- Stars win opener at NBC World Series
- ROUND UP: Wolf Pack Take Down Eastlake
- Woodland’s Gem Propels Helix
- Patriots out-slug Vaqs to claim opener
- Rain Doesn’t Stop Wolf Pack
- Gallery: Boys Hoops – Week 10
- Vaqs continue qinning ways In tight contest
- VALLEY: Sultans finish undefeated season
- It takes the Pack to sweep Scotties
- Mujica & Co. keep rolling, win convincingly
- Singer retires again from coaching
- DIII: Southwest Eagles soar to championship
- 2018 EAST COUNTY SOFTBALL Schedule / Scores / Standings
- DV: LIONS ROAR TO CHAMPIONSHIP
- Williams, Vaqueros sweep into D3 final
- D2: After walk-off thrill, Sultans slump
- DII: SULTANS HAVE MADDY, MADDY, MAD POWER IN PLAYOFF WIN
- DIII: Vaqueros end Scotties’ upset run
- CIF OPEN DIVISION: SCRIPPS RANCH ROLLS EAGLES
- OPEN DIVISION: EAGLES RALLY TO STUN COUGARS
ROUNDUP: Steele Canyon, Grossmont, Christian, Helix, West Hills
- Updated: March 6, 2016
2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
RANCHO SAN DIEGO (3-7-16) — Right-hander LANDON SCHIRER turned in an overpowering pitching performance for Steele Canyon as he stifled Vista with a 2-hitter and struck out 11 in six innings. The Cougars prevailed 6-1 in Saturday’s (Mar. 5) 35th Annual Pirate Baseball Classic opener.
MICHAEL FITCH blanked the Panthers with a shutout seventh inning.
With two outs in the third inning the Cougars snapped a 1-1 tie. JOSH ESQUIBEL was hit by a pitch as was TREVOR ROW. The runners advanced on a wild pitch, setting the stage for TANNER LOGAN’s 2-run hit up the middle. Catcher LUKE ARIAS slugged a 2-run homer in the same inning.
Esquibel hammered a solo home run in the fourth inning.
The Cougars survived five errors but couldn’t cause much damage as Schirer surrendered only two hits and no earned runs.
Logan finished with 2 hits as did JASE RUSSELL.
35th Annual Pirate Baseball Classic Vista 001 000 0 – 1 2 2 Steele Canyon 104 100 x – 6 8 5 Rushbarger, Longoria (5) and Lee. Schirer, Fitch (7) and Arias. WP-Schirer (1-0). LP-Rushbarger (0-1). HR-Esquibel (SC)(3rd) solo; Arias (SC) (3rd) two on.
GROSSMONT 4, CHRISTIAN 3 – A 3-run homer by ADAM LOPEZ following a solo circuit clout by JAYDEN LOMBARDO enabled the host Grossmont Foothillers to erase a 3-0 deficit with four runs in the fifth inning of an Aztec-Foothiller Classic game won by Grossmont on Saturday (Mar. 5) at Joe Gizoni Field.
Christian scored 3 runs in the first inning. KYLE STOWERS walked, then with one out JUSTIN LEDGERWOOD singled to left. That’s when NATE CAZARES hoisted a sacrifice fly to give the Patriots the early edge. GARRETT NIELSEN followed with a single to center to drive in a run and make it 2-0.
However, an error by the Grossmont centerfielder allowed the Patriots to score another run and extend their advantage to 3-0.
JOHN GERSHOW maintained the lead for Christian through four shutout innings but was eventually stung by the longball.
“It’s pretty hard to win a game when you only get one hit over the final six innings,” said Christian Assistant Coach BRYAN MITCHELL.
Aztec-Foothiller Classic Christian (0-1) 000 000 3 – 3 3 0 Grossmont (1-0) 000 040 x – 4 4 2 Gershow, Bessone (6) and Josephson. Hulett and Hindorff. WP-Hulett (1-0). LP-Gershow (0-1). HR-Lombardo (G) 5th, solo; ALopez (G) 5th, two on.
HELIX 9, CORONADO 0 – It was all about the pitching of veteran CONNOR KONISHI, who handcuffed visiting Coronado on 2 hits in five innings while walking one and striking out seven in Saturday’s (Mar. 5) Aztec-Foothiller Classic.
JACOB HERNANDEZ pitched the final two innings with 2 strikouts.
The Highlanders blasted 10 hits including a 2-run homer by MICHAEL BROGAN in the second inning.
Helix took a 6-0 lead after three innings. The Highlanders expanded their advantage to 9-0 with three runs in the fifth inning.
AUSTIN KOVALCHECK pounded 2 hits, including a double and one RBI.
AUSTIN KRETZSCHMAR slugged 2 hits in 3 at-bats and had one RBI.
KEATON CHASE was 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
MATTHEW RICHARDSON was 1-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
ERIC SMELKO, the son of legendary East County baseball coach, MARK SMELKO, was 1-for-1 with an RBI and 2 walks.
Bottom line is, seven Highlanders contributed to the onslaught, including HUNTER ISBELL.
“I was really pleased with the bottom of our order, which was 6-for-11 in the game,” said Helix coach COLE HOLLAND. “I think we’re off to a pretty good start.”
Aztec-Foothiller Classic Coronado (0-1) 000 000 0 – 0 2 2 Helix (1-0) 051 030 x – 9 10 2 Butcher, Fahrenthold (2), Cummins (2) and Gonzales. Konishi and JHernandez. WP-Konishi (1-0). LP-Fahrenthold. HR-Brogan (H) 2nd, one on.
EASTLAKE 11, WEST HILLS 0 – It was a rugged start for West Hills in Saturday’s (Mar. 5) Aztec-Foothiller Classic.
Fact is the Wolf Pack did not collect a single hit as they fell to the Titans.
Eastlake scored 3 runs in the first inning and the rout was on.
Aztec-Foothiller Classic
West Hills (0-1) 000 000 0 – 0 0 3 Eastlake (1-0) 321 410 x – 11 7 1 Quintana and catcher N/A. Holman and catcher N/A. WP-Holman (1-0). LP-Quintana (0-1).
