indeed. Had the Norsemen come out on top on Friday (April 26) the two teams
would be tied at the top in the Grossmont South.

Granite Hills wasted little time sending a message to Valhalla as John Coit
and Chad Williams jumped on Norsemen starter Keith Nelle for back-to-back
doubles before he could record an out.

Coit made a second clutch delivery with a 2-run double an inning later
helping stake the Eagles to a 5-0 bulge.

Valhalla broke through in the bottom the second when Jeff Fink hammered his
fourth home run of the season. But Fink and the ever-reliable David Dennis
were the only Norsemen who could solve Sinkes' serves as they each had two
hits.

Andy Roberts enjoyed his finest game with a home run and 3 singles in four
at-bats for the Eagles, who also received a 3-for-4 effort from Sean Pepin.
Williams clubbed his 5th home run of the campaign, and six Eagles had two or
more hits off the three Valhalla pitchers.

GROSSMONT 13, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 - Granted, the outcome of the Grossmont North
League game was well in hand for the Foothillers when senior Justin Strauss
stepped to the plate in the fifth inning of Friday's (April 26) encounter
with the visiting Braves.

It was nonetheless a memorable at-bat for Strauss as he blasted a 3-run home
run to right-center field for his first hit in 10 at-bats this season.

Trevor Pike pounded his 7th home run of the season during an 8-run second
inning that helped Grossmont (16-6, 6-0) nail down its 10th straight victory.

Before Pike made his launch, Scott Tagwerker lined a 2-run single and Aaron
Garcia whacked a 2-run double to right center. Chris Fransway followed Pike's
home run with an RBI single, and an El Cajon Valley error handed the Hillers
their 8th run.

Adam Karlsgodt turned in another strong pitching performance for Grossmont,
blanking the Braves (7-16, 0-6) on 2 hits over 5 innings for his third win
without a loss.

Jesse Ortiz and Oscar Ochoa had the only two hits for El Cajon Valley.
(04-26-02)

Schroeder sinks Islanders with 14 K performance

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - When it comes to recording strikeouts, nobody does it better than
Christian High's Brian Schroeder. Or more frequently.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound junior left-hander struck out 14 as the visiting
Patriots edged host Coronado 3-2 Thursday (April 25) in an Eastern
League-vs.-Harbor League crossover game.

"When Brian gets in a groove, he makes it look easy," Christian High coach
Mike Mitchell said.

Case in point was the 7th inning when Schroeder worked out of a jam by
striking out the side.

The 14 strikeouts is two short of his career high, which he notched in the
season opener under the lights at Imperial. Schroeder has fanned 9 or more
batters six times this season, and boasts a county-leading 103 strikeouts in
62 1/3 innings.

Schroeder, who has compiled a county-high 8 wins and owns 7 complete games in
10 starts, is arguably the top pitcher in East County.

"They did not hit one ball left of shortstop," Mitchell said of the Harbor
League-leading Islanders (11-12). "They didn't pull a single pitch."

It was just the opposite for Christian (18-4, 6-0), which was limited to five
singles by the Islanders' Warren Hebert and Shane Mott.

"We tried to pull everything, and mostly hit ground balls," Mitchell noted.
"Their pitchers did a good job."

So anxious were the Patriots that they had two runners thrown out at the
plate.

However, their aggressive base-running did pay off when they tied the game in
the 4th inning. With one out, Chris Denhart singled and stole second. After
Nick Laughter walked, the Patriots pulled off a double steal. Just as Denhart
arrived at third base, the throw from catcher Geoffrey Thorne sailed into
left field. Denhart scored, tying the game at 1-1.

It remained that way until the 7th inning when the Patriots parlayed a single
by Josh Paddock, two walks, two errors, a wild pitch and Schroeder's
sacrifice fly into 2 runs.

An RBI double by sophomore J.T. Rogan brought Coronado back in the bottom of
the 7th, but Schroeder stranded the potential tying and winning runs on base
with a game-ending strikeout.

GRANITE HILLS 4, MONTE VISTA 2 - When the topic is hot pitchers, be sure to
include Granite Hills' right-hander Weston Scott in the discussion.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound senior won his fourth straight decision Thursday
(April 25), as he scattered 7 hits and struck out 10. Scott (4-2) has turned
in complete games in four of his last 5 starts, whiffing 29 batters in the
process.

Some of the credit for Scott's success has been a vastly improved Granite
Hills defense. The Grossmont South League-leading Eagles (11-9, 4-1), who
have won 4 in a row, played spotless defense against the Monarchs. Granite
Hills has committed just three errors in its last five games.

The Monarchs (9-14, 2-4) took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Chris
Anderson followed two-out walks to Kellen Ellis and Dallas Hubbard with an
RBI single.

That was short-lived, however, as Granite Hills grilled up 3 runs in the
bottom of the 3rd. Sean Pepin sparked the rally with a one-out single and
raced to third on John Coit's double. Chad Williams singled home Pepin to
make it 1-1.

After an outfield error moved Williams to second, Luke McRoberts slashed a
2-run single to give Granite Hills the lead for keeps. McRoberts, who was
2-for-3 against the Monarchs, has batted at a .462 clip (6-for-13) with 9 RBI
in his last four starts.

The Eagles made it 4-1 on Coit's RBI single in the 4th.

Monte Vista made a bona fide challenge in the 7th inning. Nick Decaro led off
with a walk, but Scott countered with back-to-back strikeouts. Scott
prolonged the game when he plunked Jeff Alexander with a pitch to bring the
tying run to the plate. Jonathan Meers ran for Alexander.

Pinch-hitter Alex Barajas cashed in Decaro with a single. Ellis singled to
load the bases, causing Granite Hills coach James Davis to ponder a pitching
move. Davis elected to stay with Scott, who then made a game-saving defensive
play when he flagged Hubbard's one-hop smash back to the box.

"If Scott doesn't make that play, Hubbard drives in 2 and the game is tied,"
lamented Monte Vista assistant coach Dennis Gildehaus.

"We're just glad we were able to get back out on the field," said Davis,
whose Eagles had not played since April 19. "This was my kind of game - good
pitching and great defense."

Robert Tidwell (1-2) was the hard-luck loser, despite allowing only 3 earned
runs in a complete-game effort for the Monarchs.
(04-25-02)

San Diego caves in to Christian's double threat

EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO - It's no fluke that the Christian High Patriots are the No.
5-ranked Division IV team in the state and the 10th-ranked crew overall in
San Diego County.

Nobody in the Eastern League has been able to derail coach Mike Mitchell's
ballclub, and it is unlikely that anything the Harbor League has to offer
will cause the Patriots to break stride during the two-week crossover session
between the two circuits.

Daniel Magness was a double-threat as the Patriots conquered San Diego High
of the Harbor League 10-4 in Tuesday's (April 23) first round of the
crossover arrangement.

For the third time in as many pitching starts, Magness posted a victory. The
6-foot-3, 205-pound southpaw gave up 8 hits and 3 earned runs while striking
out 6 in six innings.

"This is definitely not a pitcher's park," Mitchell said.

Magness pitched better than his numbers indicate, as he surrendered a pair of
"pop-fly" home runs to the Cavers on the field known as the "baseball band
box on Park Avenue."

"Those home runs balls sailed over a 300 foot fence," Mitchell noted. "They
would have been outs at our field."

Of Magness' 84 pitches, 60 were strikes.

"Daniel pitched well," Mitchell emphasized. "Basically, all he was throwing
were fastballs."

He also had a big day with the bat - collecting 3 hits in 5 at-bats,
including his 4th home run of the season.

"The ball Daniel hit would have been a home run at almost any ballpark,"
Mitchell said.

Christian (17-4, 5-0) scored in all but one of its seven turns at-bat. The
Patriots pushed in front 1-0 on the first of Nick Laughter's two sacrifice
flies in the opening frame. Brian Schroeder followed with his fifth home run
of the season to make it 2-0 in the second inning.

A two-run double by David Riley helped Christian open up a 6-1 edge in the
third inning.

"The great thing about this game is everybody got a chance to contribute,"
Mitchell said. "We got some guys who don't get much playing time some
at-bats."
(04-23-02)

Berry's game-winning single gives Monarchs victory

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY - A virtual unknown at the outset of the season, junior third
baseman Joe Berry stepped to the plate to make pitcher Mike McDole's return
to Monte Vista's lineup a success. Berry banged an RBI single in the bottom
of the 9th inning to score Chris Van Story from second base to give the
Monarchs a 7-6 victory over Mount Miguel in Monday's (April 22) Grossmont
South League encounter.

Berry's blow was the ultimate stroke in the Monarchs (9-13, 2-3) rally from a
5-0 first-inning deficit to put themselves back into the Grossmont South
League race.

"Berry wasn't even in the picture at the beginning of the season," Monte
Vista coach Steve Dolias said. "But he's a well-grounded kid with a positive
attitude. He's been a pleasant surprise - deserved everything he's gotten."

Returning from a preseason broken thumb, McDole, a 6-foot-2, 200-pound junior
left-hander, survived the first-inning disaster of being cuffed around for 5
unearned runs by the visiting Matadors.

Such a scenario was not what Dolias had in mind for his ace's triumphant
return.

"It was just good to see him back out there on the mound," Dolias said. "He's
probably only 75 percent, but knowing we have him lets us know that at least
we have something left in our back pocket."

Not surprisingly, McDole struggled a bit with his control. Two hit batters
coupled with a pair of back-breaking fielding errors provided the early
makings for collapse.

Joey Street capitalized on Monte Vista's generosity with a three-run double,
which was the focal point of Mount Miguel's 5-run first inning.

An RBI single by Kellen Ellis and a key throwing error by the Matadors
helped Monte Vista chip the deficit to 5-2 in the 2nd inning. Ward Minich's
run-scoring single closed the Monarchs to within 5-3 in the 3rd inning.

Monte Vista forged in front with 3 runs in the 4th inning. David Sevier lit
the rally torch with a double and Ellis singled him in to make it 5-4. A
Dallas Hubbard single followed by a Mount Miguel error helped the Monarchs
knot the score at 5-5. A wild pitch by Matadors' reliever Mike McLaughlin
permitted Hubbard to scoot home with the go-ahead run.

Refusing to fold, the Matadors (5-13, 1-3) tied the game in the 5th on
singles by McLaughlin, Dane Ponciano and Street.

A strong relief spell executed by Van Story and Hubbard, which included 6
innings of 4-hit, 7-strikeout pitching, set the table for Monte Vista's 9th
inning comeback. Hubbard was awarded his 3rd win with 2 shutout innings.

"I like the way we're playing," Dolias said. "We get down 5-0 in the first
inning, but don't give up. We have guys who force errors with their speed.
And now, with McDole back, we are 3-to-4 starters deep in pitching.

"I believe 8 wins (in 12 games) will win league."

VALHALLA 8, HELIX 5 - The Norsemen blew a couple more leads in Monday's
(April 22) Grossmont South League assignment against the visiting
Highlanders. But unlike some of their past hand-outs, the Norsemen reached
out to take this one back.

After blowing leads of 3-0 and 4-1, the Norsemen watched the Highlanders
(10-8-1, 2-2) gain a 5-4 edge when Robert Stevens smashed a grand slam in
the 6th inning.

"That was one of two balls they hit hard all day," Valhalla coach Steve
Perdue said.

Despite the Highlanders' belated surge, the Norsemen can thank a couple of
unknown heroes for directing them into the winner's circle.

After slump-ridden Kyle Howard - 1-for-11 in his previous three games -
ripped an RBI single to tie the game 5-5 in the 6th inning, Drew Garcia -
celebrating his 16th birthday - lifted a double over the left fielder's head
for a pair of RBI and a 7-5 edge Valhalla wouldn't lose.

"It was nice to see a couple of new faces come up with the big hit," Perdue
admitted. "We put Garcia in there for defensive purposes in the 6th, and next
thing you know he's up there hitting with the game on the line."

Andrew Jezierski, making a rare start in left field, drove in three runs with
a home run and a double for the Norsemen (11-11, 3-2).

"AJ, who got his first extra-base hit on Saturday at West Hills, gave us some
clutch power hitting in this game," Perdue acknowledged. "He wants to play,
and he can play anywhere on the field, including pitcher or catcher. We go
with the hot hand, and right now he's one of those guys. He's excited and
everybody is excited for him."

Despite the loss, the Highlanders did receive some good news. Senior pitcher
Ryan Philben, injured in last Friday's game at Monte Vista, figures to be
sidelined a week to 10 days with inflammation in his elbow.

"Ryan can't even swing a bat right now," Helix coach Cole Holland said.
"Luckily, he only has a muscle pull. It could have been so much worse."

Valhalla, a team most believed to be the Grossmont South favorite, is only
one-half game behind front-running Granite Hills one-third of the way through
the league season.

"It's like I told the team before this game - there is no looking back,"
Perdue said. "We must look forward, because all we can control is what is
ahead."

GROSSMONT 18, WEST HILLS 3 - It took them 12 games to find the tracks, but
now the Grossmont Foothillers are much like a runaway locomotive picking up
momentum with every turn.

A 9-game winning streak has allowed Grossmont to ascend from .500 status to a
15-6 mark and a No. 8 ranking in San Diego County's most legitimate poll. The
swell includes a 5-0 start in the Grossmont League circuit.

For the third time this season, the Foothillers capsized West Hills on Monday
(April 22) - the last two victories coming in league activity. None of the
games could be classified as a contest, as the Hillers have manhandled the
Pack by a combined 45-9 score.

Some might conclude that the Foothillers' firepower is not as explosive as
its offensive numbers indicate due to the homer-friendly dimensions of
Grossmont's cozy Joe Gizoni Field.

Size of ballpark doesn't matter to Grossmont's Mark Dobbins. Whether at home
or away, the 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior hasn't found a fence he couldn't
clear. The big fella followed a one-out walk to Trevor Pike by launching his
8th home run of the season for a 2-0 first-inning lead at the Pack track.

Dobbins enjoyed a 3-for-5 batting spree with 4 RBI to elevate his batting
average to .500 for the season. He stretched his current hitting streak to 9
games and leads East County with 37 hits.

Senior Chris Fransway swatted his 5th homer of the year, hiking Grossmont's
season total to 35. While an impressive number for circuit clouts, Grossmont
is 7 long-ball strokes behind El Capitan's space-setting 42.

Grossmont workhorse Ben Coon was pleased to gain the early lead at West
Hills. However, Eddie Pryor's RBI single in the bottom of the first inning
enabled West Hills (5-15, 2-2) to cut Grossmont's early advantage in half.

It was all Grossmont after that, as the Foothillers poured on 16 unanswered
runs before West Hills tacked on a deuce in the bottom of the 7th.

The top third of the Foothillers' lineup - Aaron Garcia, Pike and Dobbins -
were a composite 8-for-13 with 9 runs and 8 RBI.

Grossmont workhorse Ben Coon curved and swerved his way 5 innings of 3-hit
ball to roll his record to 6-2.

SANTANA 16, EL CAJON VALLEY 7 - Santana coach Jerry Henson shuffled the
defensive deck in Monday's (April 22) Grossmont North League romp over the
visiting Braves.

Some members of the Sultans' cast played as many as four positions in a game
that was all but over when Santana used an 11-run second inning to lead 15-0
after three innings.

"We were able to shift everyone around, let them play some positions they
don't normally get to play," Henson said.

Playing out of position had little effect on the Sultans (10-11, 3-2), who
rattled off 16 hits against two El Cajon Valley pitchers to halt a 4-game
losing skid.

Not known for their offensive punch, the Sultans have generated 35 runs in
two wins over El Cajon Valley. The club has averaged only 3.8 runs per game
against its other 19 opponents, yet somehow managed to score a 10-3 knockout
of El Capitan in the first round of league activity.

Santana used El Cajon Valley (7-15, 0-5) as a pre-game tune-up in preparation
for Wednesday's (April 24) rematch against the Vaqueros in Lakeside at 4 p.m.

Sam Phillips' three-run double was the key blow in Santana's 11-run second
inning. Tommy Wiley stroked a 2-run single in the wild frame, while Paul
Cabading, Jeff Woods and Jesse Leon each had an RBI double. Cabading, one of
four Santana seniors, is 8-for-15 with 4 extra-base hits in his last 4
starts.

Underclassmen accounted for 10 hits, 13 runs and 10 RBI in the Santana
victory.

Daniel Herrera went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI for the Braves (7-15, 0-5),
who are currently mired in a 7-game losing streak. Herrera has hit safely in
13 of his last 15 games for an average of .541 (20-for-37).

Omar Mendez went 2-for-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI in the lead-off spot for the
Braves.
(04-22-02)

West Hills has reason to be excited with 13-12 win in 9

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE (Revised) - Granted, the focus upon the Grossmont North League pennant
race is on perennial powers Grossmont and El Capitan. For good reason, too,
as those clubs have combined for 29 victories against 11 losses. So why would
anybody be concerned about a West Hills squad that is a forgettable 5-14?

WEST HILLS 13, VALHALLA 12 (9) - Most regard the Wolf Pack as a predominantly
senior team. But first-year head coach Jarrod Carman knows the talent lines
run much deeper than the class of 2002.

A wide-angle lens would be in order to photograph all those responsible for
the Wolf Pack's numbing, 13-12 come-from-behind victory over visiting
Valhalla in Saturday's (April 20) 9-inning final pool play game of Grossmont
North-South Tournament.

Sophomore Matt Luna, who supplied the key hit in West Hills' victory over
Santana earlier this week, gave an encore performance as he blooped a single
over a drawn-in Valhalla infield to score Dustin Beechler with the winning
run in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Luna, who also rocketed a 3-run home run to ignite a 6-run 4th inning that
helped the Pack tie the game 8-8, finished 2-for-5 with 4 RBI. He also
stepped to the mound to get the final out in the top of the 7th, setting the
stage for West Hills' 4-run inning that propelled the game into overtime.

"Our kids were real excited about getting this one," admitted Carman, who
hopes his club is starting to believe it is indeed better than its dreadful
5-14 record. "We've struggled so much, come so close so many times this year
that it feels good to get the Santana game and this game with major
come-from-behind efforts."

Clay Coulter, a junior with two years of varsity experience under his belt,
pitched two shutout innings of hitless relief to earn his third win in six
decisions for West Hills.

"Clay has given us a big lift the last two games," Carman said. "He has
emerged as a team leader. I've seen him mature as a player. To his credit, he
caught 7 long, hard innings, and then went to the mound and did a magnificent
job for us."

Coulter was also 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of RBI. Equally as
important was his double leading off the bottom of the 7th inning, with West
Hills lagging 12-8.

Dustin Beechler, who was 4-for-5 against the Norsemen and 9-for-16 in his
last five games, banged a 2-run single in West Hills' four-run 7th inning
rally that sent the game into overtime. He accounted for 2 of West Hills' 7
doubles in the game.

Jeff Perine, always a major influence for the Wolf Pack, punished a 3-2
pitch, driving it off the right-center field wall for a double and two RBI
that tied the game 12-12 in the 7th inning. Perine, the Pack's lead-off man
who was 3-for-5, also whacked an RBI triple in the key 4th inning.

Valhalla (10-11) was not lacking for offensive firepower as David Dennis was
3-for-4 with 4 RBI, a triple, and a pair of doubles. Chad Peace was 2-for-5
with 3 runs and two stolen bases, while sophomore catcher Chris Olsen
accounted for two of Valhalla's 7 doubles in the game, while driving in 3
runs.

GROSSMONT 6, MOUNT MIGUEL 5 - The pitching tank at Grossmont was making
hollow sounds Saturday (April 20), and the gauge pointed to an exhausted
staff as the Foothillers won their fifth game in eight days, edging
upset-minded Mount Miguel at Joe Gizoni Field.

Although not known for his circus ties, Hillers coach Rob Phillips did some
kind of juggling act during Grossmont's latest 5-game surge. Reaching back to
April 13, Brant Rustich and senior Adam Karlsgodt each logged 2 wins and a
save. Ben Coon was 1-0 with a pair of saves. Others such as Blake Brands,
Andrew Green and Brad Wilkinson also took a turn on the mound.

Chris Fransway's sacrifice fly ball to deep center broke a 5-5 tie in the
bottom of the 6th inning. It followed walks to Trevor Pike, Mark Dobbins and
Rustich. No hits were involved in the decisive frame.

"We certainly had our chances," Mount Miguel coach Ernie Reyes lamented.
"This would have been a nice one to get. But we're not ready to give up."

The Matadors pushed the Foothillers to the limit. With one out in the 7th,
Dane Ponciano doubled to left-center field, putting the tying run in scoring
position.

That's when Phillips brought Coon to the mound. The senior left-hander had
pitched 9 1/3 innings earlier in the week and had only two outs remaining in
his 10-frame allotment. It was enough, as Coon recorded back-to-back
strikeouts to foil the Matadors' quest for the upset.

Mount Miguel (5-12) took a 1-0 lead on consecutive first-inning singles by
Nathan Ga, Mike McLaughlin and Armond Piligrino. Grossmont did a similar
number in the bottom of the inning as Mark Dobbins, Coon and Rustich put
together a trio of singles.

An RBI single by McLaughlin and a run-scoring double by Piligrino gave Mount
Miguel a 3-1 edge in the third inning.

Grossmont answered back in the bottom of the frame. Dobbins launched his 7th
home run - a solo shot - of the season. After the tying run scored on an
error, RBI singles by Evan Amador and Wilkinson gave the Foothillers a 5-3
lead.

Two walks, an error and Yarinn Gonzalez's RBI single pulled the Matadors even
at 5-5 in the top of the 6th. The rally continued as Nick Balsley singled,
but Karlsgodt got a strikeout for the second out.

Then came the defensive save of the game. Grossmont shortstop Aaron Garcia
made a diving stop of McLaughlin's bid for a potential game-winning hit.
Laying on his stomach Garcia flipped the ball with his glove to Wilkinson for
the inning-ending force out at second base.

Overall, Grossmont (14-6) has cranked off eight consecutive victories.

CHRISTIAN 6, SERRA 5 - A well-rested Brian Schroeder and some clutch hitting
by third baseman Nick Laughter has the Christian High Patriots sitting atop
the Eastern League standings with a perfect 4-0 mark.

Of course, Mike Mitchell's Patriots (16-4), ranked No. 10 in the county, are
accustomed to winning no matter how high and mighty the competition is said
to be.

Serra, regarded as a contender for the league crown, sent each of its three
starters to the mound for two innings in Saturday's (April 20) showdown at
Christian. Although the score was closer than it was when these clubs met in
the in the finals of the Patriots Invitational last month - Christian winning
5-1 - there was no doubt which of the teams is superior.

Schroeder, who had not pitched for 11 days, wasn't as sharp as he's been.
Nevertheless, he raised his San Diego County-leading strikeout total to 88 in
55 1/3 innings while chalking up his sixth complete game in nine starts.

An RBI single by Laughter followed by run-scoring doubles by Josh Paddock and
David Riley enabled Christian to cruise to a 3-0 lead in the second inning.

After Serra broke through for a run in the 4th inning, Laughter countered
with a gargantuan shot to left field for his 4th home run of the season,
extending the Pats' edge to 4-1.

"That ball almost cleared the (swimming) pool," Mitchell said. "I think Nick
was angry at the pitcher (Charles Nolte) for knocking him down, and then
coming back up-and-in with a second pitch."

Now, guess who is LOL?

Walks and errors helped make the score close, but neither Schroeder nor the
Patriots felt their shot at victory was in jeopardy.

Christian begins an obligatory cross-over schedule with the Harbor League on
Tuesday (April 23) when it travels to San Diego High at 3 p.m.

HELIX 14, EL CAJON VALLEY 10 - The Highlanders may be involved in more wild
games like this in the future now that it appears as though they've lost the
pitching services of Ryan Philben. The senior right-hander, who also plays
third base, said he heard "something pop" in his pitching elbow in Friday's
(April 19) Grossmont South League game at Monte Vista.

"Ryan has a knot in his elbow, so it looks like some kind of tendon damage,"
admitted Helix coach Cole Holland after the Highlanders (10-7-1) outlasted El
Cajon Valley (7-14) in a Grossmont North-South Tournament game Saturday
(April 20) in La Mesa. "He's going to see a specialist on Monday."

Philben, who is 4-0 with a 1.52 ERA, is also a major contributor at the
plate. He's batting .404 with 2 home runs and 16 RBI.

Both teams struggled on the mound Saturday, as 7 pitchers combined for 19
walks and 2 hit batters.

Junior Aaron Bailey made his first start for the Highlanders, checking the
Braves on 3 hits and 2 earned runs over 4 innings to earn the win. The
6-foot-2, 250-pound right-hander struck out 6 and walked 5.

Rick Ledesma gave Helix a 2-1 lead it never lost with a solo home run in the
second inning. The Highlanders scored 6 runs on just two hits in the 5th
inning to take a 10-2 advantage, but the Braves battled back for 4 runs in
the 6th. Kyle Whisenhunt's 2-run single was the key blow for El Cajon Valley
in that inning.

Robert Stevens' 2-run single helped Helix push across 4 runs in the bottom of
the 6th. But even then, the Highlanders could not breathe easier, as El Cajon
Valley - sparked by Josh Bowen's 3-run double - countered with another 4-spot
in the 7th inning.

For the record, Helix will represent the Grossmont South against Grossmont
North winner El Capitan in the conference tournament championship game
Saturday (April 27) at Helix.

MONTE VISTA 4, SANTANA 2 - Junior left-hander Brian Rimlinger picked up a
weary Monte Vista pitching staff with a complete-game effort in Saturday's
(April 20) final round of Grossmont North-South Tournament pool play.

"Rimlinger has one of those rubber arms - he never gets tired and always
wants the ball," Monte Vista coach Steve Dolias said. "We were absolutely
tapped out. Our whole pitching staff was burnt, and he picked us up. He's a
very, very tough competitor."

Santana's Paul Cabading tested Rimlinger's character in a hurry when he
hammered a home run in the top of the first inning. Fact is, Cabading was a
royal pain for Rimlinger as he went 3-for-3 with a double, driving in both
Santana runs.

"Rimlinger could have let that first-inning home run knock him out of his
rhythm, but he didn't," Dolias said.

A trio of underclassmen handled Santana's pitching chores, limiting the
Monarchs (7-13) to one hit through the first 5 innings. That lone hit,
however, was a big one. It was an RBI double by Chris Anderson, which broke
1-1 tie in the bottom of the first inning.

Santana missed a chance to tie the game in the 5th inning when Monarchs'
center fielder Dallas Hubbard nailed Chenne Giles attempting to score on
Jesse Leon's single. But Leon stole second and Cabading singled him in to
make it 2-2.

Hubbard's defensive play proved to be a ticket to victory as the Monarchs
parlayed two hit batters, a passed ball and Anderson's sacrifice fly into a
run and a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the 5th.

Monte Vista strung together 4 of its 5 hits in the 6th inning against Santana
reliever Tommy Wiley, but came away with only one run. Kellen Ellis picked up
the RBI with a single to drive in Ward Minich (single) .

Dolias welcomes junior Mike McDole to active duty for the first time this
season on Monday (April 22) when he tests his all-league left-hander against
Mount Miguel at Monte Vista at 4 p.m. McDole has been sidelined all season
with an arm malady.
(04-20-02/Rev. 4/21)

Rustich, Karlsgodt mop deck to move Hillers to 4-0

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE - For the first two years of his high school career, Adam Karlsgodt's
attention was focused on playing water polo. "I always loved the game of
baseball, but never had the guts to go out for the team," said the 6-foot,
180-pound Grossmont High senior. "Finally, I got up the nerve as a junior and
they put me on the JV baseball team." That move is paying dividends for the
Foothillers today.

Karlsgodt pitched 2 innings of shutout relief for his first varsity save
Friday (April 19) as the Foothillers (13-6, 4-0) subdued the Sultans 5-1 in a
Grossmont North League showdown at Santana.

"Adam is quite a story," said Grossmont coach Rob Phillips. "He never played
Little League, never played organized baseball until his junior year. I
thought he looked pretty good out there (Friday) in a pressure situation."

Karlsgodt picked up for Grossmont starter Brant Rustich, who limited Santana
(9-10, 2-2) to four singles and a double in five innings to roll his record
to 5-1.

More than that, Rustich also came up with the key hit to break a 1-1 tie with
a 3-run homer in the 6th inning.

"We needed an effort like this from Rustich," said Phillips, noting that the
6-foot-6, 230-pound Rustich sports an ERA of 0.46 against Grossmont
Conference competition.

However, all of Rustich's efforts could easily have gone for naught against
the Sultans had it not been for sidearming reliever Karlsgodt.

"(JV) Coach (Jon) Eichhorst told me that my best chance to make it was if I
threw sidearm," Karlsgodt said. "It was a little tough at first - a matter of
mechanics - and I struggled. But it's completely natural for me now. All I
think about is to be aggressive when I'm out there on the mound."

Karlsgodt, who will attend Gonzaga University in the fall, may be the key
piece of the puzzle to what Phillips hopes is a Grossmont championship. He
logged a win and a save in two appearances this week.

With a runner on first base when he arrived on the mound in the bottom of the
6th inning, Karlsgodt retired the Sultans 1-2-3.

Hayden Penn led off the bottom of the 7th with a single against Karlsgodt,
but once again the Grossmont reliever shut down the Sultans.

"He has so much composure for a guy with limited experience. Maybe it's
because he doesn't know he's supposed to be scared in a situation like that,"
Phillips chuckled.

Grossmont's Chris Fransway ripped a 1-1 pitch over the right field fence off
Santana ace Penn to put the Foothillers on top 1-0 in the 2nd inning.

The Sultans rallied in the bottom of the 4th on singles by Tommy Wiley and
Ryan Howard. Sam Phillips was hit by a pitch to load the bases with nobody
out. Trailing 1-0, Santana attempted a suicide squeeze that backfired. Wiley
was caught in a rundown and tagged out.

"We had a young hitter up there and he pulled his bat away on a high pitch,"
Santana coach Jerry Henson said. "And it cost us. Of course, our execution
wasn't there all day, as you can see by the fact that we left 11 runners on
base."

Santana eventually tied the game on Bryce Nelson's infield grounder in the
4th. But they should have had more.

"When they tried that squeeze, we called for a pitch-out," Phillips said.
"Rustich made a great pitch and we got the guy (Wiley) in a run down."

That was a pivotal point for Santana, as Rustich followed with his knock-out
home run blow.

"We're glad to be 4-0 after the first round (of three) in league," Phillips
said. "We want to win the league championship, but our main goal is to get
seeded among the top four (in the San Diego CIF Division II) playoffs."

HELIX 6, MONTE VISTA 4 - Ryan Philben was enjoying one of the best games of
his career until the bottom of the 6th inning of Friday's (April 19)
Grossmont South League game at Monte Vista, when "he heard something 'pop' in
his right elbow."

"I'm no doctor, but it didn't look good," said Helix coach Cole Holland. "We
had him ice it and he's going to have it evaluated further. We can only hope
for the best."

Philben gave the Highlanders the early lead with a 2-run homer in the 1st
inning. He singled and scored on Ryan Hulbert's fourth home run of the season
in the 3rd inning, and contributed a scoring fly ball in the 4th.

On the mound Philben limited the Monarchs to one run through the first five
innings before two walks and Nick Decaro's RBI single brought Monte Vista
back to life.

With two outs Joe Berry ripped a 2-run single to bring the Monarchs (6-13,
1-3) to within two runs of the Highlanders at 6-4.

Philben made one more pitch before he heard the mysterious 'pop' in his
pitching arm. At that point Holland decided to make a pitching change.

"Before I could make a move, (first baseman Brent) Degen asked me for the
ball," Holland said. "That's the kind of attitude we want on this ball club.
Brent wanted the ball to finish the job."

Degen got the final out in the 6th and retired the Monarchs in order in the
7th to earn the save.

EL CAPITAN 23, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 (5) - The visiting Braves probably felt
like they got hit by a 727 in Friday's (April 19) Grossmont North League
game, as the Vaqueros collected 24 hits in 33 at-bats for a .727 team average
in the lop-sided victory.

Jason Guzman belted his first 2 home runs of the season for El Capitan (15-5,
2-2), which clubbed 6 round-trippers against the hapless Braves (7-13, 0-4).
Guzman hit a solo shot in the 2nd inning and a 3-run drive in El Capitan's
12-run 3rd inning.

It was Guzman's second home run that brought his teammates to their feet.

"One of our kids said 'Jason's gonna have to ring the doorbell to get that
ball back,'" laughed El Capitan coach Steve Vickery of Guzman's 3-run shot in
the 3rd inning that landed beyond the right field fence in the yard of a
house across Ashwood Street.

El Capitan's six home-run onslaught began in the 1st inning when pitcher
Scott Boller slugged a grand slam - El Cap's 4th slam of the season.

The Vaqueros also got a 3-run homer from Scott Rauch - his 9th of the year -
and a 2-run blast from Chris Walston, which increased his county-leading home
run total to 13.

Brett Stephens chipped in with a 2-run homer in the 4th inning for El
Capitan.

While Boller pitched three innings of one-hit shutout ball to earn his third
win in as many decisions for the Vaqueros. Nick Reagan completed the shutout
by registering zeros in the 4th and 5th innings.

"We showed great patience at the plate," Vickery said. "But the most
impressive thing to me is we stayed focused with our pitching and defense.

GRANITE HILLS 19, MOUNT MIGUEL 4 - Luke McRoberts drove in 4 runs and
scored 3, as he stroked a pair of doubles in three at-bats to guide the
Grossmont South-leading Eagles (10-9, 3-1) to their 3rd win in a row on
Friday (April 19) in Spring Valley.

McRoberts ripped an RBI double to key a 3-run 1st inning, and then whacked a
2-run double to help the Eagles take a 10-0 lead in the 2nd frame.

Sean Pepin went 2-for-2, scoring 2 runs and plating four more with 2-run
singles in the 2nd and 5th innings for Granite Hills. Andy Roberts went
3-for-4 and drove in 3 runs with a 2-RBI single in the 2nd and an RBI single
in the 5th.

Mount Miguel (5-11, 1-2) rallied from a 10-0 deficit with 4 runs in the 5th
inning. Mike McLaughlin singled. Antelmo Gomez and Dane Ponciano walked to
load the bases. One out later, Nathan Ga singled in two runs.
Adrian Perez walked and then, with two outs, Joey Street singled in two more
runs.

The Matadors' scoring burst only seemed to incite the Eagles, who put the
game away with 9 runs in the bottom of the 5th.

Mount Miguel's pitchers contributed five walks to the Granite Hills uprising
in the 5th. James Sinkes and Pepin each had 2-run singles.

"We hit the ball really well again, but it's our defense that has changed our
whole season around," said Granite Hills coach James Davis, noting that the
Eagles have committed only three errors in the last four games. "It's a
simple game when it's played right."
(04-19-02)

Magness blanks Kearny on three hits in second start

EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO - Daniel Magness continues to get stronger and that isn't good news
for the rest of the Eastern League. Making his second start in seven days on
Thursday (April 18) afternoon, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior left-hander
spun a 3-hit shutout and struck out 9 as Christian clipped Kearny 6-0.

Statistically speaking, it was a pretty overpowering performance. Only one
Kearny runner advanced as far as second base. A mere four Komets reached base
all day, and Magness picked one of them off.

"Daniel is getting closer to where he left off last year, but he still isn't
smooth out there," Christian coach Mike Mitchell said. "He's throwing more
pitches than he normally does (99 against Kearny), but he's starting to get
into a groove."

Limited to playing first base for the first two-thirds of the season, Magness
didn't make his first mound appearance until April 10 when he limited
defending Eastern League-champion Morse to one run and 5 hits over 5 innings.
He struck out 9 and pocketed the victory.

"The kid has been pitching year-round since he was 8 years old," Mitchell
said. "That's a lot of innings and it finally began taking a toll. Luckily,
all he had was a strained rotator-cuff. No tears or muscle damage. He needed
rest from pitching, and that's what we've done."

Magness walked Kearny lead-off man Troy Richey after the Patriots had staked
him to a 3-0 lead in the top of the inning. Richey's life on the base paths
was short-lived as Magness picked him off, and then retired the next eight
batters in succession."

In his two starts to date, Magness is 2-0 with an 0.58 ERA and 18 strikeouts
in 12 innings. His is the fourth shutout by the Christian staff.

Christian (15-4, 3-0), which hosts second-place Serra (13-7, 2-1) in an
Eastern League showdown Saturday (April 20) at 1:30 p.m., jumped on Kearny
starter Ken Harrell from the get-go. Before Harrell could record an out, the
Patriots put two runs on the board and had two more runners on base.

Brian Schroeder started Harrell's troubles with a lead-off single. After Adam
Balderrama walked, Magness and Chris Denhart knocked back-to-back RBI
singles. Kearny rolled a double-play before Joel Allen laced his East
County-leading 5th triple to give Christian a 3-0 spread.

The Patriots padded their advantage on singles by Denhart and Allen, and a
sacrifice fly by Josh Paddock in the 5th inning. Another sacrifice fly - by
Magness - and an RBI single by Denhart in the 6th inning completed the
scoring.
(04-18-02)

Super sophs rally Wolf Pack past Sultans in sixth

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE - You won't find West Hills sophomores Matt Luna and Andrew Nichols
listed among East County's top batsmen these days. But as far as heroes go,
the youthful pair are the current leaders of the Pack.

Luna laced a two-run double to erase a 5-4 Santana lead and Nichols followed
with an RBI single in the bottom of the 6th inning Wednesday (April 17) as
the Wolf Pack took a bite out of the Sultans' Grossmont North League title
hopes with a surprising 7-5 victory.

"The kids were elated," West Hills coach Jarrod Carman said. "This is the
first time that we've come back from a deficit like that all year."

Despite winning for only the 4th time in 18 starts, the Wolf Pack find
themselves in third place and in contention for the Grossmont North League
pennant at 2-2.

"I think we are a better team than our record shows," Carman said. "Sometimes
a come-from-behind win like this gets a team going. Hopefully, that is the
case with us."

Against Santana (9-9, 2-1), West Hills did get out of the gates fast. Jeff
Perine pounded a double to right-center field to open the bottom of the first
inning. Eddie Pryor banged a base hit to center, and then Lalo Roberti ripped
a 3-run home run to left field for a 3-0 lead.

Ryan Howard brought Santana back into the game when he hammered a 2-run home
run in the second inning, cutting the Wolf Pack's lead to a single run.

The long ball duel continued in the bottom of the third inning when West
Hills first baseman Greg Field followed back-to-back strike outs by his
teammates with his first home run of the season.

Santana surged in front 5-4 with three runs in the 5th inning. With one out,
the Sultans loaded the bases on singles by Paul Cabading, Hayden Penn and
Nick Caraveo. A muffed double play chance on a ball hit by Tommy Wiley,
enabled Cabading and Penn to score to tie the game at 4-4. Caraveo
eventually scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.

"I could have brought in (ace right-hander) Penn right then," Santana coach
Jerry Henson said. "But it wouldn't have been the best move for the kid. He
needed another day's rest."

Keeping Penn in park was fine with Carman and the Wolf Pack. The
hard-throwing right-hander is saving his fury for Friday's (April 19)
showdown against Grossmont.

Singles by Clay Coulter and Dustin Beechler followed by Jason Mahoney's
two-out groundout to first base, set the stage for Luna and Nichols to
provide their victory knocks.

Coulter fired 2 innings of hitless relief to nail down the win for West Hills.

"We proved that you can't let down against West Hills," Henson said. "They
can really swing it."

GROSSMONT 10, EL CAPITAN 8 - It took the visiting Vaqueros eight pitches
to take a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning. It took the Foothillers
four pitches to tie Wednesday's (April 17) Grossmont North League game at 3-3
in the bottom of the opening frame.

Each side slammed three home runs, but the Foothillers (12-6, 3-3) prevailed
and assumed leadership of the Grossmont North. It was Grossmont's 6th
straight win, and only the 5th loss in 19 starts for El Capitan, which falls
2 games back in the circuit chase.

"This was a huge win for us, by far the biggest of our season so far,"
Grossmont coach Rob Phillips. "In our first 12 games, we never came from
behind. We just hit the panic button.

"Now, everybody is hitting. We're knocking runners in instead of leaving them
on base."

Ben Coon clubbed his 5th home run and logged 4 RBI in addition to pitching 6
2/3 innings to record his 5th win against 2 losses.

"That was really a gutsy job of pitching by Benny," Phillips said of his
senior left-hander. "It was a game we had to win, and he played a major role
in helping us get it."

Brant Rustich also came up big for Grossmont. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound
right-hander made the Vaqueros pay for intentionally walking Coon with Mark
Dobbins (double) on second base and two outs in the 4th. Rustich ripped an
0-2 pitch over the right-center field fence for a 3-run home run to give
Grossmont a 9-3 bulge.

"That's our biggest problem right now," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said.
"We aren't throwing quality strikes."

Grossmont's Aaron Garcia feasted on El Capitan pitching for three hits,
including a 3-run home run that broke a 3-3 tie in the second inning.

"We haven't been able to get Garcia out for two years," Vickery said of the
Foothillers' senior shortstop.

Kyle Phillips cracked a three-run home run - his 7th - to give El Capitan a
3-0 lead in the first inning. Jordan Abruzzo bashed a three-run shot in the
5th, and Chris Walston hammered a 450-foot blast in the 7th to raise his
county-leading home run total to 12.

"I believe it will take a 9-3 record to win the league," Vickery said. "An
8-4 might get you a tie."

VALHALLA 13, MONTE VISTA 11 - It wasn't a thing of beauty - this
free-swinging conquest of defending Grossmont South League co-champion Monte
Vista Wednesday afternoon (April 17) at Valhalla.

"We should have buried those guys," Valhalla coach Steve Perdue said. "We
need to get a sense of urgency here. We got a decent lead, and then got
complacent. We nearly gave the game away."

A 6-run first inning staked Valhalla to a 6-2 lead. The Norsemen (10-10, 2-2)
eventually inflated their advantage to 13-6 heading into the top of the 7th.
Turns out, it was a precarious edge.

With two outs, Monte Vista (6-12, 1-2) staged a desperation rally against
Valhalla starter Zach Teisher. A hit batter, a Kellen Ellis single and an
infield error brought David Sevier into score and the Monarchs back to life.
Nick Decaro's two-run double was the key blow in the belated comeback bid,
which came up short when reliever Beau Wessel staggered to the finish line to
record the final out.

Louie Lange keyed Valhalla's 14-hit attack with two doubles and 4 RBI. David
Dennis went 3-for-5 with two doubles and 3 RBI. Jeff Fink was 3-for-3 with
one RBI for the Norsemen.

Chris Anderson drove in 3 runs with two singles and a double in five trips,
while Dallas Hubbard was 3-for-5 with 2 RBI for Monte Vista.

GRANITE HILLS 9, HELIX 4 - James Sinkes was a double-threat for the
visiting Eagles in Wednesday's (April 17) Grossmont South League game in La
Mesa. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound senior right-hander scattered 7 hits and
struck out 8 as Granite Hills (9-9, 2-1) slipped into first place in a league
where only one game separates the five teams.

At the plate, Sinkes raised his average to .379 with three hits in 4 at-bats
at Helix's expense. He stroked an RBI double as the Eagles jumped in front
with 3 runs in the second inning. Sinkes' RBI single capped a 4-run fourth,
which vaulted Granite Hills into an 8-2 lead.

Hitting aside, it was Sinkes' complete-game pitching effort that pleased
Granite Hills coach James Davis most.

"We need Sinkes to come up big for us on the mound," Davis admitted. "It was
nice to see him pitch the way we know he can."

Andy Roberts gave Granite Hills a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run in the
second inning. Sinkes' RBI double extended the Eagles advantage, but Helix
countered in the bottom of the frame when Ryan Hulbert doubled and scored on
Larry Pierce's third home run of the year.

Granite Hills bolted to a 6-run lead in the fourth inning, as Casey Craig
cracked an RBI double and Sinkes singled in a run. Walks and errors by the
Highlanders helped the Eagles fatten their nest.

Four of the Eagles' runs were unearned.
(04-17-02)

Scott pitches Granite Hills over Valhalla

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Two teams with high expectations and disappointing results squared
off in Monday's (April 15) Grossmont South League game at Granite Hills. The
two squads, regarded more for their offensive punch, collaborated for one of
the tightest pitching duels of the season.

Granite Hills senior Weston Scott pitched a complete-game 3-hitter as the
Eagles (8-9, 1-1) edged visiting Valhalla (9-10, 1-2), and freshman phenom
Sean O'Sullivan, by a 3-2 count.

"That was Scott's best game of the year," Granite Hills coach James Davis
said. "He didn't just throw the ball, he was a pitcher. He got his breaking
ball over early in the count and spotted his fastball well all day."

Scott, who came into the game with an unspectacular 4.52 ERA, walked 2 and
struck out 6.

"It's a whole different ballgame when you play defense," said Davis, who
noted that both sides played error-free in the field.

Granite Hills wasted little time forging in front, as John Coit clubbed the
first pitch of the game from O'Sullivan over the center field fence for his
second home run of the season.

The Eagles kept the pressure on as Chad Williams followed with a single and
stole second base. Luke McRoberts smashed a single down the left field line,
scoring Williams.

Seemingly unrattled by Granite Hills' early eruption, O'Sullivan restored
order and kept the Eagles at bay over the final 6 innings. That is, except
for one pitch - that junior Casey Craig crushed for a solo home run in the
6th inning, giving Granite Hills a 3-0 lead. It was a blow that would prove
to be the difference in the game.

"That O'Sullivan kid is going to be something," said Davis, who is also a
part-time major league scout. "He pitched like a senior. Nothing fazes him,
he's that cool out there. His demeanor is his best quality, and that's
something that you can't teach. He's only going to get better."

Limited to one hit over the first 6 innings by Scott, Valhalla (9-10, 1-2)
finally came to life in the 7th. After Claye Cantwell walked, O'Sullivan
doubled. Cantwell cruised home when Jeff Fink grounded out, slicing the
Eagles' edge to 3-1.

Eddie Mapula kept the Norsemen alive when his two-out single scored
O'Sullivan. But Scott put his stamp on the victory by coaxing Zach Barger to
tap into a game-ending groundout.

"That's it in a nutshell for us - too little, too late," Valhalla coach Steve
Perdue said. "You hear about Granite Hills' shoddy defense, and then they
catch everything we hit today. We hit 10 balls on the button, but every one
finds a glove.

"The good thing is we know that two losses aren't going to knock us out of
the race. It's going to go down to the wire."

EL CAPITAN 10, WEST HILLS 6 - Sophomore Kyle Wells delivered some
heavyweight blows for the El Capitan Vaqueros in Monday's (April 15)
Grossmont North League victory over the visiting Wolf Pack.

A 5-foot-8, 145-pound sophomore right-hander, Wells pitched 4 1/3 innings of
3-hit relief to secure the victory for the Vaqueros (14-4, 1-1), who won for
the 9th time in their last 11 starts.

"Kyle was doing a great job at shortstop for us, and then when we needed him
on the mound, he was equally as effective," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery
said. "He retired 8 (batters) in a row at one stretch. You can never have
enough pitching, and it was nice to see Kyle finish up his first game in
winning style."

Brandon Rauch rallied the offensive troops for El Capitan. The junior left
fielder slugged his 7th home run of the season and tripled to drive in two
runs, and scored a pair himself as well. That burst extended his hitting
streak to 11 games.

"Brandon has just been on fire," Vickery acknowledged.

Rauch is batting at a .548 clip during his recent streak, which includes 18
runs, 15 RBI, 7 doubles, a triple and 5 home runs in 42 at-bats. He followed
a lead-off walk to Justin Snyder with a triple in the first inning against
the Wolf Pack, and scored on a base hit by Kyle Phillips as the Vaqueros
stormed to a 4-0 lead in the opening frame.

Struggling West Hills (3-14, 1-2) fought back for 5 runs to take a one-run
lead in the third inning. Jeff Perine's RBI single cashed in an El Cap error.
Perine swiped second and third and then watched as Vaqueros starter Nick
Reagan issued walks to Eddie Pryor and Clay Coulter to load the bases.

Greg Field lofted a sacrifice fly to left, slicing El Capitan's advantage in
half. Andrew Springer spanked a double down the left field line, scoring
Pryor to make it 4-3. Dustin Beechler banged a two-run single to give West
Hills the lead.

That's when Wells took over on the mound.

El Capitan counter-punched in rapid fashion in the bottom of the 3rd inning.
Walks to Chris Walston and Scott Boller, sandwiched around a base hit by
Jordan Abruzzo, loaded the bases with one out.

After West Hills' center fielder Lalo Roberti robbed Jason Guzman of a hit
with a diving catch, Wells stepped up and knocked a 3-2 pitch up the middle
to score Walston and Abruzzo for a 6-5 El Cap lead.

El Capitan padded its lead with 4 runs in the fourth inning. Rauch launched
his 7th home run to spark the scoring thrust. Jason Anderson contributed an
RBI double and Boller banged a 2-run single.

It could have been worse for West Hills had it not been for a nifty relief
job by Perine in the 5th inning. Arriving at the mound with the bases loaded
and nobody out, Perine proceeded to retire the heart of the El Capitan order
- Phillips, Walston and Abruzzo - without surrendering a run.

GROSSMONT 7, EL CAJON VALLEY 1 - After six appearances as a short reliever,
Grossmont senior side-armer Adam Karlsgodt made an impressive debut in his
first varsity start in Monday's (April 15) Grossmont North League outing at
El Cajon Valley.

Karlsgodt reduced his season ERA to 1.70 as he scattered 6 hits and did not
allow a run in 4 1/3 innings. He departed with a 3-0 lead in the 5th inning
after striking out 7 and walking 2.

Senior veteran Ben Coon pitched the final 2 2/3 innings to save Karlsgodt's
first varsity victory.

El Cajon Valley's Oscar Ochoa turned in his second complete-game effort, and
trailed only 4-1 heading into the final inning. The senior southpaw held the
Hillers to 3 earned runs and 6 hits over 6 innings, while totaling 9
strikeouts.

Grossmont (11-6, 2-0), which stretched its current winning streak to five
games, broke the game open with a 3-spot in the final frame. Trevor Pike
pounded a double to right-center field and came around to score on Mark
Dobbins' single to left-center. Brant Rustich ripped a triple to right-center
to cash in Dobbins, and Coon capped the rally with an RBI single to right.

"We played them tight today, until the 7th inning," El Cajon Valley coach
Wayne Weightman said. "For El Cajon Valley to keep Grossmont's big boppers in
the yard was a major effort by Ochoa and his defense. Sooner or later people
will begin to respect us."

El Cajon Valley avoided the shutout with a 2-out rally in the 6th against
Coon. Jesse Ortiz smacked his second double of the game - a shot that hopped
over the fence - and hustled home on Daniel Herrera's single to center.

HELIX at MOUNT MIGUEL [Ppd - RAIN] - The Highlanders and Matadors were
turned into spectators when Mount Miguel coach Ernie Reyes deemed his field
unplayable due to inclement weather. A makeup date is pending.
(04-15-02)

Pike helps Foothillers reach peak with fourth-straight win

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY - Grossmont senior catcher Trevor Pike figured to be one of the
pillars in the Foothillers' defense of the 2001 San Diego CIF Division II
championship. But when the Hillers staggered out of the gate this year at
6-6, Pike began to wonder.

Although Grossmont has not yet established itself as a bona fide contender to
repeat its championship feat of a year ago, the Hillers have put together
four wins in succession, and that has Pike believing coach Rob Phillips'
squad is back on track.

"I think we're back in the groove," Pike said after the Foothillers
dismantled Monte Vista 18-1 in Saturday's (April 13) Grossmont North/South
Tournament game. "I feel confident. We're having a blast, like we did last
year. The game is fun again."

Pike, who will attend the University of San Diego on a baseball scholarship,
has hit safely in eight straight games. The veteran Foothiller has 16 hits, 5
home runs, 13 runs scored and 19 RBI during his latest streak, which has
helped the Hillers win 6 of their last 8 games.

"He's pretty much been our catalyst the last two weeks," Phillips agreed. He
sets the tone for us, and we've put up some pretty big numbers of late."

Grossmont has scored 52 runs in its last three starts.

"One through nine, everybody seems to be clicking," Pike said.

Brant Rustich pumped some life into the Grossmont pitching staff, checking
Monte Vista (6-11) on two hits and one unearned run in six innings. He walked
2 and struck out 7 as he collected his 4th win in five decisions.

"Rustich was impressive. He threw the ball as well as anyone we've seen,"
said Monte Vista assistant coach Dennis Gildehaus. "When you think of the
kind of pitching they have overall, I'm just glad that they're not in our
(Grossmont South) league."

Senior side-armer Adam Karlgodt blanked the Monarchs on one hit in the final
frame.

The Foothillers (10-6) finished with 16 hits, as they scored in 6 of their 7
turns at bat. Included in their totals were home runs by Mark Dobbins, Ben
Coon, Rustich and Pike.

"You can't give a team like Grossmont 42 at-bats," Gildhaus said. "When
they're on their game, watch out. Unfortunately, we got in their way."

EL CAPITAN 8, HELIX 3 - Jordan Abruzzo's grand slam keyed a 5-run first
inning, and that would be more than enough for junior Scott Boller to turn in
a complete game victory for the Vaqueros in only his second start of the
season on Saturday (April 13) in Lakeside.

Boller, who had pitched only 7-1/3 innings in four previous appearances,
walked 2 and struck out 7 as he set down the Highlanders in the Grossmont
North/South Tournament game.

"He owned us," said Helix coach Cole Holland. "Our kids never broke up his
tempo. We didn't have very sound approaches at the plate. I think we got
fisted four or five times on 2-0 counts."

Boller allowed only one hit and 2 fly balls in the first six innings.

"His fastball really sinks," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "He broke
his ring finger on his pitching hand in football. I don't know if that
actually helped him, but I know his ball really explodes in the strike zone."

Abruzzo, who is 9-for-17 with 13 RBI and 2 home runs during a five-game
hitting streak, raised his season average to .481.

"Their 1 through 6 hitters (in the batting order) are as good as there is in
the county," Holland said. "They don't allow you to take a deep breath."

El Capitan's Scott Rauch's RBI double broke a scoreless deadlock in the
bottom of the 1st. After Kyle Phillips walked and Chris Walston singled to
load the bases, Abruzzo blasted a drive to center field that hit the second
fence - some 400 feet away - for a grand slam and a 5-0 El Cap lead.

Helix got on the board on Brent Degen's RBI single - Helix's first hit of the
game - in the top of the 4th.

The Vaqueros (13-4) put the game on ice in the bottom of the 4th. Singles by
Boller and Kyle Wells set the stage for Justin Snyder's triple to left-center
field. Rauch followed with an RBI single, and the Vaqueros were cruising 8-1.

When Boller tired in the 7th, Helix came to life. Degen hammered a long drive
over the right field fence and across Ashwood Drive to make it 8-2.

The Highlanders added a final run on a wild pitch, but Boller was able to
finish the job.

Although this was a pool play game in the Grossmont North/South Tournament,
these same teams will meet again on Saturday (April 27) at Helix in the
tournament championship contest.

MOUNT MIGUEL 6, WEST HILLS 5 - Those in the Grossmont South who are
thinking about chalking up two automatic wins against the Mount Miguel
Matadors had better recalculate their thinking.

Granted, coach Ernie Reyes' youthful Matadors probably won't win the league
title this spring. But they don't plan to be cannon fodder for anyone.

After a 1-7 start, Mount Miguel has come on to win 4 of its last 7, including
a hard-fought, come-from-behind victory over the visiting Wolf Pack in
Saturday's (April 13) Grossmont North/South Tournament tiff.

"It was a test of wills," Reyes said. "We fell behind, then tied them, then
fell behind again. But we kept battling back and finally came out on top.
We're hitting the ball well and when our fielding is steady, I think we have
enough pitching to make some waves."

Trailing 4-2 in the 5th inning, Mount Miguel (5-10) loaded the bases on
consecutive singles by Nathan Ga, Adrian Perez and Mike McLaughlin. Yarinn
Gonzalez followed with a line drive single to left field, scoring Ga and
Perez to tie the game at 4-4.

Dane Ponciano provided Mount Miguel with its fifth consecutive single, as he
drove in McLaughlin with the go-ahead run.

The Matadors added an important insurance run in the 6th inning on Ga's RBI
single to right field.

West Hills (3-13), however, refused to go quietly. Eddie Pryor pounded his
third double of the game to lead off the 7th inning. Lalo Roberti reached
base when the Matadors' right-fielder dropped a fly ball to put the tying
runs on base at first and second.

Then Clay Coulter hit into a fielder's choice, forcing Roberti at second and
leaving runners at the corners. Pryor scored on a passed ball, cutting the
Matadors' advantage to one run with one out.

That's when reliever McLaughlin tightened up the reins against the wild-eyed
Wolf Pack. The Matadors' sophomore left-hander short-circuited West Hills'
comeback plans by retiring the final two batters on routine fly ball outs.

While McLaughlin was credited with the save, he also did a pretty good job
with the bat, going 3-for-4 with a double and 2 runs scored. Yarrin Gonzalez
finished 2-for-3 with 3 RBI. Ga was 2-for-2.

GRANITE HILLS 9, SANTANA 4 - The Eagles, who had dropped four in a row,
made an early statement in Saturday's (April 13) Grossmont North/South
Tournament pool play game at Santana.

A 7-run first inning started the visiting Eagles (7-9) on their way to a
surprisingly easy victory over the Sultans, who less than 24 hours earlier,
had upset East County kingpin El Capitan.

Chad Williams, who was nursing a sore hand, delivered a 2-run single in
Granite Hills' early uprising. Casey Craig contributed an RBI double, and
James Sinkes and Andy Roberts chipped in with run-scoring singles.

Craig was 3-for-4 with 2 runs, 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases.

Sophomore Marshal Wygant limited the Sultans (9-8) to 2 earned runs and 4
hits over 5-1/3 innings as he won for the third time without a loss.

Josh Claret pitched 1-2/3 innings of hitless relief while striking out two to
secure the victory for Granite Hills.

"We switched our infield around a bit, and it worked out well for us," said
Granite Hills coach James Davis of the Eagles' new alignment, which featured
Luke McRoberts at first base, Williams at second, Sean Pepin at shortstop and
Roberts at third. "We seemed to be more steady with that group, but we'll see
how it turns out in the long run.

"The biggest thing about high school baseball is believing you can win,"
Davis added. "I believe an 8-4 record will win the Grossmont South, and I
think we have a chance to achieve that."

VALHALLA 18, EL CAJON VALLEY 6 - The visiting Norsemen enjoyed their
finest offensive production of the season on Saturday (April 13), as they
cuffed around six El Cajon Valley pitchers for 20 hits, including home runs
by Jeff Fink and Claye Cantwell in a Grossmont North/South Tournament pool
play game.

But it was Chad Peace who broke a 3-3 tie with a 2-run single in the 2nd
inning. The senior second baseman is 4-for-7 with 5 RBI, including 2
game-winning hits in Valhalla's last two games.

Fink launched a 5-run third inning with a solo homer, his third of the season
and second in two days. He was 3-for-4 on the day and 4-for-7 with 5 RBI in
his last two outings.

Thirteen Norsemen contributed to the 20-hit attack.

Four Valhalla pitchers held off the Braves (7-11). Junior Sam Downs scattered
6 hits and allowed one run while striking out 5 in 3-1/3 innings to earn the
pitching win for the Norsemen.

Cantwell gave Valhalla a 3-0 lead with his second home run of the season,
with Kyle Howard (single) and David Dennis (walk) on base in the 1st inning.

But the Braves battled back in their half of the opening frame on RBI singles
by Oscar Ochoa and Jesse Ortiz. El Cajon tied it 3-3 when Albert Armendariz
hit into a fielder's choice.

Valhalla (9-9) would score 11 unanswered runs before the Braves would score
again. Daniel Herrera went 3-for-3 and Josh Bowen was 2-for-3 for El Cajon
Valley.
(04-13-02)

Wolf Pack turns corner with win over Braves

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE - It was definitely a turning point in the season for the West Hills
Wolf Pack. Nine straight losses can obviously cause a team to lose its
confidence. But the Pack is back. West Hills took a 6-0 lead after the first
two innings and continued on to claim an 8-3 Grossmont North League victory
over the visiting El Cajon Valley Braves on Friday (April 12).

One of the things that made the victory sweet for first-year coach Jarrod
Carman was that he had to bench three of his top hitters for disciplinary
reasons, but still managed to come out on top.

The Wolf Pack came out swinging in the bottom of the first, as Jeff Perine
singled and advanced to second on an infield out. With two outs, Perine
scored on a wild pitch. But the Braves kept the Pack alive by issuing four
consecutive walks and giving West Hills a 2-0 edge.

Nick Rodieck gave West Hills a commanding lead when he singled in Dustin
Beechler and Jason Mahoney for a 4-0, first inning lead.

The Pack wasted little time padding its advantage, as Rusty Brazwell singled
in a run and Andrew Springer plated another run with a sacrifice fly in the
2nd inning.

That would be all the runs West Hills pitcher David Adams would need. The
6-foot-one junior southpaw limited the Braves to 5 hits as he went the
distance, allowing just 2 earned runs while striking out 6 to balance his
season record at 2-2.

After Daniel Herrera put the Braves on the board with an RBI single in the
top of the 4th, West Hills answered with doubles by Perine and Brazwell, and
an RBI single by Beechler, putting the Pack in command 8-1.

El Cajon Valley narrowed the gap in the 6th inning on a single by Kyle
Whisenhunt, followed by Oscar Ochoa's fifth home run of the season.

SANTANA 10, EL CAPITAN 3 - Hitting the long ball is a rare occurrence for
the Santana Sultans. But Tommy Wiley's 2-run homer - Santana's fourth circuit
clout of the season - gave the Sultans a 3-1 first inning lead in Friday's
(April 12) showdown between Grossmont North League frontrunners.

The Sultans (9-7, 2-0) could not hold that lead, as the Vaqueros tied it 3-3
before Santana scored six times in the bottom of the 4th to secure the
victory.

Hayden Penn (3-1), regarded as one of the top pro pitching prospects in San
Diego County, limited El Capitan to 8 hits and 2 earned runs while walking
one and striking out 8.

"Hayden calls his own pitches, so you've got to give him credit for figuring
out they were hitting his fastball," said Santana coach Jerry Henson.

Penn, who needed only 102 pitches to log his first complete game of the
season, retired 11 batters in a row between the 4th and 7th innings.

"They were hitting Hayden pretty hard in the first couple of innings, so it
was his idea to go with the more off-speed stuff," Henson said. "That seemed
to cross them up a lot more than when he was just throwing heat."

After a 1-4 start, Santana has come on to win 8 of its last 11, and now leads
the Grossmont North with a 2-0 mark.

One of the keys to the Sultans' victory was senior second baseman Jesse Leon,
who was 4-for-4 with 2 runs and 2 RBI in the Santana leadoff spot. Leon
popped a 2-run single in Santana's 6-run fourth inning.

Paul Cabading contributed an RBI double. Nick Caraveo collected an RBI
single, and Wiley plated a run with a sacrifice fly. Don't forget about
freshman Jeff Woods, who took one for the team (hit by a pitch) with the
bases loaded to drive in a run.

Brandon Rauch blasted his 6th home run of the season for El Capitan (12-4,
0-1), and finished the day 2-for-3 to extend his hitting streak to nine
games. Jordan Abruzzo was also 2-for-3 for the Vaqueros, who lost for only
the second time in 10 games.

Six El Capitan errors handed Santana seven unearned runs.

"We've been using mirrors on defense all season, and it finally caught up
with us," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "Santana had a great game
plan, and that was to hit ground balls. And that exposed our defense. We had
plenty of opportunities to turn double plays, but we couldn't execute any of
them."

MONTE VISTA 6, GRANITE HILLS 5 - The Monarchs scored 3 runs in the bottom of
the 7th inning to upend the visiting Eagles in a Grossmont South League game
Friday (April 12) in Spring Valley.

Chris Anderson, a .275 hitter, blasted a 2-run home run in the bottom of the
7th to erase a 5-3 Granite Hills lead. It was only the fourth Monte Vista
home run of the season. But the Monarchs (6-10, 1-1) weren't through.

With two outs Monte Vista's Ward Minich singled and Jonathan Meers ran for
him. The Granite Hills shaky defense took over from there, with back-to-back
errors allowing Meers to score the winning run.

"We're hoping the parity in the Grossmont South will prove true, where
everybody beats up on each other," Monte Vista assistant coach Dennis
Gildehaus said. "If this proves true, we're hoping we can slip through the
cracks."

Monte Vista took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Kellen Ellis and Dallas
Hubbard singled. With one out, the Monarchs took the lead on a muffed
groundball - Granite Hills' first of seven errors in the game. An infield out
accounted for the second run. Two Granite Hills errors and a wild pitch gave
the Monarchs a third run in the 3rd inning.

Josh Claret led off the Granite Hills 4th inning with his first home run of
the year.

In the 5th inning, the Eagles (6-9, 0-1) scored three times to take the lead.
Two errors and a walk put the Eagles in scoring position. Casey Craig singled
in one run, then a bad-hop single by James Sinkes scored 2 runs and put
Granite Hills in front 4-3.

With two outs in the top of the 7th, the Eagles came to life again. Craig was
hit by a pitch, stole second, and scored on a double by Sinkes. Claret
followed with an RBI double, giving Granite Hills a 5-3 edge.

But Monte Vista came back to capture the victory in the bottom of the 7th.

VALHALLA 11, MOUNT MIGUEL 3 - Third baseman Louie Lange, who gave an oral
commitment to UCSD earlier this week, belted his sixth home run to help the
Norsemen dispose of visiting Mount Miguel in Friday's (April 12) Grossmont
South League encounter.

Valhalla (8-9, 1-1) erased a 2-1 deficit with 4 runs in the third inning.
Kyle Howard's RBI double tied the game and Chad Peace' s two-base blow gave
the Norsemen a 3-2 edge. Lange doubled in Peace and David Dennis singled home
Lange to gave Valhalla a three-run cushion.

The Norsemen broke the game open with 4 runs in the 5th inning. Zach Barger's
2-run double capped a 4-run inning as the Norsemen took a 9-2 lead.

After Armond Piligrino doubled in Antelmo Gomez in the top of the 6th for the
Matadors, Jeff Fink blasted a 2-run homer with Eddie Mapula (double) aboard
to give the Norsemen a 9-3 lead.

Zach Teisher pitched 6 innings to garner the victory and balance his record
at 3-3.
(04-12-02)

Magness takes hill for first time, strikes out nine in season debut

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Christian High junior Daniel Magness was the 2001 Eastern League
Pitcher of the Year, and ranked among the county leaders with a 6-2 record,
1.29 ERA and 66 strikeouts. He topped the county in saves as a freshman, with
7. But the 6-foot-3, 205-pound left-hander hadn't thrown a pitch this season
until Thursday (April 11).

Magness made his 2002 pitching debut against defending Eastern League
champion Morse, and toiled five frames in a starting role.

"We had Daniel on a pitch count of 90, and he threw 89," said Christian coach
Mike Mitchell after the Patriots edged the Tigers 7-5. "He struggled early
and was not fluid, which is unusual for him. He was rusty because this is the
first time he's pitched from the mound in almost a year."

Magness, who has been bothered by a shoulder injury, had been limited to
playing first base in the Patriots' first 17 games.

"His mechanics were a little bit off, but I think he did pretty well for his
first time out," Mitchell said.

Rusty or not, Magness' numbers were in midseason form, as he limited the
Tigers to one run on 5 hits while striking out 9 in five innings. He earned
the win although he needed help from relievers Clint Gerlek and Joel Allen to
finish the job.

Brian Schroeder, who has been very capably carrying the bulk of the pitching
load in Magness' absence, welcomed his teammate back to active pitching duty
by belting 2 home runs and a double.

After Magness struck out the side in the 1st inning, Schroeder led off the
bottom of the 1st with a double to right field and scored on Adam
Balderrama's double to right center. Magness joined the hitting fray with a
single to score Balderrama.

Chris Denhart singled to keep the inning going. Joel Allen then smashed a
long fly ball to right field that was pursued by the Morse outfielder (Jordan
Tyler) until he ran into the fence, knocking it down.

"There was a lot of confusion on that play," Mitchell said. "The base umpire
threw his hands up in the air as if he was going to call it a ground rule
double, so everything stopped. Then - all of a sudden - the umpire slapped
his hands down to his sides, and everything was live again."

Tyler relayed the ball back to the infield, and Magness was put out at the
plate. But a split-second later Denhart arrived at the plate, and slid in
safely.

"Denhart was right on Magness' heels, and I'm not sure the catcher was ever
aware of that," Mitchell laughed. "The Morse coach (Matt Cleek) thought Tyler
had caught the ball, but there's no way, because almost everybody saw it on
the ground. All I know is we had three runs in the 1st inning."

Allen was credited on the play with his fourth triple of the season, which
leads East County.

In the 2nd inning, Schroeder lined a home run to right-center field, giving
Christian a 4-0 lead.

RBI singles by Nick Laughter and Josh Paddock made it 6-1 in the 5th.
Schroeder concluded Christian's scoring with another rocket over the
right-center field fence.

"It was like a video replay of his first home run," Mitchell said of
Schroeder's second fence-clearing blast. "I mean, same pitch - same location
- same result."

The victory left Christian (14-4, 2-0) in the Eastern League lead, one game
ahead of Serra and Patrick Henry.

Christian has a week off before travelling to Kearny for an Eastern League
tilt Thursday (April 18) at 3 p.m.
(04-11-02)

Matadors' McLaughlin mows down Monarchs in opener

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY - When Mount Miguel has sophomore Mike McLaughlin on the mound,
the Matadors should be considered a viable opponent. Make no mistake about
it, the 5-foot-9, 150-pound southpaw can deliver a punch.

Just ask the Monte Vista Monarchs, who expected to take a positive first step
on Wednesday (April 10) in defense of their Grossmont South League
co-championship. The Matadors spoiled those plans by claiming a 4-1 victory.

To the visiting Monarchs, McLaughlin must have looked 10-feet tall, as he
pitched a complete-game 3-hitter while logging 11 strikeouts.

"He was bringing it up there pretty good, like 85-to-88 mph," Mount Miguel
coach Ernie Reyes said. "He was spotting his fastball well, but he also mixed
in about 10 cutters which made him that much tougher. He wasn't just
overpowering, he worked the corners, too. He gets a little emotional at
times, but I think he ranks with the best pitchers around when he's on his
game."

Mount Miguel (4-9, 1-0) scored all the runs it would need with a pair in the
second inning. The Matadors loaded the bases on a walk to Joey Street, a base
hit by Nick Balsley and a walk to Armond Piligrino.

Monte Vista pitcher Robert Tidwell nearly escaped the jam when he struck out
Fernando Ruiz for the second out. But Tidwell suddenly failed to find the
strike zone and issued a walk to Eddie Gonzales to force in a run. Nathan Ga
then ripped an RBI single to score Balsley for a 2-0 lead.

In the third 3rd inning, Dane Ponciano followed a hit batter, walk, and an
error with a bases-loaded double to drive in 2 runs for the Matadors.

"People want to overlook us, discount us," Reyes said. "I know that. My
players know it, too. That's OK, because we think we can compete. If they
want to take us lightly it's all the better for us."

The Monarchs (5-10, 0-1) avoided the shutout with a run in the 5th inning.
David Sevier walked, advanced to third on a wild pick-off throw by
McLaughlin, and scored on Alex Barajas' groundout.

Monte Vista catcher Chris Anderson accounted for two of the Monarchs' three
hits.

HELIX 5, VALHALLA 4 - Ryan Hulbert joined the Highlanders four games into
the season and has been paying dividends ever since. The versatile 5-foot-11,
170-pound junior drilled an RBI single to right-center field to snap a 4-4
deadlock in the bottom of the 7th Wednesday (April 10) as the defending
Grossmont South League co-champion Highlanders opened the season with a
thrilling victory over visiting Valhalla.

Earlier in the game, Hulbert, a .353 hitter, whacked his second home run of
the year - a solo shot in the third inning - to hoist Helix's lead to 3-0.
But Highlanders pitchers Brent Degen and Ryan Philben struggled to hold the
lead.

"I was worried about having a 13-day layoff, and whether we would be ready to
play," Helix first-year coach Cole Holland admitted. "We were in a dogfight
today, and coming out on top should be a confidence builder for us."

Valhalla (7-9, 0-1), which has lost 9 of 11 since beginning the season 5-0,
staged an impressive comeback. Senior first baseman David Dennis lined a solo
home run - his 6th - off the scoreboard in right-center field, slicing the
Highlanders' edge to 3-1 in the 4th inning.

After an RBI single by Ryan Philben extended Helix's lead to 4-1 in the
bottom of the 4th, Dennis recoiled and snapped the Norsemen back into
contention when he singled in Zach Barger (walk) to make it 4-2 in the 6th.

The slumping Norsemen looked as if they were going to win a big one when they
scored twice in the 7th inning to overtake the Highlanders, 4-3. Louie
Lange's RBI single tied it, and a passed ball on a strikeout handed the
Norsemen a one-run lead as Barger scored.

Turns out, it wasn't enough.

Philben pitched the final 2 innings in relief to secure his third win without
a loss.

Valhalla freshman Sean O'Sullivan, who struck out 10 in a route-going
performance, was tagged with the heart-breaking loss.

"O'Sullivan threw a great game against us," Holland said. "We took an awful
lot of pitches for strikes. Overall, we weren't very aggressive at the plate."

Maybe so, but the Highlanders won't argue about the outcome.

EL CAPITAN 19, GRANITE HILLS 4 - For those who haven't seen him play, let us
introduce El Capitan lead-off man Justin Snyder. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound
sophomore second baseman is shredding varsity pitching in his rookie season.

Snyder was 4-for-5 with three runs, 2 RBI and a stolen base as the Vaqueros
riddled Granite Hills in a Grossmont North-South Tournament game in Lakeside.

That outburst, which extended Snyder's hitting streak to 8 games, raised his
season average to .509 (28-for-55). He has hit safely in all but one of the
Vaqueros' 15 games, and leads East County in doubles (10). Snyder is tied for
the top spot in hits and runs scored (21), and has driven in 13 runs.

Jordan Abruzzo (3-for-4) and Chris Walston (1-for-1) drove in 5 runs apiece
for El Capitan (12-3), which won for the 7th time in 8 starts. Walston's blow
was his county-leading 11th home run - a grand slam - that launched a 7-run
fifth inning.

El Capitan put the game on ice with a 8-run opening frame. Abruzzo's two-run
double was the key blow.

Travis Lopez rationed the visiting Eagles to one earned run in 5 innings as
he earned his 5th win in six decisions.

Luke McRoberts was 3-for-4 for the Eagles (6-8), who had little to celebrate.

GROSSMONT 18, WEST HILLS 4 - Two teams that have been struggling most of
the preseason met in Wednesday's (April 10) Grossmont North League opener at
Grossmont's Joe Gizoni Field.

The Foothillers (9-6, 1-0) enjoyed a day of healing as they sent 18 batters
to the plate and scored 15 runs in the second inning en route to a lopsided
victory over the visiting Wolf Pack (2-12, 0-1), who remained in a maelstrom.

Senior Chris Fransway drove in 5 runs with a grand slam and an RBI single in
the second inning, while Justin Baum and Trevor Pike each launched a 3-run
homer.

The 15-run tally ties for the third-highest in San Diego CIF history and it
is the second-best single-inning run production in Grossmont Conference
history. Only a 23-run inning by La Jolla against Mar Vista in 1988 and
16-run frames by San Marcos (against El Camino in 1989), Grossmont (vs. Mount
Miguel in 1989) and Christian (vs. Lincoln in 1998) rank higher than what the
Hillers did against the Pack on Wednesday.

Grossmont's scoring spree was fueled by 8 hits, 5 walks, a hit batsman and
an error.

San Diego State-bound Ben Coon was a double-threat for Grossmont, pitching 4
innings to notch his 4th win in six decisions. He also went 3-for-4 at the
plate with 3 RBI and a stolen base.

West Hills took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Jeff Perine walked, Lalo
Roberti singled and Clay Coulter clouted a sacrifice fly.

Wolf Pack pitcher Eddie Pryor started out strong as he retired the Hillers
1-2-3 in the bottom of the first. He faced 7 batters in the second inning,
but was unable to get an out.

SANTANA 19, EL CAJON VALLEY 2 (5) - Hayden Penn proved he can do more than
pitch as the visiting Sultans opened the Grossmont North League campaign
Wednesday (April 10) by bouncing the Braves in a game that was halted after 5
1/2 innings by the mercy rule.

Penn pounded three doubles in four at-bats, scored 4 runs and drove in a 5th
for Santana (8-7), which pushed its record above the .500 mark for the first
time all season.

Santana's youth corps was equally as effective against El Cajon Valley (7-9,
0-1), as sophomores Chenne Giles (2-for-2) and Tommy Wiley (2-for-3) and
junior Michael Votel (4-for-5) combined for 11 RBI, 5 singles, 2 doubles, a
triple and 5 runs scored.

The Sultans barged in front with 5 runs in the first inning. Jesse Leon
provided the spark with a lead-off single and scored on Penn's double .
Singles by Ryan Howard and Wiley loaded he bases for Sam Phillips, who came
through with a two-run single. Nick Caraveo doubled in two more to provide
Sultans' starter Michael Wood with a 5-0 cushion before he delivered his
first pitch.

Giles helped bring an early conclusion to the proceedings with a bases-loaded
triple in the 6th inning.

Wood twirled what proved to be a complete game, as he scattered 6 hits over 5
innings to balance his record at 3-3.
(04-10-02)

Laughter, Schroeder strike for Pats in Eastern opener

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Nick Laughter, who had been mired in a 1-for-14 slump, seemed to
welcome Tuesday's (April 9) start of the Eastern League campaign. The
Christian High senior third baseman gave the Patriots the early lead with a
solo home run in the 2nd inning and an RBI-single in the 3rd, propelling
Christian to a 5-2 victory over host Patrick Henry.

Brian Schroeder limited Patrick Henry to 2 runs on 4 hits in 5 1/3 innings en
route to his 6th win against 2 losses. The junior left-hander struck out 7,
raising his San Diego County-leading total to 81 in 48 1/3 innings.

"Brian has done a lot of pitching for us, and I think he's getting a little
worn down," said Christian coach Mike Mitchell, who doesn't plan to use his
ace pitcher for at least a week. "He didn't have his best velocity today, so
he wasn't out there just blowing guys away. But he pitched smart and went
deep into the game."

Schroeder, who has completed 5 of his 8 starts, left with bases loaded in the
bottom of the 6th inning. Reliever Joel Allen quelled the uprising by coaxing
a couple of groundball outs, and then pitched a shutout 7th to earn the save.

After Laughter laced a line drive in the 2nd inning through a headwind in
left-center field for his 3rd home run of the season, Adam Balderrama walked
to set the wheels in motion for Christian (13-4, 1-0) in the 3rd. He advanced
to 2nd on Daniel Magness' sacrifice bunt, and moved to 3rd on Chris Denhart's
infield out. Then it was Laughter's turn to deliver again, as he singled to
left.

In the 4th inning, Christian loaded the bases with one out as Eddie Listander
walked, David Riley singled, and Schroeder singled.

Balderrama's attempted squeeze bunt appeared to backfire when Adam Powell,
the Henry pitcher, scooped up the ball and threw to the plate for an apparent
force out. The catcher, however, dropped the ball and Listander was safe,
making it 3-0.

Magness followed with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Riley for a 4-0
advantage. Denhart then singled in Schroeder to lift his East County-leading
RBI total to 26.

Nathan Bowman went 3-for-4 with a home run for Patrick Henry (7-7, 0-1).
(04-09-02)

Two different games, but Foothillers like results

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Two struggling teams that most would consider contenders for their
respective league championships squared off in a tune-up double-header
Saturday (April 6) at Grossmont High. The host Foothillers of the Grossmont
North swept the visiting Granite Hills Eagles from the Grossmont South, 4-3
and 16-14 in a pair of games that had some interesting twists.

GROSSMONT 4, GRANITE HILLS 3 - Ben Coon held the heavy-hitting Eagles to one
hit over the first four innings and then survived a 5th inning flare up as
the Hillers held on for the victory.

Chris Fransway belted a two-run home run to give Grossmont a 3-0 edge in the
second inning and Jared Norris nailed a solo shot in the fourth to support
the steady pitching of the San Diego State-bound Coon. The senior left-hander
surrendered just 5 hits, 3 runs, one walk and 6 strikeouts as he improved his
record to 3-2.

Granite Hills broke through against Coon in the 5th inning as Casey Craig
doubled and scored on James Sinkes' single. After Josh Claret walked, the
Hillers rolled a double play. The Eagles, however, refused to fold as Andy
Roberts ripped a demonstrative two-run home run to dead-center field, shaving
Grossmont's edge to 4-3.

"Ben had that one bad inning, but I was happy that he was able to hang on and
finish what he started," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips said.

GROSSMONT 16, GRANITE HILLS 14 - Trevor Pike drove in 6 runs with a grand
slam, a double and a single in 4 at-bats as the Foothillers (8-6) rallied
from a 14-9 deficit to defeat the Eagles (7-8).

It appeared that Grossmont would win in a cakewalk as Coon's two-run single
gave the Foothillers a 2-1 lead in the second inning. Grossmont extended its
advantage to 7-1 in the second inning as Pike poked a two-run double, Mark
Dobbins drilled a 2-run single and Norris doubled in a fifth run.

With the Foothillers leading 8-2 after three innings, Granite Hills erupted
for 5 runs in the fourth inning. Chad Williams, who was 1-for-5 but managed
to drive in 6 runs, slugged his 4th home run of the year with two men aboard
in the 4th inning as the Eagles pulled to within 8-7.

Sophomore Justin Baum blasted a solo home run to give Grossmont a 9-7
advantage in the bottom of the 4th.

But the Eagles scored 3 runs in the fifth and 5 runs in the 6th to take a
14-9 lead. Senior third baseman Luke McRoberts ripped a 2-run single in each
of those scoring innings.

Grossmont's 7-run 6th inning, spearheaded by Pike's slam, was aided by 4
walks, a hit batter, a throwing error and an RBI double by Norris.

"The best part about today is we came back from a 5-run deficit late in the
game," Phillips said. "That's something we haven't been able to do in a year
and a half."
(04-06-02)

Phillips, Rauch are all-tournament after Vaqueros victory

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Kyle Phillips was 10 years old when his professional baseball
brother Jason Phillips was named to the 1993 Upper Deck Classic
All-Tournament Team. The older Phillips is now a minor league catcher in the
New York Mets' farm system, while Kyle is one of the top high school hitters
in San Diego County.

On a night when Jason Phillips opened the Triple-A International League
season with the Norfolk Tides by pounding a single, double and home run to
collect 3 RBI in 4 at-bats, El Capitan High senior first baseman Kyle
Phillips was named to the prestigious Toyo Tires National Classic (formerly
sponsored by Upper Deck) All-Tournament Team along with Vaqueros' left
fielder Brandon Rauch.

"This was a legit tournament, probably the best in the country," the younger
Phillips said after producing 9 hits, 5 RBI, a home run and 4 runs in 13
at-bats.

"I'm seeing the ball tremendously well. All the pitchers we saw in this
tournament were all-stars. They know how to pitch. I don't think I saw more
than 5 fastballs for strikes. They were pitching me away, so I had to make
some adjustments."

Phillips, who popped his 6th home run of the season on his 18th birthday a
day earlier, was 2-for-3 in El Capitan's 6-3 victory over Chaminade in
Thursday's (April 4) final round of the Toyo Tire National Classic in Orange
County.

"Of my 9 hits, I'd say all but one were hit to left center," Phillips said.
"And out of that, I'd say only 5 of my hits came on pitches that were
strikes."

Phillips pushed his batting average up to .511 (23 for 45).

"You have to learn to hit the ball where it's pitched," said the 6-foot-2,
195-pound first baseman-catcher, who is being heavily recruited by San Diego
State, his brother's alma mater.

El Capitan, which scored 6 runs in the first inning to defeat the No.
10-ranked Chaminade Eagles (10-4) from the San Fernando Valley, has certainly
caught the attention of the pollsters. The Vaqueros (11-3) lost to eventual
tournament-champion and No. 2-ranked Bishop Amat by one run in the final
inning while defeating three other nationally-reknown programs in the
four-day tournament.

"I think we left our name out there," Phillips said.

Against Chaminade, the first six Vaqueros who batted scored. Jordan Abruzzo
ripped a two-run double. Justin Snyder's 10th double of the season drove in a
run as did a Brett Stephens single.

Snyder was 8-for-14 in the tournament, while Rauch was 9-for-15 with 5
extra-base hits, 8 runs and 7 RBI. Chris Walston whacked 2 home runs and
drove in 8 runs.

Senior Scott Boller was the winning pitcher against Chaminade. He gave up 3
hits and 1 earned run in 4 1/3 innings. Jason Guzman blanked the Eagles
(10-4) on one hit over the final 2 2/3 innings to earn the save.

El Capitan, which has won 6 of its last 7, opens defense of its Grossmont
North League crown on Friday (April 12) at Santana at 4 p.m.

G1: VALHALLA 5, SANTANA 3 - Two first-inning errors helped the Norsemen
gain the upper hand on Santana ace Hayden Penn in the opening game of
Thursday's (April 4) non-league double-header at Valhalla.

Valhalla took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame without benefit of a hit.

"Penn should have gotten out of that first inning with 8 pitches," Santana
coach Jerry Henson said. "Those errors made by our freshman third baseman
made Penn throw 26 pitches."

Henson said Penn (2-1) was permitted to "call his own game." The venture was
relatively successful as the hard-throwing right-hander gave up only 4 hits,
3 earned runs, walked none and struck out 6 in his first complete-game effort.

"They hit his off-speed stuff," Henson noted.

Valhalla coach Steve Perdue agreed.

"Penn is capable of shutting down anybody," he said. "He has an overpowering
fastball that moves. I thought he relied too much on his off-speed stuff
against us when his fastball was so dominating."

Valhalla first baseman David Dennis deposited a Penn curveball on the scoring
side of the right field fence to give the Norsemen a 5-3 advantage in the 6th
inning.

"(Penn) hung a breaking ball on the first pitch in the 6th and Dennis just
lost it," Perdue said of the senior slugger's fifth round-tripper of the
season.

Valhalla freshman Sean O'Sullivan (2-1) rationed the visiting Sultans to one
earned run and 5 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Zach Teisher got the final four outs
to record his second save.

"O'Sullivan has pitched back-to-back great games (including a 5-2 loss to
Mission Bay in which he gave up only 1 earned run in 6 1/3 innings)," Perdue
said. "He's the real deal. He developed a blister on his pitching hand in the
6th inning and we had to get him out of there."

Singles by Jesse Leon, Paul Cabading and Penn loaded the bases against
O'Sullivan in the 6th inning. One run scored on an infield out. A throwing
error brought in a second tally and Tommy Wiley's sacrifice fly cut
Valhalla's lead to 4-3.

Valhalla made its four hits count. The key blows were RBI singles by Kyle
Howard and Chad Peace which gave the Norsemen a 4-0 cushion in the 5th.

G2: SANTANA 5, VALHALLA 4 - Although the Norsemen were able to beat Penn,
they couldn't handle the Sultans' sophomore trio of Chenne Giles, Shane
Kaufman and Wiley in the nightcap of Thursday's twinbill.

Wiley was the most dominating of the trio, as he held the Norsemen hitless
over the final 3 frames to earn his first varsity victory.

"Tommy did not pitch at the JV level," Henson said. "He wanted to play
shortstop on JV, but he made 7 errors in one game. We knew he had a strong
arm from what he'd done in Lakeside Pony League. He has a live arm, so we
decided to try him on the mound."

It's been a successful transition. Wiley has made five relief appearances,
surrendering just 5 earned runs and 10 hits in 12 innings. He has one victory
and a pair of saves to his credit.

Only one Valhalla runner reached base against Wiley, and that was a
hit-by-pitch free pass.

"I really like that Wiley kid," Perdue said. "He's going to be a good one."

Penn was 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles and 2 RBI to pace the Sultans (7-7).
Cabading was 2-for-3 with two RBI, including a game-winning single that
snapped a 4-4 deadlock in the 7th inning.

Claye Cantwell clubbed a 2-run double that gave Valhalla (7-8) a 4-3 edge in
the 4th inning.

G1: MONTE VISTA 4, WEST HILLS 2 - Dallas Hubbard hit the first home run of
his varsity career and provided 1 2/3 innings of stellar relief to give the
Monarchs the victory in the first game of Thursday's (April 4) non-league
double-header.

Hubbard, a sophomore right-hander, arrived on the mound with the score tied
2-2 and the bases-loaded with one out in the 5th inning. He thwarted the
budding Wolf Pack rally by logging back-to-back strikeouts, and was
ultimately awarded the victory.

Monte Vista broke the deadlock in the bottom of the 5th as Dave Sevier
doubled, advanced to third on an infield out and scored on Kellen Ellis'
single.

Ward Minnich doubled in an insurance run for the Monarchs in the 6th inning.

Eddie Pryor was the hard-luck loser for West Hills, despite allowing only 2
earned runs in 5 innings. He walked one and struck out 6.

G2: MONTE VISTA 7, WEST HILLS 2 - Lalo Roberti drilled a first-inning home
run to give the visiting Wolf Pack a quality start, but it was all down hill
from there.

The Monarchs scored 6 runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked
back thereafter. Chris Van Story stroked a 2-run single and Nick Decaro
followed with an RBI single to give Monte Vista (5-9) a 3-1 advantage. Dave
Sevier's sacrifice fly and a subsequent Wolf Pack throwing error on the play
fattened the Monte Vista pad to 5-1. Joe Berry capped the big inning with an
RBI double.

West Hills (2-11) countered in the top of the second when Clay Coulter
doubled and Dustin Beechler singled to put runners at the corners with nobody
out. Coulter scored on an infield out, but the Pack was silenced the rest of
the way.

Minnich picked up the pitching win, rationing the Pack to 2 runs and 3 hits
over 4 innings. Gerry Guzman blanked West Hills on 1 hit over the final 3
frames to produce the save.

"We are exactly where we were going into the start of (Grossmont South)
League play last year at 5-9," Monarchs coach Steve Dolias pointed out.
"We've got a bunch of fighters on our team. We hate to lose. We don't have
superstars on our team, but we do have good chemistry. When we lose a game,
we take it as a challenge. The league (title) is up for grabs."

Monte Vista, the co-champion a year ago, opens its title defense on Wednesday
(April 10) at Mount Miguel 4 p.m.

MIRA MESA 4, CHRISTIAN 0 - The Patriots (12-4) suffered their first shutout
loss in 56 games dating back to the 2000 season, and were blanked for only
the second time in 123 games reaching back to 1998.

Rare indeed.

Johnny Magbanua, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound Mira Mesa senior, cast the spell in
Thursday's (April 4) City Conference Tournament finale.

"I don't think the guy threw 5 fastballs the whole game," Christian coach
Mike Mitchell said. "We saw knuckleballs, changeups, curveballs, sliders. .
. you name it. But not fastballs."

It was a successful formula as the Patriots were limited to singles by Chris
Denhart and Travis Conrad.

Christian's Brian Schroeder made two appearances on the mound in the loss.
The junior left-hander started, toiling three innings in his first tour. He
was tagged for an unearned run, but surrendered just 2 hits, and one unearned
run while striking out 8.

After reliever Clint Gerlek gave up an unearned run in the 4th inning, the
Marauders (12-2) mugged Schroeder for 2 runs and 2 hits in his second
go-round. Together, the two Patriots' pitchers struck out 14, with Schroeder
notching a dozen to raise his county-leading total to 74 (in 43 innings).

"If anybody would have told me we'd be 12-4 without (ace left-hander Daniel)
Magness throwing a single inning, I would have said they were nuts," Mitchell
said. "We'll have Magness, Schroeder and our whole pitching staff in tact
when we start league next week."

Christian opens the Eastern League campaign on Tuesday (April 9) when it
travels to Patrick Henry for a 3 p.m. encounter.
(04-04-02)

Rauch rips pair of round-trippers in El Cap win

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - El Capitan coach Steve Vickery calls it a "coming out party" for
junior Brandon Rauch. Vickery said he isn't surprised by the 6-foot-2,
215-pound junior outfielder's performance at the Toyo Tire National Classic.
But added, "I can't help but be impressed by his showing."

Vickery is not alone. Rauch ripped two more home runs, scored 3 runs and
drove in 3 as the Vaqueros flattened the Foothill Falcons 11-5 in Wednesday's
(April 3) third round of the prestigious 16-team tournament in Orange County.

"Brandon has just been on fire," Vickery said. "When he came up here most
people would probably have considered him to be a suspect. Now, I'd have to
say he's a little more than that. He's done nothing but raise his stock."

Rauch is 8-for-11, with three homers, two doubles, 7 RBI and 7 runs in the
three tournament games. That burst has hiked his season average to .408
(20-for-49).

"Brandon is usually the fastest kid on the field," Vickery said. "In
Tuesday's game, he hit a semi-slow hopper to shortstop and beat it out for a
single. His defense has been sound, too. He threw a guy out at the plate in
the first inning of that same game.

"What he's done here this week is open a lot of doors to the future for
himself."

Rauch gave El Capitan (10-3) a 1-0 lead with his fourth home run of the
season in the first inning against Foothill. The Falcons, however, jumped on
Vaqueros sophomore Nick Reagan to take a 3-1 lead in the third.

Then it was Rauch's turn again. He followed a Justin Snyder single with a
towering home run to tie it 3-3 in the bottom of the third.

"He hit that one over a 12-foot fence at the 357 marker in left center,"
Vickery said. "To get an idea of how high and far he hit that ball, there is
a 30-foot net on top of the fence."
To add to the El Capitan dramatics, senior Kyle Phillips broke a 3-3 tie with
his 6th home run. The solo blast marked the third straight year that Phillips
has celebrated his birthday with a home run. He turned 18 on Wednesday.

In addition to going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI in the game, Phillips also moved
behind the plate to catch the first six innings.

El Capitan broke the game open with 7 runs in the sixth. Jordan Anderson
sparked the big inning with a lead-off triple to right-center. He scored on
Scott Boller's single and the rout was on.

Chris Walston lined a 2-run single and Jordan Abruzzo doubled in 2 more runs.
Brett Stephens contributed an RBI double.

The Vaqueros, who have won 5 of their last 6 games, take on Chaminade in
Thursday's (April 4) consolation final at 10 a.m. The Eagles, also 10-3, are
ranked No. 10 in The Los Angeles Times' Southland Poll.

CHRISTIAN 9, MADISON 1 - Versatile Joel Allen gave the pitching-weary
Patriots a big-time shot in the arm in Wednesday's (April 3) City Conference
Tournament romp over the visiting Warhawks (9-4).

The 6-foot-1, 160-pound junior right-hander turned in a complete-game effort,
scattering 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 6. The victory rolled
Allen's record to 4-0 and lowered his ERA to 0.97.

Juniors Eddie Listander and Daniel Magness, along with senior David Riley
combined for 2 home runs, 2 doubles, 5 singles, 7 RBI, 6 runs and 2 steals in
10 at-bats as Patriots improved to 12-3.

For Listander, it's 6 hits in 7 at-bats over two games. In his last 7 starts,
the junior catcher is 11-for-20 with 2 homers and 11 RBI.

"Eddie has made quite a turn-around," Christian coach Mike Mitchell said. "He
looked horrible a couple of weeks ago. His swing was so far off that he swung
at a couple pitches that were already in the catcher's glove. But lately,
he's been able to hit everything he can reach."

Listander gave Christian the early lead with an RBI single in the second
inning. Riley followed with a 2-run single in the same frame and the Patriots
never looked back after that.

Back-to-back doubles by Magness and Nick Laughter made it 4-0 in the 3rd
inning. Listander keyed a 3-run 4th with a two-run homer and Riley's RBI
single made it 8-0 in the 5th. Magness capped the Patriots' scoring parade
with his third home run in the 6th.

Christian plays its fourth game in as many days on Thursday (April 4) when it
travels to Mira Mesa at 3 p.m.
(04-03-02)

Walston

Walston clubs 10th at Toyo tourney, but Vaqueros lose

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - If nothing else, the El Capitan Vaqueros have seen the stock of
some of their seniors soar in the eyes of professional scouts and college
recruiters this week in the prestigious Toyo Tire National Classic in Orange
County.

Chris Walston is the most talked about of the El Capitan cast. The 6-foot-6,
235-pound Dave Kingman-clone clubbed another tape-measure shot in Tuesday's
(April 2) 8-7 loss to perennial national power Bishop Amat at Placentia's
Champions Sports Complex.

"Most of the scouts knew about Walston before we got up here," El Capitan
coach Steve Vickery said. "Those who didn't, know now."

Walston blasted a three-run drive - his San Diego County-leading 10th home
run - in the first inning as the Vaqueros let the Lancers (11-2) know that
this was not going to be any cakewalk.

"It's about 420 to dead center here," Vickery said. "He hit it over a 12-foot
fence in right-center. It was about 395 feet where it cleared the fence, and
it had to travel another 40 feet beyond that. It landed in the street outside
the ballpark.

"Those who saw that shot had to be impressed."

Spectators, yes. But the Lancers from nearby La Puente were hardly
intimidated. This is a program with a deeper tradition than Rancho Bernardo,
Montgomery or Mission Bay.

The Lancers were ranked No. 2 in the nation with a 27-2 record a year ago. In
the preseason ratings this spring, they were rated No. 1 in the nation.

Losses in 2 of their first 5 games, caused the Lancers to drop from the
public spotlight, but did nothing to diminish their literal talent and skill
levels. They are clearly on their way back up, ranked No. 5 nationally with
an eight-game winning streak.

None of that mattered on Tuesday.

Bishop Amat erased El Cap's early 4-run lead with 5 runs in its first three
turns at-bat. But the Vaqueros (9-3) regained its advantage in the 4th
inning.

Ray Neder singled and scored the tying marker on Justin Snyder's double. Then
it was Brandon Rauch's turn to draw a chorous of "oohs and ahs," as he
launched a 2-run home run to give the Vaqueros a 7-5 lead.

"People are starting to take notice of Rauch," Vickery said. "He's been asked
by several scouts to fill out (information) cards."

Rauch finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Snyder was 2-for-3
with 2 runs, while Kyle Phillips was 3-for-4.

El Capitan might have pulled out a victory had it not muffed a double-play
grounder in the bottom of the 6th. That miscue opened the door to a 3-run
inning which enabled Bishop Amat to claim the one-run victory.

The Vaqueros play Foothill in Wednesday's (April 3) third round at 10 a.m.

SANTANA 5, MOUNT MIGUEL 1 - After a less-than-inspiring start, the Sultans
reached the .500 mark Tuesday (April 2) by defeating visiting Mount Miguel in
a non-league bout in Santee. That verdict squared the Sultans' season slate
at 6-6.

Santana does not have a bevy of players lined up in the latest
EastCountySports.com statistics, but coach Jerry Henson's crew has finished
on top in 5 of its last 7 starts.

"Don't ask me how we win ballgames," Henson said in jest. "We're basically a
young team that is going to keep on getting better."

Case in point is freshman pitcher Jeff Woods, who dazzled the Matadors (3-9)
with his 3-pitch assortment for 5 shutout innings. Woods struck out 4, walked
one and permitted 4 hits as he logged his first varsity win.

"He's very mature for a freshman," Henson said of Woods, who needed only 69
pitches to complete his predetermined outing. "He has a nice break on his
curveball, a live fastball and a circle change."

Senior Michael Wood struggled with his control, but managed to make it to the
finish line despite walking 5 in the final 2 innings. He gave up 2 hits and
allowed Mount Miguel to spoil the shutout, while striking out 2.

Sophomore second baseman Jesse Leon was the main cog in the Santana offense
with three hits and two RBI in four at-bats. He doubled in Nick Caraveo
(walk) to give the Sultans a 1-0 edge in the opening frame.

Leon's RBI single capped a two-run second as Santana extended its lead to
3-0. The 5-foot-6, 140-pound catalyst singled to load the bases in the 4th
inning, but it was Paul Cabading's sacrifice fly that scored Tommy Wiley
(single) with the Sultans' fourth run.

Santana stole 5 bases in the victory, with Ryan Howard swiping 2.

Mount Miguel avoided the shutout with a run in the 6th inning. Yarinn
Gonzalez drew a one-out walk and scored on Dane Ponciano's double.

CHRISTIAN 12, UNIVERSITY CITY 2 - The pitching-thin Patriots continue to
prove that coach Mike Mitchell is something of a magician.

Mitchell's latest in a long line of juggling acts came in Tuesday's (April 2)
City Conference Tournament tilt against the visiting Centurions. The veteran
skipper paraded four pitchers to the mound and came away with a 4-hit
victory. Forget the fact that the quartet walked 6, as it also struck out 9.

Christian High ace Brian Schroeder, who struck out 7 to raise his East
County-leading strikeout total to 62 in 38 innings, blanked the Centurions on
2 hits to chalk up his 5th win in six decisions.

Chris Denhart drove in two runs to lift his East County-high RBI total to 25,
as he delivered 3 hits in 4 at-bats. One of those blows was his 3rd home run
of the campaign - a solo shot in the 5th inning.

Eddie Listander's two-run singled capped a 4-run first-inning for the
Patriots (11-3). The junior catcher singled, stole home and clubbed a two-run
double in the 4th inning as the Patriots produced 7 runs for an 11-0 cushion.
(04-02-02)

Braves' Ochoa at his best throwing zeros at Lancers

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Don't look now, but the El Cajon Valley Braves (7-8) have won
three straight, and five out of six. And this is no April fool fantasy. Not
that coach Wayne Weightman is ready to make any bold predictions, but the
Braves' first-year skipper is obviously optimistic about the future.

The Braves' latest conquest featured a photo-finish, as they nipped visiting
Francis Parker 1-0 in a non-league game on Monday (April 1).

The rebounding Braves, who were outscored 103-31 during a 2-7 start, received
a stellar pitching performance from Oscar Ochoa and some clutch hitting from
Greg Fisher to knock off the Lancers.

Ochoa, a 5-foot-11 senior southpaw, limited the Lancers to 4 hits while
striking out 8 as he logged his second victory in five decisions.

"Oh yeah, it was definitely my best," Ochoa said of his sixth start of the
season. "I felt good. I was able to throw my curveball for strikes and kept
my fastball down."

Ochoa was denied a chance to be the batting hero as Francis Parker elected to
hand him an intentional pass to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of
the 7th of a scoreless deadlock.

That put the onus on Fisher, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior. After falling
behind 0-2 in the count, Fisher took a fastball outside for ball one, and
then lined the next pitch into left field, scoring Justin Schmidt with the
winning run.

"It got kinda scary, because the same thing happened last week, in the Lions
Tournament," said Fisher, referring to an opponent that intentionally walked
Ochoa in order to put the pressure on him. "I struck out that time, and it
played a big part of my head this time."

The left-hand-hitting Fisher, who earlier in the year had a game-winning hit
against Mount Miguel, kept his poise after falling behind in the count to
Parker reliever Jeff Goodall.

"I just choked up on the bat and poked the ball the other way," Fisher said.
"The guy kept pitching me away (outside), so I had to adjust. I just wanted
to make contact, put the ball in play. Things worked out a lot better this
time, and I'm happy about that."

Freshman catcher Randy Smith drew a one-out walk, but was forced at second on
Schmidt's ground ball. Kyle Whisenhunt followed with his second single in
four at-bats. Ochoa, who came into the game batting .438, was put on base in
favor of Fisher.

"It upset me," said Ochoa, who leads the Braves in intentional walks. "I
wanted to bat, but I was willing to do whatever it took to win."

EL CAPITAN 8, CANYON DEL ORO (Ariz.) 2 - Officially, El Capitan's Chris
Walston is the No. 1 home run hitter in San Diego County with 9
round-trippers.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound senior made an impressive showing during a home run
derby at the Toyo Tires National Classic Saturday night (March 30) in Orange
County.

Walston hit 8 home runs to finish second in a tournament of hitters
representing 16 of the top-ranked high school teams in the nation.

"The scouts tell me that they thought 2 - maybe 3 - of the balls Walston hit
went about 500 feet," El Capitan coach Steve Vickery said. "All I know is
that he put on an absolute show. He was just crushing the ball."

Walston smashed his county-leading 9th home run with two runners aboard in
the 4th inning of Monday's (April 1) romp in Fullerton over Tucson's Canyon
Del Oro. That blast through a crosswind gave the Vaqueros (9-2) a 7-1 lead
over the Dorados (12-4).

"He hit another shot in the game that the center-fielder caught crashing into
the fence," Vickery noted.

Kyle Phillips exhibited plenty of power as well, finishing 5th in the home
run derby. The senior first baseman was 2-for-3 with 3 RBI in the first-round
victory over Canyon Del Oro. His totals might have been even more impressive
had the Dorados' center-fielder not robbed him with a fence-crunching catch
as well.

El Capitan jumped in front in the 1st inning as Brandon Rauch doubled and
came around to score on back-to-back errors by the Arizonans.

Phillips' two-run single in the 2nd gave the Vaqueros a 3-1 lead.

In the 4th inning, singles by Ray Neder, Justin Snyder and Rauch made it 4-1.
Then Walston straightened out a curveball, sending it soaring over the
scoreboard to put the Vaqueros in command 7-1.

Not to be overshadowed by the Vaqueros' offensive arsenal was the pitching of
Jason Guzman and Scott Boller. Guzman allowed 4 hits and 1 run in six innings
as he posted his third win against one loss. Boller struck out 2 and was
nicked for an unearned run in the final inning.

El Capitan faces Bishop Amat in Tuesday's (April 2) second round at 2 p.m.

SCRIPPS RANCH 10, CHRISTIAN 1 - For one of the few times all season, the
Patriots didn't appear ready to play, as they were flattened by the Falcons
in Monday's (April 1) City Conference Tournament game at Scripps Ranch.

In the first of four games in as many days, the pitching-thin Patriots
watched the Falcons (8-2-1) score in five of their six turns at bat.

Scripps Ranch senior Brad Clipp dealt further frustration to the Patriots
(10-3), as he struck out 10 in five innings. Sophomore Kevin Wilson pitched
the final two innings.

Christian looked as if it might make a game of it early on. Joel Allen
slashed a leadoff double into the left-center field gap in the 2nd inning,
and eventually scored on a base hit by Josh Paddock to tie it at 1-1.

After that, the Patriots faded into the sunset as it was all Scripps Ranch.
(04-01-02)

LIONS CLUB/MIKE MORROW TOURNAMENT

Vaqueros do the little things to edge Patriots, 2-1

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Those who think the Christian Patriots (10-2) aren't as good as
their record, might want to check with El Capitan coach Steve Vickery. The
Vaqueros (8-2) needed eight innings to nip the Patriots 2-1 in Thursday's
(March 28) battle of two of East County's top teams.

"It came down to execution, and I thought we did a better job of that than
they did," Vickery said. "Don't get me wrong. They have a fine ballclub. But
the bottom line is we executed two sacrifice bunts, made a key pickoff, and
our catcher threw out two guys trying to steal. That was the difference."

El Capitan catcher Jordan Abruzzo was no doubt a major influence. Not only
did he nail two Patriots attempting to steal, he singled in the tying run in
the bottom of the 7th to send the game into extra innings.

Christian pitcher Brian Schroeder turned in a brilliant performance to keep
the Patriots in contention. Fact is, he did not allow an earned run or a walk
in a complete game effort. He struck out 6 but still suffered his first loss
in five decisions.

"That Schroeder is as good a pitcher as there is anywhere," Vickery said. "He
has a wicked slider and throws the ball a lot harder than people might think.
He regularly throws in the mid-80s, and maybe the high-80s. He's got plenty
of giddyup."

Ray Neder singled to spark El Capitan's winning rally in the bottom of the
8th. Justin Snyder laid down a perfect bunt to advance Neder 90 feet.

"That would have been a hit most of the time, but Schroeder is such a
tremendous athlete that he was able to make a great play to throw Snyder
out," Vickery said. "That's a play not too many people could make it."

Neder moved to third on a passed ball, forcing Christian to pull its infield
in. It was sound strategy, as Neder was forced to hold at third as Brandon
Rauch grounded out.

That brought up Kyle Phillips. With the count 2-2, Schroeder buzzed the
Vaqueros' senior first baseman with a fastball up and in.

"It was a great pitch, but it almost hit him," Vickery said. "Kyle had all he
could do to check his swing and get out of the way. Fortunately for us, the
ball went off the catcher's mitt and Neder was able to score (the winning
run)."

Christian's coaches believed that Phillips' bat had broken the plane and the
plate umpire should have called him out on strikes. But the arbitrator behind
the dish did not agree. Game over.

"It was an awesome game between two great teams," Vickery said. "It's the
kind of competition that we like to have."

Christian broke a scoreless tie when Eddie Listander lined a 1-0 pitch from
Travis Lopez over the right field fence to give the Patriots the lead in the
6th inning. It was Listander's first career home run.

"The ball hit a car driving by on Ashwood," Vickery noted. "As Listander's
dad went out to retrieve the ball, the guy stopped his car, got out and
picked up the ball and drove away."

Lopez, the last of El Capitan's four pitchers in the game, worked the final
three innings to earn his fourth win in as many decisions.

El Capitan will compete in the Toyo Tire National Classic beginning Monday
(April 1) in Fullerton. The Vaqueros will take on Canyon Del Oro of Arizona
at 2 p.m.

Christian will travel to Scripps Ranch on Monday (April 1) for the first of
three City Conference Tournament games in as many days.

EL CAJON VALLEY 19, SITKA (Alaska) 5 - Oscar Ochoa drove in 5 runs with a
double and his third home run of the season, as the Braves (6-8) won for the
fourth time in the last five starts in Thursday's (March 28) non-league game
against Sitka (Alaska).

The northern visitors took a 4-1 lead in the 2nd inning before the Braves
found their hitting shoes.

Randy Smith's 2-run triple in the bottom of the 2nd ignited a 6-run rally.
Omar Mendez' RBI single tied the game before Kyle Whisenhunt doubled home a
run that put the Braves in front to stay.

Greg Fisher's 2-run double, and a 2-run homer by Ochoa were the key blows in
a 6-run 3rd inning as El Cajon Valley opened up a 13-4 advantage.

The Braves, who scored in all five of their turns at bat, finished with 19
hits.

Fisher was 3-for-5 with 4 RBI and pitched the first four innings to earn his
initial win of the year. Mendez scored 4 runs as the Braves' leadoff hitter,
going 2-for-4 in the process. Kyle Whisenhunt whacked a pair of doubles,
scored twice and drove in a run, while Josh Bowen was 3-for-3 with 2 runs
scored.

"We finally woke up our bats today against Sitka," Braves coach Wayne
Weightman said. "It was a good win for us. The people from Sitka are very
nice. We are going to family-host them next year and do a huge potluck BBQ
for the kids and parents."

ALTA (Utah) 9, VALHALLA 7 - Staring at a 6-1 deficit in the 3rd inning, the
Norsemen scrambled back to tie the visiting Hawks 7-7 in the 6th inning, only
to lose Thursday's (March 28) Classic Division consolation game of the 52nd
annual Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament in the 7th inning.

The loss - Valhalla's 6th in the last seven games - was typical of the
Norsemen's last two weeks.

With the score tied 7-7 in the bottom of the 6th, Valhalla's Jeff Fink hit a
line drive that struck the base umpire in the midsection. The umpire dropped
in a heap and Fink had to settle for a single, which loaded the bases for
Valhalla with two outs.

"If that ball doesn't hit the base ump, we score two and go up 9-7," said
Valhalla assistant coach Ron Burner.

The umpire recovered and continued, but the Norsemen could not say the same,
as Ryan Mattox grounded out to end the inning.

Alta pushed across two runs in the top of the 7th, but the Norsemen refused
to fold.

Eddie Mapula drew a leadoff walk, but remained at first as the next two
Norsemen made outs. Chad Peace then smacked a sharp ground ball to the right
side that hit Mapula, who was en route to second base. Peace was credited
with his second hit of the game, but Mapula was ruled out - and so was
Valhalla.

"That's pretty much the way its been going," Burner said. "We're right there,
but then something always seems to go haywire."

David Dennis launched Valhalla on a comeback trail when he belted a 3-run
homer to left center in the bottom of the 3rd, slicing Alta's lead to 6-4.
Back-to-back doubles by Dennis and Sean O'Sullivan pulled Valhalla to within
7-5 in the 5th.

A two-out rally in the 6th featured an RBI double by Louie Lange and a
game-tying single by O'Sullivan. But after that the Norsemen ran out of gas -
and luck.

ELK GROVE 9, GROSSMONT 5 - Playing as if they preferred to be somewhere
else, the Foothillers went through the motions as they succumbed to
Sacramento's Elk Grove in Thursday's (March 28) Classic Division consolation
game of the 52nd annual Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament.

The Thundering Herd stampeded to a 9-1 lead after five innings before the
Hillers came to life.

Trevor Pike's 3-run homer in the 6th inning helped Grossmont (6-6) close the
gap.

The Hillers, who scored their first run on Jordan Oakley's RBI double in the
4th, were handed an unearned run in the 7th inning as they closed the
tournament with a disappointing 2-2 record.

STEELE CANYON 14, SITKA (Alaska) 7 - The Cougars garnered their first-ever varsity victory behind four RBI from Chris Rice and two RBI apiece by Bryan Kida and Josh Goforth. All three players had two hits.

Chris Alvarez earned the win with four innings, allowing three hits.
(03-28-02)

No consolation for East teams in semifinal round

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - If it weren't for consolation, there'd be no need for field
reservations in the Grossmont Conference for Thursday's (March 28) final
round of the 52nd Annual Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament. None of East County's
nine entries in the tourney advanced to the semifinals. Only two were invited
to partake in consolation fare.

SANTANA 2, CARLSBAD 1 - For those who think the Sultans have no chance to
win unless Hayden Penn is pitching, think again. A couple of unheralded
Santana pitchers stepped to the forefront in Wednesday's (March 27) AAAA
Division game of the Lions Tournament to blunt the Lancers.

Sophomore Chenne Giles gave up 3 hits in two innings but kept Carlsbad off
the scoreboard before handing the ball to senior Michael Wood. The 6-foot,
225-pound Wood checked Carlsbad on 2 hits and 1 unearned run while striking
out 4, as he balanced his personal pitching ledger at 2-2.

A key point to Santana's latest success is that neither of the Sultans'
pitchers issued a single walk.

Suddenly the Sultans (5-6) are proving themselves worthy to challenge favored
El Capitan for the Grossmont North League crown. It has been a subtle but
sincere turnaround by the Sultans, who staggered out of the gates with four
losses in their first five games.

Both of Santana's runs scored on Carlsbad errors.

Santana finished 2-1 in its four-team pool - a record shared by Poway and
Patrick Henry. The Titans, who lost to the Sultans on Tuesday, received the
berth in the semifinals by virtue of the tournament's tie-breaker system.
Poway got the nod because it allowed the fewest runs (6) in the three-game
pool play.

Ironically, all six of those runs were scored by the Sultans.

GRANITE HILLS 5, TORREY PINES 2 - Weston Scott turned in his second straight
complete game pitching performance for the Eagles, who defeated the Falcons
in Wednesday's (March 27) Division AAAA game of the 52nd annual Lions
Tournament.

Scott scattered 8 hits and did not allow an earned run as he struck out 6 and
walked none.

"Weston has had some bad luck," said Granite Hills coach James Davis. "But
he's been gaining momentum with every appearance. He's my No. 2 (starter,
behind James Sinkes)."

A pair of Granite Hills errors put the Eagles behind 2-0 in the 2nd inning.
Sean Pepin's RBI single cut that deficit in half.

Granite Hills (6-5) took the lead with 3 runs in the 5th inning. John Coit's
2-run double put the Eagles in front 3-2. Coit later scored on a passed ball.

Sinkes' RBI single in the bottom of the 6th gave Granite Hills a 3-run
cushion.

Jeremy Clark was the only Eagles player to enjoy a multiple hit game, as he
went 2-for-2.

MONTGOMERY 7, GROSSMONT 3 (9) - The Foothillers came close to doing
something in Wednesday's (March 27) Classic Division game of the Lions
Tournament that no San Diego County team has been able to do. That is: Beat
the Montgomery Aztecs.

"We had 'em and we should have beaten them," Grossmont coach Rob Phillips
lamented after the Aztecs won their 12th straight game on Fernando Pacheco's
walk-off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th inning.

Pacheco's blast came on a 2-0 pitch that he knocked well beyond Grossmont's
short porch in right field.

The Hillers helped the Aztecs load the bases to set the stage for Pacheco, on
a walk, an error, and an intentional walk with two outs.

"Obviously, the plan did not include falling behind in the count, 2-0,"
Phillips said. "But give Montgomery credit, they don't make mistakes. And
when you do, they make you pay."

That's why Montgomery is the only undefeated team in the county.

Grossmont (6-5) staged a two-out rally in the 7th, capped by Mark Dobbins'
RBI single, to send the game into extra innings.

Dobbins beat up on the Aztecs all day. He tied the game 2-2 with a solo homer
in the 5th inning after the Hillers opened the frame with back-to-back
strikeouts. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior finished the day 3-for-4.

Trevor Pike was 3-for-5 with a double for Grossmont. Outside of Dobbins and
Pike, the Foothillers were collectively 3-for-25 at the plate.

Ben Coon, who had given Grossmont a 1-0 lead when he singled in Pike in the
opening frame, pitched 7 2/3 innings against the pesky Aztecs. He allowed 3
runs and 6 hits while striking out 5.

Grossmont takes on the Sacramento Elk Grove Thundering Herd in a Classis
Division consolation game Thursday (March 28) at Eastlake at 2 p.m.

FALLBROOK 8, HELIX 6 - Despite spotting the Warriors a 5-0 first-inning
lead, the Highlanders scrambled back to catch Fallbrook at 5-5 in the 5th
inning of Wednesday's (March 27) 52nd Lions Tournament Division AAAA game in
La Mesa.

"We just came out flat, weren't ready to go from the get-go," Helix coach
Cole Holland said. "It was our sixth game in seven days - the kids are worn
out."

Nevertheless, the Highlanders (7-5-1) won five games during that flurry of
activity, and almost made it six.

Ryan Philben's 2-run single capped a 4-run rally in the 5th that pulled the
Highlanders even with Fallbrook. Brian Ricard drove in the first run in the
big inning with a bases-loaded walk, and Rick Ledesma was hit by a pitch to
force in another run.

But Fallbrook fired back with the go-ahead run in the bottom of the 5th
inning. The Warriors added two more in the 6th to spoil an otherwise solid
relief pitching stint by Brent Degen. The senior right-hander allowed 5 hits
and 3 runs while striking out 6 in five innings.

Ryan Hulbert hammered a solo home run over the center field fence for Helix
in the 7th inning. But it was too little, too late for the Highlanders.

"We're off 13 days until we meet Valhalla (in the Grossmont South League
opener on April 10)," Holland said.

MISSION BAY 5, VALHALLA 2 - Freshman Sean O'Sullivan deserved a better fate
in Wednesday's (March 27) Classic Division Lions Tournament encounter against
third-ranked Mission Bay.

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound right-hander limited the Buccaneers to one earned
run in 6 1/3 innings, but was sabotaged by two Valhalla errors that led to 3
unearned runs in the 7th inning and sent Mission Bay into Thursday's
tournament semifinals.

Valhalla took a 2-1 lead in the 5th inning. Jeff Fink started the rally with
a pinch single and Chad Peace followed with a walk. Eddie Mapula advanced the
runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Claye Cantwell doubled in both runners.

The Bucs tied the game on Joe Scaperotta's RBI single, which scored Matt Bush
(walk) in the 6th inning. It was the only earned run of the day for Mission
Bay (11-1).

Despite the tough loss to the Bucs, Valhalla coach Steve Perdue was pleased
by his club's overall performance.

"We had more intensity than we've ever had," he said. "It's a shame we keep
making silly mistakes. Actually, we played pretty well. I'm proud of them."

Valhalla (6-6) will host Alta (Utah) in a consolation game Thursday at 2 p.m.

FOOTHILL (NEV.) 1, WEST HILLS 0 - Eddie Pryor pitched perhaps the best game
of the Wolf Pack's season in Wednesday's (March 27) AAAA Division pool play
finale of the 52nd Lions Tournament at Point Loma. But the junior left-hander
came up short when the Falcons scored the only run of the game in the bottom
of the 6th inning.

It was the fourth 1-run loss West Hills (2-9).

The Pack made a gallant attempt to pull this one out in the 7th. Clay Coulter
singled and advanced to second on an error. Cody Dennis took over as a
pinch-runner. Greg Field stroked a one-out single to left field, but Dennis
was thrown out at the plate attempting to tie the game. Field alertly
advanced to second on the play.

The game ended when Matt Luna lined out to the pitcher.

Pryor permitted only 5 hits, walked 1 and struck out 3 in the complete game
effort.

EL CAJON VALLEY 8, CALEXICO 1 - Freshman Shane Meyer pumped some new life
into the El Cajon Valley pitching staff Wednesday (March 27) as he turned in
a complete game effort in the 1-A Limited Division victory over the Bulldogs.

Meyer, who made his varsity debut with a one inning relief stint in Tuesday's
second round, allowed only 7 hits and struck out 10 against Calexico.

The Braves (5-8) took the lead on Jesse Ortiz' RBI single in the first
inning. They broke the game open with 6 runs in the 5th, thanks in part to
two crushing Calexico errors. Albert Armendariz ripped a 2-run double in the
big inning.

Ortiz was 2-for-3 for El Cajon Valley, while leadoff hitter Omar Mendez went
1-for 2 with 2 runs scored.

CASTLE PARK 3, MONTE VISTA 0 - On most days, the quality pitching provided
by Monte Vista's Brian Rimlinger would have easily produced a victory.
Rimlinger's problem was Sergio Pompa, his pitching counterpart from Castle
Park, who was just a touch luckier, if not better.

Pompa took a no-hitter into the 7th inning of Wednesday's (March 27) Lions
Tournament AAA Division game. Dallas Hubbard singled off the right field wall
to break the spell.

Two outs later, Daniel Stevenson lined a single up the middle to bring the
tying run up to the plate. But pinch-hitter Jesse Rodriguez grounded out to
end the game.

SOUTHWEST (SD) 5, MOUNT MIGUEL 2 - The Matadors missed a chance to go to the
Lions Tournament AA Division semifinals when their offense stalled in
Wednesday's (March 27) final round of pool play.

Mount Miguel (3-8), which had posted back-to-back victories, were limited to
two singles by the visiting Raiders. Both Mount Miguel runs scored on
Southwest errors.

The Matadors wasted a strong pitching performance by Joey Street, who went
the distance, allowing 4 earned runs, 6 hits and 4 walks while striking out 8.

RANCHO VERDE 6, STEELE CANYON 5 - The Cougars rallied for four in the ninth, but were doomed by five fielding miscues.

Chris Alvarez was 4-for-4 for Steele Canyon, including a double, while Jordan Robinson pitched a complete game, spinning a shutout for the first three innnings, but fell to 0-2.

(03-27-02)

Pitchers let down by defense, but Sultans top Poway

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE - This community has been home to some of the finest high school
pitchers in San Diego County history - SDCIF PofY Brien Bickerton, 17-year
major league veteran Terry Forster, long-time professional pitcher Kyle
Hypes, big league utilityman Jimmy Tatum, etc. . .

So it was little surprise that professional and college scouts flocked to
Santana High to see the Sultans' Hayden Penn swap pitches with Poway ace
Scott Lonergan.

Had it not been for a shoddy defense, Penn would have petrified the visiting
Titans in Tuesday's (March 26) AAAA Division game in the 52nd annual
Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament game.

Despite four errors - including one of his own doing - Penn helped the
Sultans pin a 6-4 defeat on North County power Poway.

"Penn throws so hard that the back line gets rubbed out real quick," Santana
coach Jerry Henson said, noting that opposing hitters stay deep in the
batter's box in hopes of gaining that last-second glimpse of Penn's 92 mph
fastball. "The batters were getting so far out of the box that the umpire had
to measure the back line of the box with a 33" bat."

Santana sophomore Sam Phillips was called for catcher's interference - twice
- as he tried to hold his ground against the retreating Poway batters.

Poway was coming off a 16-0 romp over Carlsbad and by throwing Longeran,
figured to make quick work of the Sultans (4-6). Didn't happen.

Despite surrendering two unearned runs to Poway in the top of the first, the
Sultans answered back on Paul Cabading's solo home run in the bottom of the
inning.

Santana took a 3-2 lead in the fourth as Penn doubled and gave way to pinch
runner Chenne Giles. Then came Ryan Howard's electrifying two-run home run
over the right field fence, lifting Santana into a 3-2 lead.

After Poway tied it with an unearned run in the top of the 5th, the Titans
returned the favor with a throwing error in the bottom of the same inning
that handed the lead back to Santana. An RBI double by Penn and a run-scoring
single by Phillips gave the Sultans some breathing room.

Sophomore Tommy Wiley pitched the final two innings to gain the save.

VALHALLA 7, BASIC (NEV.) 5 - A grand slam by David Dennis following a solo
home run by Eddie Mapula gave the Norsemen a 7-0 advantage after three
innings in Tuesday's (March 26) 52nd annual Lions Tournament Classic Division
game at Valhalla.

Six errors by the Wolves (10-3) from Basic (Nev.) helped pave the way for
Valhalla (6-4), which snapped a 5-game losing streak.

"We got awfully tentative after starting the year off 5-0," Valhalla coach
Steve Perdue said. "But today we came out and played aggressively for six
innings."

Keith Nelle limited the Wolves to 4 hits and 2 runs while striking out 6 over
five innings to earn his second win in three decisions. Relievers Ryan Mattox
and Sean O'Sullivan survived Valhalla's shaky defense to close out the Wolves
in the final two innings.

HELIX 15, WEST HILLS 7 - It was another in a season filled with poor starts
for West Hills (2-8), which has permitted 8 of its 10 opponents to score in
the first inning. Fact is, the Pack has been outscored 26-13 in the opening
frame, including 6-0 by host Helix in Tuesday's (March 26) AAAA Division
Lions Tournament game.

Adding further frustration to West Hills is the Pack out-hit the Highlanders
14- 11.

Robert Stevens' two-run home run keyed a 6-run Helix first. But even that
early bulge wasn't enough to keep Highlanders' first-year head coach Cole
Holland secure in his dugout seat. What rapidly swelled to a 10-2 lead, was
just as swiftly pared to a 4-run edge in the fifth when Clay Coulter and Dave
Adams whacked RBI doubles, Matt Luna stroked an RBI single and Helix threw an
error that let in a run.

The Highlanders (7-4-1), who won their fifth straight, regained the momentum
in the 6th inning. Larry Pierce singled and raced to third when Ryan Hulbert
doubled off the top of the fence in right-center field.

Sophomore Justin Lamoureux then came up with the key hit of the game for
Helix when he rolled a ground ball up the middle for a two-run single. The
Highlanders had a solid 12-6 lead and West Hills had a bus to catch back to
Santee.

Pierce put a lock on the victory for Helix by blasting a 3-run home run in
the 7th. He finished 3-for-4 with 4 runs scored and 4 RBI.

Ryan Philben was 2-for-4 with 2 RBI for Helix, while Dustin Beechler and Luna
had 3 hits apiece for West Hills.

GROSSMONT 10, GREEN VALLEY (NEV.) 5 - Mark Dobbins was 4-for-4 with a double
and 2 RBI as the Foothillers disposed of the Gators from Las Vegas in
Tuesday's (March 26) Classic Division of the 52nd Lions/Mike Morrow
Tournament.

Some new faces helped the Foothillers (6-4) find the victory circle.

Evan Amador doubled off the fence in right field to begin the second inning
and then cruised home on Chris Fransway's first home run of the season.

Amador came up big again when he drove in a run with a base hit in the third.

The Hillers sealed the victory when they scored 3 runs in the sixth. Ben Coon
doubled, Aaron Garcia walked, and Trevor Pike lined a two-run single to make
it 7-1 for Grossmont.

Dobbins was 4-for-4 to lead the Hillers , who also got two-hit production
from Fransway, Coon and Amador.

MOUNT MIGUEL 10, LA JOLLA 5 - After seven straight losses, coach Ernie
Reyes' Matadors (3-7) have rebounded for back-to-back victories, including
Tuesday's (March 26) impressive conquest of AA Division rival La Jolla in the
52nd annual Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament.

Junior Joey Street, known more for his 3-point shooting accuracy in
basketball, delivered a grand slam to cap a 7-run third inning for Mount
Miguel.

"Was I surprised by Joey's home run, heck yeah," Reyes said. "He hadn't done
anything with the bat before he hit that one into the (left field) parking
lot."

Prior to Street's clutch blow, the Vikings helped with their own demise by
hitting 3 batters. One of those errant tosses came with bases loaded in the
third inning, which resulted in an instant RBI for Dane Ponciano. Mike
McLaughlin followed with a two-run single up the middle, setting the stage
for Street to go yard.

Eddie Gonzales blanked the Vikings on one hit over the final two innings
after Nathan Ga labored through the first 5 frames to earn his initial
victory of the season.

MT. CARMEL 7, GRANITE HILLS 6 - Even a .376 team batting average couldn't
save Granite Hills from self destructing in Tuesday's (March 26) AAAA
Division game of the 52nd annual Lions Tournament.

But a sad sack defense proved it could undermine the efforts of Granite Hills
pitchers Ryan Jones and James Sinkes (0-2).

Casey Craig helped stake the Eagles (5-5) to a 5-1 lead by driving in three
runs with a pair of singles in the first four innings. Luke McRoberts added
an RBI triple and Kevin James chased home a run with a base hit in the 4th,
giving Granite Hills the 4-run cushion.

A crumbling Granite Hills defense (5 errors) enabled the visiting Sundevils
(8-2) to stage a comeback. Two unearned runs in a 3-run 5th, together with
Jeff Tezak's two-run single an inning later, tied the game at 6-6.

Greg Williams' lead-off home run in the eighth off rehabing Granite Hills ace
Sinkes was the decisive blow. Sinkes, who is coming off a thumb injury,
struck out 8 in 3 innings, while starter Jones fanned 6 in five innings.

Chad Williams, also a top-notch soccer player, was 3-for-4 with a double and
2 runs scored for Granite Hills. Sinkes was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

SAN PASQUAL 7, MONTE VISTA 4 - The Monarchs scored 4 runs in the first two
innings and then wilted like a flower in the desert heat as they succumbed to
visiting San Pasqual in Tuesday's (March 26) second round of the AAA Division
in the 52nd annual Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament.

Chris Anderson's two-run single spotted Monte Vista (3-8) a 2-0 edge in the
top of the first, but the Monarchs' starting pitcher Daniel Stevenson
couldn't keep the Eagles in their lair as San Pasqual produced 3 runs in its
first turn at bat.

The Monarchs counter-punched with a pair of runs in the second inning, thanks
primarily to 4 San Pasqual errors in that frame.

The pitchers were in control thereafter until the Golden Eagles rose up for 4
runs in the bottom of the sixth to nail down the victory.

RANCHO VERDE 9, EL CAJON VALLEY 7 - The Braves (4-8) failed to hold leads of
4-0 and 7-4 against the visitors from Moreno Valley in Tuesday's (March 26)
1-A Limited Division of the 52nd Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament.

It was a troubling loss for the Braves, who missed a golden opportunity to
add to their victory total. Five errors helped lead to El Cajon Valley's
undoing, as one-third of Rancho Verde's runs were unearned.

The epitome of El Cajon Valley's frustration could be measured by the
performance of Oscar Ochoa, who stroked a single, double and triple in 3
at-bats before being plunked by a pitch in his fourth plate appearance. He
also struck out 9 in five innings but had no decision for his pitching
efforts.

Jesse Ortiz was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI for the Braves, while Daniel Herrera was
2-for-2 with 2 RBI. Omar Mendez also had 2 hits.

CALEXICO 4, STEELE CANYON 3 - In the first home game for Steele Canyon in school history at Jamul Park, Chris Rice delivered a two-run home run to tie the game in the sixth, but Calexico rallied in its final at-bat for the win in the 1-A Limited Division game.

(03-26-02)

LIONS CLUB/MIKE MORROW TOURNAMENT

Got offense? Eagles surge in Lions' opener

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Need offense? Granite Hills is running on high octane and has been
doing so on a regular basis. It's been all green lights for the James Gang of
late. In fact, the Eagles (5-4), who clobbered visiting Clark (Nev.) 22-2 in
Monday's (March 25) opening round of the AAAA Division of the 52nd annual
Lions Club/Mike Morrow Tournament, have averaged 5.3 runs per game in their
last six innings.

While coach James Davis has been piecing together a youthful pitching staff,
the Eagles' bats have been pinging out a message loud and clear - "These guys
can hit."

After a 1-4 start, Granite Hills has rolled off four victories in succession.
Offense has been the theme, as the Eagles have overpowered the opposition by
a composite 58-13 margin during the current winning surge.

"Our team batting average has been in the high .300s all season," Davis
noted. "Putting runs on the board has not been a problem for this club."

It wasn't Monday. Casey Craig drove in 5 runs with a pair of doubles and a
single, as Granite Hills took the charge out the Clark (Nev.) Chargers with a
20-hit onslaught.

Big numbers were the order of the day for Granite Hills, which laced 9
doubles - one off the Grossmont Conference record set by the 1994 Eagles
against Mount Miguel.

Luke McRoberts, who was 3-for-4, hit the first of his two doubles to drive in
the initial run of the game in the opening frame. He also scored 4 runs.

Josh Claret was 3-for-3 with 3 runs, 2 RBI and 2 doubles for Granite Hills.
James Sinkes also launched a pair of doubles, while Jeremy Clark hit one.
Sinkes finished 3-for-3 with 4 runs and 2 RBI.

The Eagles' Sean Pepin didn't double up, but was nonetheless 2-for-3 with 2
runs and 2 RBI.

Marshal Wygant pitched 4 shutout innings to pick up his second win in as many
decisions.

MOUNT MIGUEL 1, KEARNY 0 - Behind the determination of sophomore power
pitcher Mike McLaughlin, the Matadors snapped a 7-game losing streak in
Monday's (March 25) opening round of the AA Division of the 52nd annual
Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament.

Under the watchful eye of coach Ernie Reyes, himself a former pitcher,
McLaughlin pitched 6 impressive innings as a starter. He struck out 10 and
allowed only one hit, but left with the game locked in a scoreless deadlock.

The Matadors (2-7) finally broke through for a run in the 8th inning as they
parlayed two hit batters, a single by Yarinn Gonzalez and a bases-loaded walk
to Antelmo Gomez into the only run of the game.

Even after that, the Matadors weren't home free. McLaughlin was called back
to the mound in relief of Eddie Gonzales with one out and two runners on in
the bottom of the 8th. After a walk filled the bases, McLaughlin notched
back-to-back strikeouts to save the win for Gonzales and the victory-starved
Matadors.

"It was nice to taste a victory again," Reyes said. "My two sophomore
pitchers did a fine job. McLaughlin (who finished with a dozen strikeouts in
6 2/3 innings) has toned down his mannerisms on the mound and is doing a
better job of concentrating on getting people out."

HELIX 8, FOOTHILL (NEV.) 5 - The Highlanders (6-4-1) scored 5 runs in the
bottom of the sixth inning to break a 3-3 tie in Monday's (March 25) first
round AAAA Division game of the 52nd annual Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament.

Helix, which has won three straight, shattered the 3-3 deadlock with the
Falcons when junior Ryan Hulbert launched a grand slam halfway up the light
pole in left field.

Rick Ledesma clubbed a two-run homer to dead-center field to cap a three-run
rally in the bottom of the third that enabled Helix to erase a 3-0 deficit.

Ryan Philben scattered 6 hits, allowed 3 runs, walked 2 and struck out 7 as
he logged his second win in as many decisions.

FALLBROOK 3, WEST HILLS 2 - Junior left-hander David Adams checked the
visiting Fallbrook Warriors on one hit over 5 innings and left with the Wolf
Pack leading 1-0 in Monday's (March 25) Division AAAA of the Lions Tournament.

That's when Fallbrook sophomore Brook Bardeen stepped in. Establishing
himself as a presence on the mound by limiting West Hills to one run and 4
hits in 6 innings, Bardeen bashed a two-run home run in Fallbrook's 3-run 6th
inning that spelled the difference in the game.

Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the 7th, the Pack threatened as Jeff Perine led
off with a double. Two groundball outs brought him around to score. Clay
Coulter kept the Pack's hopes alive with a two-out double, but Jason Mahoney
grounded out to end the game.

GROSSMONT 7, ALTA (UTAH) 4 - Brant Rustich blasted a grand slam and Trevor
Pike hoisted a solo shot as the Foothillers grounded the Hawks of Alta (Utah)
in Monday's (March 25) Classic Division of the 52nd annual Lions/Mike Morrow
Tournament.

Ben Coon pitched 2 1/3 innings of shutout relief to pick up the win and
balance his season ledger at 2-2. Coon struck out 4, walked none and allowed
one hit.

Grossmont (5-4), which stranded six runners in the first three innings, took
a 1-0 lead on a bases-loaded walk to Aaron Garcia in the 2nd. Jared Norris'
RBI double gave Grossmont a 2-0 cushion in the 3rd.

BINGHAM (UTAH) 8, VALHALLA 7 - Frustration continues to stalk the Valhalla
Norsemen. Falling behind the visitors from Utah 6-0 after two innings of
Monday's (March 25) opening round of the 52nd annual Lions Tournament, the
Norsemen fought back to take a 7-6 lead in the 6th.

Louie Lange ignited the Valhalla counter-attack, driving in 5 runs with his
4th and 5th home runs. Lange's first circuit clout was a grand slam that
enabled the Norsemen (5-5) to chop the Miners advantage to 6-4 in the third
inning.

Lange kept coming in the 5th inning as he went yard with a solo shot.

The Norsemen took the lead on a two-run double by freshman Sean O'Sullivan in
the sixth, but an error in the 7th inning proved costly as Valhalla lost its
fifth straight.

USDHS 4, MONTE VISTA 2 - Chris Van Story is no Joey Metropoluos, but he is
the Monarchs' primary power source this season. Van Story clubbed a two-run
home run to give Monte Vista a 2-1 edge in the 4th inning, but the Monarchs
(3-7) couldn't hold on in Monday's (March 25) first round of the 52nd annual
Lions/Mike Morrow Tournament AAA Division game.

Van Story accounted for half of Monte Vista's four hits. Gerry Guzman pitched
a complete game in the loss, scattering 8 hits, allowing 3 earned runs and
striking out 3.

EL CAJON VALLEY 7, STEELE CANYON 3 - Jesse Ortiz fired five innings of
one-hit ball while striking out 9 and Oscar Ochoa drove in 4 runs with a home
run and a two-run double for the Braves (4-7) in Monday's (March 25) opening
round of the Lions Tournament.

Daniel Hererra was 2-for-2 with a pair of walks and two runs scored for the
Braves in the 1-A Limited Division game.

Chris Rice was 2-for-3 with a double for the Cougars.

PATRICK HENRY 7, SANTANA 3 - A 6-run third inning by Henry spelled doom for
the Sultans (3-6) in Monday's (March 25) first round of the AAAA Division of
the 52nd annual Lions Tournament.

Ryan Howard was 2-for-3 for the Sultans, who were limited to six hits. Hayden
Penn, Bryce Nelson and Jesse Leon had RBI singles for Santana.
(03-25-02)

Patriots enjoy peninsula, have easy time with foes

EastCountySports.com staff report

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Christian High Patriots proved that they are a quality
baseball team on a national level. Not that coach Mike Mitchell is
proclaiming his Patriots worthy of Top 10 ranking in USA Today. Christian
completed a four-game sweep in Florida with a 13-0 romp over Worchester
(Mass.) Academy on Saturday (March 23) to improve its season slate to 10-1.

As they had done in two of their previous three wins at the KSA Tournament,
the Patriots produced a big inning to turn the game into a rout. In
Saturday's finale it was a 9-run fourth that pulverized the Hilltoppers from
Massachusetts.

"We've had a blast back here," Mitchell said. "We've been on the go the whole
time. We've ridden every roller-coaster in sight, seen every fish/mammal
jump, and even squeezed in some baseball."

The purpose of the five-day trip?

"To have fun, of course," Mitchell laughed. "Once we saw the kind of
competition we were up against, we relaxed. We knew that if we played
anything close to our game, we'd come out on top."

Christian clobbered teams from Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and
Massachusetts by a combined 47-4 score. They rolled up the lop-sided margin
while playing only 22 innings.

"They're going to give us a plaque at an awards breakfast (at the Orlando
Hard Rock Café) on Saturday before we leave," Mitchell said. "I guess we're
the champions, but let's face it, the competition wasn't all that tough. But
we'll take it. Remember, we're a team that's short on pitching."

But not on hitting.

Junior Joel Allen was a double-threat in Friday's finale. The Patriots'
football quarterback was 3-for-4 with a triple, 2 RBI, and 2 runs scored as a
batter. The lanky right-hander also blanked Worchester on 2 hits over four
innings to pick up his third pitching win.

The Patriots turned a 3-0 game into a landslide victory when they scored nine
times in the fourth inning. The Hilltoppers contributed six walks and hit two
batters.

Key hits for the Patriots included Adam Balderrama's 2-run single and Eddie
Listander's 2-run double. All nine runs came after two outs.

Next up for Christian is an East County showdown against Grossmont North
League kingpin El Capitan in Lakeside at 3:30 on Thursday (March 28).
(03-23-02)

Walston goes deep again in Vaqueros' rout of Norse

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Chris Walston clubbed his county-leading 8th home run to help El
Capitan bury host Valhalla 13-1 in Friday's (March 22) Grossmont North/South
Tournament encounter on the Norsemen's diamond.

For four innings, the game was a virtual pitching duel between El Capitan's
Nick Reagan and the Norsemen's Keith Nelle. That is until Walston broke up
the party with a two-run shot in the fifth.

El Cap's Brett Stephens, who is known more for his basketball prowess, keyed
a 3-run 6th inning with a lead-off walk. Ray Neder followed with a single and
Brandon Rauch ripped an RBI double. RBI singles by Kyle Phillips' and Jared
Abruzzo made it 3-0.

Nevertheless, it was Stephens who ultimately delivered the knock-out punch
with a grand slam during a 9-run 7th inning.

Reagan fired a 5-hitter and struck out 5 to lift the Vaqueros to their
seventh win in nine decisions.

Valhalla avoided the shutout on Louie Lange's third home run of the year in
the sixth inning.

GRANITE HILLS 13, GROSSMONT 4 - The Eagles scored 10 runs in the bottom of
the 6th inning of Friday's (March 22) Grossmont North/South Tournament game
to flatten the Foothillers.

Chad Williams' bases-loaded double and a two-run triple by Casey Craig
enabled the Eagles (4-4) to erase a 4-3 deficit. A Grossmont error let in
another run and then John Coit closed the door with a grand slam over the
right-center field fence.

Coit finished the game 3-for-3, while Craig included a two-run home run in
his totals.

"This was one of our better played games of the year," Granite Hills coach
James Davis said. "To get a win against a well-coached program like Grossmont
has to make you feel good."

HELIX 11, SANTANA 5 - The Highlanders hammered out a season-high 17 hits,
including 4 by Rick Ledesma, as they disposed of host Santana in Friday's
(March 22) Grossmont North/South Tournament encounter in Santee.

Ledesma lined a two-run double and Ryan Philben ripped a two-run single to
help Helix take a 6-0 lead in the second inning.

Larry Pierce, who was 3-for-3, drove in a pair of runs to fatten the
Highlanders advantage to 9-1 in the third inning.

Helix coach Cole Holland, who has been suffering from the flu the past two
days, was pleased to note that the top third of the Highlanders' batting
order - Brian Ricard, Ledesma and Pierce - was a combined 9-for-12 with 8
runs and 5 RBI.

All nine Highlanders' starters contributed to Helix's season-high hit total.

Brent Degen and Ray Rivera handled the pitching chores for the Highlanders,
who won their third straight to improve to 5-4-1 for the season.

Nick Caraveo, who has been Santana's hottest hitter of late, cracked a solo
home run leading off the bottom of the first inning for Santana (3-5).

CHRISTIAN 13, WESTMINSTER (Conn.) PREP 1 - While the magical mystery tour
continued on Friday (March 22) for Christian High in its junket to Orlando,
Fla., the Patriots took a break from their seemingly endless row of amusement
parks to sweep a double-header from a pair of East Coast ballclubs.

Game one was a breeze as the Patriots pummeled the Martlets from the
Connecticut boarding school, scoring in all four of their turns at-bat.

Joel Allen was 3-for-3 with a pair of triples and 3 RBI while Nick Laughter
was 2-for-3 with a triple and 3 RBI.

The Patriots' victory wasn't all about offense as 6-foot-5 senior left-hander
Clint Gerlek struck out 12 while spinning a five-inning no-hitter.

CHRISTIAN 6, KENNEDY KENRICK (PENN) 1 - The team from Norristown, Pa. got
caught up in its 5-0 start to the 2002 season and was openly verbal to the
California dreamers, who were able "sleep-walk" their way past their previous
KSA Tournament competition.

"Those guys couldn't stop talking," Christian coach Mike Mitchell said.
"Credit our kids for keeping their composure."

Junior left-hander Brian Schroeder silenced the Pennsylvania bunch by
scattering 4 hits and striking out 13 en route to his 4th win against no
losses.

A dropped fly ball in center field was the burning ember that sparked
Christian's two-run rally in the first inning. Nick Laughter's RBI single
capped the opening rally.

Eddie Listander added an RBI single to make it 3-1 in the 4th inning. Chris
Denhart stroked a two-run single to help the Patriots score a hat trick in
the 6th.

EL CAJON VALLEY 10, MOUNT MIGUEL 8 - In a heated Grossmont North/South
Tournament game at El Cajon Valley High on Friday (March 22), the game turned
into a series of debates as the Braves overcame a 5-0 deficit and then held
on to secure their third win in 10 games while darkness closed in.

Due to conflicts in the classroom, the Braves weren't ready to play until 45
minutes after the game's designated starting time.

That irked Mount Miguel coach Ernie Reyes in itself. But Reyes' rage
continued as the game wore on.

The umpires were willing to pull the plug on the game, using darkness as an
excuse. Since the Braves were enjoying a two-run lead at the time, they left
the squabbling up to the umpires and Reyes. The beef about whether there was
enough light to play on lasted some 20 minutes by Reyes' count.

Oscar Ochoa drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single and a solo home run
to lead El Cajon Valley.

The second inning was the frame of action as Mount Miguel (1-7) stormed in
front 5-0 in the top half while host El Cajon Valley countered with a 9-spot
in the bottom half.

The Braves (3-7) parlayed 4 walks, a hit batter and RBI singles by Jesse
Schmidt, Kyle Whisenhunt, Josh Bowen, Greg Fisher and Ochoa into the big
inning.

Ochoa hammered a solo home run in the bottom of the 5th to give El Cajon
Valley two-run cushion.

Mount Miguel's Mike McLaughlin came on in relief to strike out five
consecutive Braves before surrendering Ochoa's home run.

MONTE VISTA 6, WEST HILLS 2 - The Monarchs broke a 2-2 tie with 4 runs in
the 7th inning as Monte Vista won its third straight Grossmont North-South
Tournament game on Friday (March 22).

Nick Decaro's two-run double followed Kellen Ellis' RBI single to spark the
game-winning rally for Monte Vista (3-6).

Chris Van Story and Brian Rimlinger handled the Monarchs pitching as they
combined on an 8-hitter.

Monte Vista took a 2-0 lead in the first inning as Dallas Hubbard tripled and
scored on Van Story's single. Daniel Stevenson's RBI double gave Monte Vista
a 2-run cushion.

West Hills tied the game 2-2 in the third inning on RBI singles by Eddie
Pryor and Greg Field.
(03-22-02)

Helix edges Wolf Pack in extras at Tournament

EastCountySports.com staff report

LA MESA - If suspense is your thing, check out Cole Holland's Helix
Highlanders. They love playing it close to the vest. Extra innings have
become routine for these guys, who needed 9 frames and the stadium lights to
defeat West Hills 3-2 in Thursday's (March 21) Grossmont North/South
Tournament game.

It was the third nine-inning affair for Helix, which is 1-1-1 in games
requiring extra frames.

"It's making me age in a hurry," said Holland, the Highlanders' 27-year-old
rookie skipper whose club has pulled out back-to-back one-run victories.
"Between yesterday's game (a 1-0 win at Grossmont) and today, we've left 15
guys in scoring position. We're just not manufacturing any runs."

So Holland, like a gray-beard baseball veteran that he isn't, played the
superstition card.

"We were begging for a win, and needed a change," he said. "So I went out and
coached first base. I went out there hoping something good would happen and
it did."

The Highlanders (4-4-1) had help in registering the game-winner against West
Hills, but not at the outset. After Wolf Pack junior second baseman Dustin
Beechler robbed Tim Taylor of a base hit to open the bottom of the 9th,
Robert Stevens reached base on an error. Joe Scalisi followed with a walk and
both runners advanced 90 feet on a passed ball.

Playing the percentages, West Hills' first-year head coach Jarrod Carman
elected to walk Brian Ricard to load the bases. That set the stage for Rick
Ledesma's RBI single. It was Ledesma's second game-winning hit in 24 hours.

In addition, Ledesma pitched 2 innings of shutout relief to collect the
victory. He had the save at Grossmont.

"Just a clutch effort by Ledesma," Holland said.

A weary Holland seemed relieved that his Highlanders escaped with a win over
hard-luck West Hills (2-5).

"You have to tip your hat to West Hills," Holland said. "They're a much
improved (and more experienced) team. You can't just show up and expect to
win. These guys play hard."

Wolf Pack starter Eddie Pryor and the Highlanders' Robert Stevens each
pitched 7 innings, but had nothing to show for their trouble.

It was the second one-run loss in a row for West Hills.

GROSSMONT 8, VALHALLA 3 - For one of the few times this season, the
Foothillers proved they can come from behind to win, as they rallied from a
2-0 deficit to knock off host Valhalla (5-3) in Thursday's (March 21)
Grossmont North/South Tournament action.

Maybe the Hillers' comeback had nothing to do with it, but Grossmont coach
Rob Phillips made some major changes in the lineup.

"We needed to shake things up," Phillips said. "The main thing is we are
finally showing some signs of life."

San Diego State-bound Ben Coon scattered 8 hits and allowed only one earned
run as he charted his first victory in three decisions. Most apparent of
Coon's statistics was not walking a batter in a complete-game performance.

"Control has always been Ben's strength," Phillips said. "But this season he
hadn't been getting ahead of the hitters before today."

Nevertheless, Coon appeared on his way to a third loss in as many decisions
when Valhalla broke a scoreless tie with 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th
inning. An error ignited that rally, which included a David Dennis double,
Scott McDermand's sacrifice fly and Garrett Allyn's RBI single.

Grossmont countered with a two-run home run from Trevor Pike and Mark
Dobbins' solo shot for a 3-2 led in the fifth.

After Louie Lange pulled the Norsemen even at 3-3 with an RBI single in the
bottom of the fifth, Grossmont (4-3) broke lose for 5 runs in the top of the
seventh. Jared Norris' two-run single and a two-run home run by Justin Baum
were the key blows for Grossmont.

It was the third straight loss for Valhalla.

"Our kids are pressing, trying to do too much individually," Valhalla coach
Steve Perdue said. "We are making mistakes that we didn't make in our first
five games (which led to a 5-0 start)."

SANTANA 8, MT. MIGUEL 6 - The Sultans streaked to an 8-1 lead after 3 1/2
innings and never looked back as they claimed a Grossmont North/South
Tournament victory over host Mount Miguel on Thursday (March 21).

Senior Hayden Penn proved he can do more than pitch as he pounded a two-run
double to key a three-run first inning for Santana (3-4).

Jesse Leon ripped a two-run double to score Bryce Nelson (single) and Nick
Caraveo (single) to help Santana stretch its advantage to 6-1 in the second.

Chenne Giles, who pitched the first four innings to garner his initial
varsity victory, gave the Sultans a 7-1 edge with a sacrifice fly in the
fourth inning. Joe Rucker doubled in a run to make it 8-1 in the fourth.

Mount Miguel (1-6), which was steamrollered 24-0 by homer-happy El Capitan on
Wednesday (March 20), was headed in that same dismal direction against the
Sultans, but fought back. Nathan Ga's two-run triple sliced Santana's lead to
8-3 in the fourth inning.

Dane Ponciano whacked an RBI double to key a three-run 5th inning for Mount
Miguel.

Darkness brought a close to this one before a full seven innings were in the
books.

CHRISTIAN 15, DALLAS (Texas) EPISCOPAL 2 - Although it took the Patriots
nearly nine hours in airport delays to make it to Orlando, Fla., they've
literally been on a roller-coaster ride since. Make that several
roller-coaster rides - at a cluster of theme parks in the Orlando area.

But there was nothing about Christian High's performance on the baseball
field in Thursday's (March 21) opening round of the KSA Tournament that
Dallas Episcopal found amusing.

Nick Laughter laced a three-run home run to cap a 10-run third inning as
Christian clobbered the Texans. Laughter finished 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored
and as many RBI, while Josh Paddock belted a three-run homer and totaled 4
RBI with his 2-for-3 plate performance.

Chris Denhart (2-for-3) contributed a two-run single to the Patriots' big 3rd
inning, lifting his RBI total to 21.
(03-21-02)

Eagles rally for four in seventh to get past Wolf Pack

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Granite Hills coach James Davis figures his Eagles must have
established some kind of a record, as they started their fourth-straight game
with a sophomore on the mound in Wednesday's (March 20) Grossmont North-South
Tournament encounter. "If you can throw strikes, you can pitch for us,"
Davis said in a tone reminiscent of a want ad.

One thing Davis has been able to count on is the Granite Hills' offense.

John Coit's RBI single broke a 7-7 tie and capped a four-run rally for
Granite Hills in the bottom of the 7th inning, giving the Eagles an 8-7
victory over visiting West Hills.

"We really needed a win like this," Davis said.

The Eagles (3-4) got a jump-start from the West Hills defense, which
misplayed a fly ball into a single for Casey Craig with one out in the 7th.
James Sinkes followed with a single, and pinch-hitter Andy Roberts doubled
down the right field line to score Craig. Sinkes scored on a passed ball,
cutting the Wolf Pack lead to 7-6.

With two outs Josh Claret ripped a shot between third and shortstop for a
base hit to score pinch-runner Matt Spencer to tie the game. After Weston
Scott walked, Coit smashed his game-winning hit off the second baseman's
glove.

"We're batting .347 as a team," Davis said of his 3-4 Eagles. "But we haven't
had many innings like that. It was quite a comeback."

Claret also earned the pitching victory, blanking the Wolf Pack on one hit
while striking out three over the final 1 2/3 innings.

Granite Hills finished with 15 hits as Craig went 3-for-4.

Matt Luna's RBI single gave the Pack a 4-3 lead in the third inning. Clay
Coulter picked up his second RBI of the game on a groundout to make it 5-3 in
the fourth. Jeff Perine added an RBI double in the sixth.

Greg Field had three of West Hills' 10 hits and drove in one run.

SANTANA 3, VALHALLA 0 - When Hayden Penn pitches, the Santana Sultans are
one of East County's best ballclubs. Just ask the Valhalla Norsemen, usually
one of the Inland's top hitting teams.

Penn picked up his first win of the season as he blanked the Norsemen on one
hit over 5 innings while striking out six and walking none.

"We still have him on a pitch count," Santana coach Jerry Henson said of the
6-foot-3, 185-pound right-hander. "But he was running it up there about 92-93
mph today. He also had some effective change-ups and a pretty decent breaking
ball. I think he's about ready to go the distance."

The Sultans (2-4) were an opportunistic bunch in Wednesday's (March 20)
Grossmont North/South Tournament game, as they capitalized on two Valhalla
errors for a pair of unearned runs in the second inning.

After Tommy Wiley singled, Joe Rucker and Bryce Nelson reached on infield
errors to load the bases. That set the stage for Nick Caraveo's two-run
single.

Caraveo was in the middle of Santana's other rally in the fifth inning as
well. The junior center-fielder provided the spark with a leadoff single. And
then the Norsemen did the rest, issuing walks to Jesse Leon, Penn and Sam
Phillips to force in a run. Phillips picked up the RBI.

Valhalla's only hit was a third-inning single by hard-luck losing pitcher
Ryan Mattox.

HELIX 1, GROSSMONT 0 - Ryan Philben is perhaps known more for his potent
hitting, but it was his pitching in Wednesday's (March 20) Grossmont
North/South Tournament game that had the Foothillers talking to themselves.

The senior right-hander allowed only three hits, one walk and a hit batter as
he struck out 11.

"I can't remember the last time we were shut out in our own ballpark,"
Grossmont coach Rob Phillips lamented. "Give Philben credit. That's as good
of pitching as we've had against us in a long time. He changed speeds real
well."

Grossmont's pitching by Brant Rustich, Michael Fay and Ben Coon wasn't too
far off the mark either. Rustich gave up the run and three hits while
striking out four in four innings.

The only run of the game came in the third inning. Joe Scalisi, batting in
the No. 9 spot, reached base on an infield single. Brian Ricard then doubled
to left-center field, sending Scalisi to third. Rick Ledesma lifted a fly
ball to left field, allowing Scalisi to tag and score from third.

Speaking of tagging up, the Highlanders lost a run in the fifth inning when
Phillips launched a successful appeal to the umpires that a Helix runner had
left the base too soon.

"The umpire was wrong, but fortunately it didn't cost us the game," said
Helix coach Cole Holland, who saw his Highlanders (3-4-1) win for the first
time in six games.

"We finally turned the corner. It's nice to be on the other side of a game
like this for a change. We've lost a lot of close ones."

Philben worked out of jams all day.

"He was a warrior out there," Holland said of his pitcher. "They got some
runners in scoring position, but when the chips were down, Ryan got after it."

Phillips concurred. "We still can't get the big hit with runners in scoring
position and less than two outs. That's been our Achilles Heel."

EL CAPITAN 24, MOUNT MIGUEL 0 - Chris Walston hoisted three towering home
runs for the Vaqueros, who hammered the Matadors for a school-record 8 home
runs in Wednesday's (March 20) Grossmont North/South Tournament action at
Mount Miguel.

Justin Snyder, Kyle Phillips, Jordan Abruzzo, Ray Neder and Kasey Kruger also
joined El Capitan's home run parade as the Vaqueros broke the previous
long-ball mark of 7 set in the 2000 season against Escondido.

Walston, who drove in 4 runs, is tied with Rancho Bernardo's Scott Robinson
for the county home run lead with 7.

Neder, the Vaqueros' No. 9 hitter, was 4-for-4 with 5 RBI. Phillips' fifth
home run helped him drive in 4 runs.

The amazing Snyder now has 9 extra-base hits (in 31 at-bats) batting in the
El Cap leadoff spot.

Mount Miguel coach Ernie Reyes was not overly impressed with the El Capitan
fireworks.

"The 10-run rule was made optional so coaches could give some of the
non-starters some quality at-bats," Reyes said. "It wasn't so people could
pad their stats."

El Capitan coach Steve Vickery took exception with Reyes' comments.

"We had cleared the bench by the third inning," said Vickery, whose team was
leading 16-0 at the time. "We played all 13 of the eligible players we have."

Not only did Reyes have to watch the Vaqueros rack up 21 hits (11 for extra
bases), his club was held hitless by El Capitan pitchers Travis Lopez (3-0)
and Greg Kuchcik in the game which was called after 5 innings.

"It was a pretty frustrating day," Reyes concluded.

MONTE VISTA 18, EL CAJON 3 - Chris Van Story wrote the script for this one
as the Monarchs (2-6) made it two wins in three days by overwhelming the
visiting Braves in Wednesday's (March 20) Grossmont North/South Tournament
game.

Van Story, a 5-11, 170-pound senior, drove in 5 runs with a double, a single
and Monte Vista's first home run of the season - a two-run shot off the left
field foul pole. He also walked twice, stole a base and scored a pair of runs.

Dallas Hubbard also enjoyed his biggest day of the season for the Monarchs.
After El Cajon Valley starter Oscar Ochoa opened the game by hitting Kellen
Ellis and David Sevier with pitches, Hubbard doubled to give Monte Vista a
2-0 lead. Hubbard finished 3-for-3 with three runs scored.

The Monarchs banged out 16 hits, including a 3-run double by starting and
winning pitcher Robert Tidwell. Daniel Stevenson was 2-for-4 with a pair of
RBI, while Ward Minich had two hits and two RBI.

The Braves (2-7) garnered all of their runs and all three hits in the second
inning, which, at the time, cut the Monte Vista advantage to 5-3. Justin
Schmidt smacked a two-run double in that frame.
(03-20-02)

Patriots lose slugfest with St. Augustine

EastCountySports.com staff report

SAN DIEGO - The pitching-thin Christian High Patriots are on their way to
Orlando, Fla. where they will compete in the national KSA Tournament Thursday
through Saturday (March 21-23). Lack of pitching did not, however, play the
decisive role in the Patriots' first loss of the season - a 12-11 setback to
St. Augustine on Tuesday (March 19) at Hickman Field.

The Patriots (6-1), who had outscored their opponents 70-9 in a
season-opening six-straight victories, fell apart defensively in game seven.
Four Christian errors added up to 8 unearned runs for the Saints.

"When you score 11 runs in a game, you should win." Christian coach Mike
Mitchell said. "It's that's simple."

Well, almost. The Patriots pelted four St. Augustine pitchers for a dozen
hits - including two doubles each by Adam Balderrama and Chris Denhart - but
still came up short. Although they left only seven runners on base, four were
in scoring position.

The painful conclusion came in the 5th inning after the Patriots had cut the
Saints lead to one. They had the bases loaded with two outs, but failed to
come up with the knockout punch.

The final 7 Christian batters made out.

St. Augustine scored 8 runs in the second inning, doing so while hitting just
one ball - Jason Sobieski's bases-loaded triple - out of the infield.

"We had three double play balls hit to us in the first two innings (when the
Saints scored all 12 runs)," Mitchell said. "And all we got was one out. You
can't get away with that kind of stuff against any team let alone a quality
team like Saints."

Denhart, who is batting at a .625 clip (15 for 24), drove in 6 runs with a
pair of doubles and a sacrifice fly against the Saints. Denhart has 19 RBI,
which places him among the county's top five in that department.

Brian Schroeder was 4-for-5 in the Patriots' leadoff spot, lifting his
average to .609 (14 for 23).

Christian's already depleted pitching staff suffered another major blow when
junior Corey Hujing was injured in an automobile accident on Monday (March
18) in El Cajon. Hujing suffered a broken collar bone and is lost for the
season. Daniel Magness has been unable to pitch all season, and figures to be
on the shelf for three more weeks.

The Patriots open the KSA Tournament in Florida against The Episcopal School
of Dallas on Thursday (March 21) at 5 p.m. (PST). This club figures to be the
Patriots' toughest foe of the four in the tournament.

Christian is slated for a doubleheader on Friday (March 22) against Kennedy
Kenrick Catholic of Norristown, (Penn.) and the Martlets of Westminster
Academy of Simsbury, Conn.

The Patriots close the tourney activity against Worcester (Mass.) Academy on
Saturday (March 23).

Monarchs turn tables, win first game of season

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Monte Vista coach Steve Dolias upset the so-called apple cart
when he made several key changes in the Monarchs' lineup for last week's
non-league game against Brawley. The immediate results were disastrous. A
week later Dolias and his winless Monarchs were given no chance of beating
East County kingpin El Capitan. But oh, how the mighty have fallen. "We made
a complete 180(-degree turn)," Dolias said after Monte Vista stunned the
Vaqueros 5-3 in Monday's (March 18) opening round of the Grossmont Conference
North-South Tournament.

"This is definitely a building block to our season," Dolias said after the
Monarchs won for the first time in seven starts. "It was a pivotal point for
our kids and they really came through. They found something within themselves
to become a team."

Monte Vista had El Capitan (5-2) playing catch-up from the outset, taking a
2-0 lead in the second inning. Back-to-back doubles by Chris Van Story and
Chris Anderson (on an 0-2 pitch) gave the Monarchs a 1-0 lead. Nick Decaro
singled in Anderson to make it 2-0.

The Vaqueros countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second as
pitcher Jason Guzman doubled in Chris Walston (walk) and Jordan Abruzzo
(single).

Dallas Hubbard's RBI double gave Monte Vista a 3-2 edge in the third and Joe
Berry's run-scoring single made it 4-2 in the fourth.

Kyle Phillips answered back for the Vaqueros with his fourth home run - a
booming solo shot to right field - in the bottom of the fourth inning.

The game remained a one-run scramble until the 7th when the Monarchs tacked
on a valuable insurance run. Kellen Ellis walked, stole second and scored on
Daniel Stevenson's crisp single to left.

El Capitan brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the 7th, but
Monte Vista reliever Robert Tidwell recorded three straight outs to log his
first save.
Credit the Monte Vista defense for some key catches. None was any bigger than
Decaro's grab of Kyle Phillips' bid for a go-ahead homer in the 5th.

"Kyle hit the ball pretty good, but their guy climbed the bank in left center
and made the catch at the fence," Vickery said.

The Vaqueros averaged 10 runs per game as they sprinted out to a 5-0 start to
this season. They were shut out by top-ranked Rancho Bernardo on Saturday,
but figured to vent their frustration from that loss upon the visiting
Monarchs.

Monte Vista's Gerry Guzman had other ideas. The junior left-hander rationed
the Vaqueros to three runs and 5 hits in six innings.

"We were sitting on the fastball, and the Monte Vista pitcher threw about 110
changeups," Vickery said. "But it wasn't all about their pitching. We made
the first out at third base in two different innings."

Monte Vista banged out a season-high 11 hits, with four players garnering two
hits apiece.

Some called Monte Vista's win over El Capitan the "Upset of the Year."

"I don't look at it that away." Dolias said. "We knew if we went with a
pitcher who threw a little softer, we'd have a chance. Gerry threw a lot of
ground balls and our defense made the plays."

Vickery was discouraged by the lack of intensity his ballclub showed against
Monte Vista.

"When we played Rancho Bernardo (and lost 5-0) on Saturday, we talked about
having big thoughts. When we came into this game it was like we didn't have
any thoughts at all."

GRANITE HILLS 15, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 - The struggling Granite Hills Eagles
(2-4) erupted for 16 hits as they rolled over their Madison Avenue rivals in
Monday's (March 18) opening round of the Grossmont North/South Tournament at
El Cajon Valley High.

Eagles shortstop Chad Williams continued his torrid hitting, raising his
average to .591 (13-for-22) with a pair of singles, a double, two runs scored
and one RBI in four at-bats. Luke McRoberts was 4-for-5 with two RBI as he
hiked his average to .526.

Ten Eagles contributed to the onslaught as Granite Hills (2-4) scored in six
of its seven turns at bat. Josh Claret drove in two runs with a pair of
doubles. Sean Pepin chipped in with a 3-run double and James Sinkes and Casey
Craig each had an RBI doubles. Seven of Granite Hills' hits were two-baggers.

Sophomore Marshall Wygant pitched five innings of shutout ball, limiting the
Braves (2-6) to four hits, while striking out 4 and walking none in five
innings. Matt Spencer spun two scoreless frames to complete the shutout.

"This is the third straight game that we've started a sophomore on the hill,"
Granite Hills coach James Davis said. "I thought Wygant did a nice job of
throwing strikes. And we played sound defense behind him."

Granite Hills committed only one error and turned three double plays.

"Everything they hit dropped in," El Cajon valley coach Wayne Weightman said.
"We hit some balls hard, but they were right at people. It was very
disappointing."

Weightman's frustration began long before game time.

"Five of us worked hard to get the field playable," the Braves coach said.
"Myself, Al Smith and the maintenance crew were out there working for three
hours to get things ready to go. I think we worked harder than our kids did."

RAINED OUT: Four games were postponed due to wet grounds on Monday (March
18). The City Conference Tournament opener between Madison and Christian has
been rescheduled for April 3. The following Grossmont North/South Tournament
games have been rescheduled for Thursday (March 21): Grossmont at Valhalla,
Santana at Mount Miguel, and West Hills at Helix. All begin at 3:30 p.m.
(03-18-02)

Schroeder has no problem stepping up as ace of Pats' staff

EastCountySports.com staff report

EL CAJON - Brian Schroeder had seen the depth chart. He realized he was the
No. 2 starting pitcher at Christian High heading into the 2002 season.

However, a shoulder injury to ace Daniel Magness changed Schroeder's
thinking, along with that of Patriots' head coach Mike Mitchell. By
necessity, Schroeder, a 6-foot-3 left-hander, was elevated into the role of
stopper.

It was a position that Schroeder accepted and ran with. Three starts. Three
complete game victories, including a 5-1 win over visiting Serra in
Saturday's (March 16) championship game of the Patriots Invitational.

Schroeder, who struck out 11, pitched 4 2/3 innings of no-hit ball before
Serra's Matt Duke broke the spell with a single in the fifth inning.

"I wish I could have taken it (the no-hitter) a little farther, but it's a
'W' and I'll take that it," Schroeder said. "I was trying to spot my pitches,
and I think I did a good job of that. I've thrown harder in the past, but
I've pitched three complete games in the last two weeks."

Schroeder, who admittedly did not have his best stuff, ran his season
strikeout total to 36 in 19 1/3 innings.

"I didn't feel that I was overly sharp," said Schroeder, who needed 114
pitches to log his latest victory in the books.

Selling that to Serra might be tough. Peddling it to anybody for that matter
might be somewhat difficult. A glance at Schroeder's numbers qualify him for
instant membership among the county's elite.

Consider this: He's allowed only 6 hits (less than one every 3 innings) and
owns an ERA of 0.72.

"This game sure wasn't about power pitching," Schroeder said. "I did a little
more thinking than just raring back and trying to blow my fastball by the
hitters."

Serra showed some daring against-the-book strategy when coach Brian Basteyns
allowed sophomore starting pitcher Brad Nolte to pitch to Christian cleanup
hitter Chris Denhart with an open bag and two runners in scoring position in
the third inning.

Bad move. Denhart stroked a single up the middle to drive in two runs and
give Christian (6-0) a 2-0 lead.

Magness mashed a solo home run and Joel Allen laced an RBI double to help
propel the Patriots into a 5-1 advantage in the 6th inning.

"The reason I have this tournament is because we have so many teams from our
Division (IV) in it," Mitchell said. "We have to beat these people to stand
any sort of chance of getting a decent seeding in the playoffs."

RANCHO BERNARDO 5, EL CAPITAN 0 - Averaging 10 runs per game in five
straight victories to open the season, as El Capitan had done, didn't impress
the top-ranked Broncos (6-0), who won the Hilltop-Lolita's Tournament title
Saturday (March 16) at Hilltop High.

John Peabody made the Vaqueros' hefty numbers laughable as he spun a two-hit
shutout. Only three Vaqueros reached base. Justin Snyder and Kyle Phillips
hit doubles and a third runner got on via Peabody's only walk.

"We smoked some balls, but just couldn't find any holes," El Capitan coach
Steve Vickery said. "They beat us this time, but it's not like they are in a
higher league."

Rancho Bernardo (6-0) beat up on El Capitan sophomore starter Scott Reagan
for five runs and 7 hits in 4 2/3 innings. Jason Guzman restored order with
1 1/3 innings of shutout relief.

When Vickery summoned 6-foot-6 senior outfielder Chris Walston to the mound
in the 7th inning, major league scouts jumped to their feet in unison and
grabbed their juggs guns.

"It was amazing watching the scouts jockeying for position just to get a time
on the big guy," he said.

Walston retired the Broncos in order without fanfare, which was an upbeat
conclusion for his day at the plate of three straight strikeouts.

MONTGOMERY 10, VALHALLA 1 - A muffed double-play ball led to a five-run
third inning for undefeated Montgomery (6-0) in Saturday's (March 16)
Aztec-Foothiller Tournament championship game at Grossmont High.

The Norsemen (5-1) had taken a 1-0 lead on Louie Lange's solo home run in the
first inning. But they might as well have put their bats away after that as
the Aztecs Manny Hernandez and reliever Arturo Reyes limited Valhalla to 3
singles over the final six innings.

Scott McDermand accounted for two of Valhalla's hits with a pair of singles.

"Valhalla has never been in a game of this magnitude," Norsemen coach Steve
Perdue said. "We've got to learn how to compete at this level if we want to
become a great team. I thought we came out and played lethargic, which
doesn't surprise me because that's how our last two practices were."

The only error of the game - a ground ball through the legs of the Valhalla
shortstop - contributed to a 5-run third inning for Montgomery (6-0).

"The botched double play ball certainly changed the complexion of the game,"
Perdue said. "If we make that play it's a different ballgame.

"We're disappointed by the loss, but there were 12 teams in the tournament (5
of them ranked among the top 10), so to come in second has to mean something."
(03-16-02)

Vaqueros flex muscle to rally against Knights

EastCountySports.com staff report

LAKESIDE - Knowing that they had already cemented themselves a berth in
Saturday's (March 16) Hilltop-Lolita Tournament championship game opposite
pristine powerhouse Rancho Bernardo, the El Capitan Vaqueros nearly got
caught napping in Thursday's final round of pool play.

But coach Steve Vickery's Vaqueros proved that they are championship caliber
even when there are no gold medals at stake. Despite handing underrated San
Marcos five unearned runs, El Capitan flexed its muscles to blast five
highlight-reel home runs in a come-from-behind 7-6 victory over the visiting
Knights.

"We overcame a little bit of adversity today," said Vickery, whose Vaqueros
(5-0) crawled out from under a 5-1 deficit to deny the Knights (1-4) their
upset bid at Hostetler Field.

Things started out on a positive note for El Capitan as sophomore second
baseman Justin Snyder led off the bottom of the first inning with his first
varsity home run, raising his season average to .476. Six of his 10 hits have
gone for extra bases.

However, two fielding miscues in the third inning helped the Knights rock El
Cap starting pitcher Travis Lopez for four unearned runs and a 5-1 lead. No
matter.

Hard-luck San Marcos (1-4) is an unwilling witness that these power-laden
Vaqueros are never out of ballgame. It was the long ball that carried the
Vaqueros to their fifth straight victory.

Chris Walston, a 6-foot-6, 235-pound senior behemoth, blasted a two-run,
opposite field homer in the third inning and a solo rocket in the fifth,
raising his East County-leading home run total to 4.

"Walston is really coming into his own," Vickery said. "His first home run
landed across the street in right field (a couple of bounces short of the
infamous stagecoach garage door).

"The ball he hit in the fifth inning was just spectacular. It landed in the
middle of the (student) parking lot (beyond the left-center field fence). It
was looked like a golf ball the way he hit it out of here."

The Vaqueros' pyrotechnics through the first five innings still left them
trailing 6-5. However, senior first baseman Kyle Phillips pulled El Capitan
even with a booming home run - his third - to dead center field leading off
the 7th.

"KP put that one on the top of the bank in dead center field," Vickery noted.

El Capitan's East County-leading 11 home runs includes a solo shot by junior
Brandon Rauch in the 5th inning.