ROUNDUP: GH, EC, Gro, Chr, SC, MV, San, FC, MM

By Bill Dickens
Updated: March 13, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

EL CAJON (3-13-16) — Granite Hills coach JAMES DAVIS summed up the pitching and hitting efforts of DILLAN SHRUM in a succinct manner: “It was all about Shrum today.”

Indeed it was. Not only did Shrum belt his 3^rd home run in as many games, he twirled 6 2/3 innings of shutout baseball against visiting La Costa Canyon to stake the Eagles to a 1-0 victory in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament action.

“I like hitting more than pitching,” said Shrum, who limited the Mavericks to three hits while striking out five in his varsity pitching debut.

After Shrum slugged a solo home run over the left field fence, he put a firm pitching grip on the ball. Like it or not, this guy can pitch.

“I had a good feel for my two-seamer,” Shrum said. “Then I mixed in my curve and changeup. But the big thing was I was able to get ahead in the count all day. I threw curve balls to the lefties and a changeup to the righties.”

Shrum was obliged to work out of several jams. He did so with relative ease.

ANDREW BROWN got the final out for the save.

Now back to hitting.

“I’m seeing the ball really big at the plate right now,” he said. “I’m just looking for my pitch then putting a good swing on it. When I do that, good things happen.”

Shrum said he hit a hanging curveball down the left field line for the only run of the game.

The victory hoisted the Eagles’ record to 2-1.

EL CAPITAN 4, RAMONA 0 – DYLAN WANAMAKER was the third pitcher in as many games to spin a complete game victory for the El Capitan Vaqueros, who blanked Ramona in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Aztec-Foothiller Classic on the Granite Hills’ diamond.

Wanamaker, a senior right-hander, limited the Bulldogs to three hits and struck out three as he needed only 72 pitches to complete the job.

“I think the biggest thing for Wanamaker is he threw 18 first strike pitches,” said Vaqueros coach CLAYTON CURO.

The Vaqueros jumped in from of Ramona in the second inning as TRISTAN DUNCAN walked and scored on three consecutive wild pitches.

In the third inning the Vaqueros gave Wanamaker a hefty cushion with three markers. The winning pitcher started with a base hit and DAWSON McCLANAHAN followed with a single. VICTOR CARLINO walked to load the bases. MYLES EMMERSON also drew a walk, driving in a run to make it 2-0. JASON MOORMAN hit into a fielder’s choice to score a run, and KENNY OLHAUSER slashed a single to drive in a run to complete the inning.

El Capitan, in its first three tournament starts, has outscored its competition 17-1.

“Our pitching has been pretty good,” said Curo, noting that his staff has logged three complete games including two shutouts.

— By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

GROSSMONT 1, MADISON 0 (8 inn.) – JACKSON HULETT continued to climb the ladder of quality pitchers in the East County, shutting out visiting Madison in eight innings in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Aztec-Foothiller Classic held at Christian High.

Hulett cut down eight batters on strikes and allowed only three hits in seven innings against the Warhawks.

“This was a classic pitching duel,” said Grossmont coach JORDAN ABRUZZO. “Hulett was on top of his game and (Madison’s) Kevin Abel, who is going to Oregon State, was almost untouchable.”

Abel struck out nine and walked only one while rationing the Hillers to five hits.

Grossmont (3-1) attacked the Madison relief corp in the bottom of the eighth inning. JONAS BUCHANAN walked, stole second and stole third. After CALVIN FARRIS walked, ADAM LOPEZ slashed a game-winning base hit.

“This was a quality win,” said Abruzzo. “Hulett set the tone for our season in his first two starts.

Hulett does not throw bullets.

“He throws hard enough to get the job done,” said Abruzzo.

Abruzzo noted that his Foothillers did a decent job batting against Abel, a Division I college pitcher.

The only batter in the Grossmont lineup to enjoy a multi-hit game was EVAN McCARTHY, who was 2-for-4 with a stolen base.

— By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

CHRISTIAN 5, LJCD 2 – The host Christian High Patriots made the most of four hits in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Aztec-Foothiller Classic encounter on their way to a 5-2 victory over visiting La Jolla Country Day.

That was enough offense to support the Patriots pitchers JOHN GERSHOW, DAVID TODD JEREMIAH and CAMDEN BESSONE.

Gershow allowed only one run in 6 1/3 innings while striking out six to level his pitching record at 1-1.

Bessone got the final out to earn the save.

The Patriots put together a 4-run inning in the third frame. With one out ZACH HOGUIESSON and GARRETT NIELSEN walked. A basehit by JUSTIN LEDGERWOOD loaded the bases. CHASE WEHSENER drew a walk to force in the first run and give the Patriots a 1-0 lead. NATE CAZARES walked in a second run, and sophomore JAKOB BECK then slashed a 2-run single.

Christian added an insurance run in the sixth inning on a groundout by Hoguiesson.

— By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

STEELE CANYON 16, MURRIETA VALLEY 3 – After a paltry hitting start the Steele Cougars flexed their hitting muscles with 15 hits in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) 35^th Annual Pirate Baseball Classic in Murrieta Valley.

The Cougars’ ringleader was JOSH ESQUIBEL who drove in six runs with a grand slam, a single and a double. For good measure he also stole two bases.

Leadoff hitter MATTHEW BAGDASAR was 3-for-3 with a triple, two runs scored and three RBI for Steele Canyon (2-2).

After falling behind 2-0 to Murrieta Valley, Steele Canyon erupted for four runs in when Esquibel slugged a 3-1 pitch for a grand slam.

It was more of the same in the fourth inning for the Cougars who had suddenly found the victory lane. Bagdasar swatted a 2-run triple to left field and Esquibel doubled in another run as Steele Canyon took a 9-2 lead.

The onslaught continued in the fifth as the Cougars punched in five more. Key hits in that uprising included a sacrifice fly by Bagdasar, an RBI single by Esquibel and a groundout single for an RBI by TREVOR ROW. MATTHEW BRINKMEIER also had a single and an RBI.

In the seventh frame DYLAN BLETHEN drove in a run with an infield grounder and KANE FIEDLER drove in the final run with a single.

TANNER LOGAN was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and AVERY TUCK was 2-for-3 with three runs scored. Fiedler also had two hits.

To be sure, this 165 mile round trip was worthwhile for the Cougars.

— By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

MONTE VISTA 6, HIGH TECH HIGH (SD) 0 – Monte Vista’s ANDREW GONZALES and JUSTIN SCHWEIZER combined to pitch a 5-hit shutout in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Bully’s East Tournament.

Gonzales toiled the first six innings, scattering five hits and struck out 10. Schweizer pitched a shutout inning in the seventh.

Everybody in the Monte Vista lineup contributed to a 14-hit attack.

The Monarchs jumped in front with three runs in the fifth inning. DIEGO SANDOVAL singled in a run and JUAN GUTIERREZ doubled in two more to make it 2-0.

The Monarchs (2-1) gave a repeat performance in the sixth. They loaded the bases on singles by TAYLOR MARQUEZ, ANTHONY ROSARIO and then Andrew Gonzales walked to load the bases. BRENDAN COLLIS lifted a sacrifice fly and Sandoval doubled in two to make it 6-love.

— By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

SANTANA 11, HILLTOP 3 – In the Second Annual Ron Cooper Memorial game the Sultans hammered Hilltop with relative ease.

The Cooper Trophy – aka the spittoon – is a perpetual marker for this game as Cooper was a baseball pitching coach for decades for Hilltop, Santana, and El Capitan among others and was a longtime friend of Sultans coach RIGO LEDEZMA.

In Cooper’s honor Santana slugged Hilltop 11-3 in Saturday’s (Mar. 12 ) Aztec-Foothiller Classic contest.

The Sultans’ frontrunner was TRISTEN SALINAS who pitched 4 2/3 innings to post the pitching win and was 3-for-5 with a double, three runs scored and one RBI to pace Santana.

Santana piled up 15 hits with multiple scoring innings in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh.

The key in the third frame was the 2-run single by catcher NIKOLAS MORA.

In the fourth pitcher Salinas doubled in a run, REECE HERNANDEZ doubled, scoring Salinas. AIDAN RASMUSSON followed with a 2-base hit to score Hernandez.

In the sixth inning Salinas singled, Hernandez walked and NOAH NUNEZ followed with an RBI single. Hernandez then stole home for a run, and JACOB ODENKIRK followed with a base hit to score Nunez.

— By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

CASTLE PARK 6, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 2 – Foothills Christian fell behind 3-0 to Castle Park and never recovered as they were tagged with a 6-2 loss in Saturday’s (Mar. 12 ) Bully’s East Tournament contest.

BAILEY LINK was 2-for-3 with a run scored to pace the Knights.

KONNOR VON DER LIETH was 1-for-3 with an RBI, as was LIAM CAREY.

BAILEY LEWIS allowed only one earned run in five innings yet suffered the loss.

CLAIREMONT 8, MOUNT MIGUEL 7 (8 inn.) – The top of the order came out swinging for the Matadors in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Bully’s East Tournament contest against visiting Clairemont.

After the Chieftains climbed in front 5-1 after five innings, Mount Miguel came to life in the bottom of the sixth. CAMERON BEAUZIC walked and ANGEL ABARCA doubled, scoring Beauzic. JOHNNY NICASIO stroked an RBI single to right field, scoring Abarca.

In the bottom of the sixth JOEL SANDOVAL singled in Nicasio. ANDREW MONTIJO produced a sacrifice fly to score Sandoval.

After the Chieftains fought back to lead 7-6 the Matadors fought back to tie it in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI ground ball by Beauzic.

Clairemont collected two runs in the top of the eighth, which put the pressure on the Matadors.

In the bottom of the eighth ANGEL OROZCO hit a sacrifice fly to score JOSEPH MENDOZA, who had walked to lead off the inning.

“We don’t have very much pitching,” said Matadors coach LB HAVIRD. “We are really shot on pitching. We’ve got a lot of young guys and we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

IMPERIAL 11, MOUNT MIGUEL 5 – Picking up from a rain-delay 24 hours earlier, Mount Miguel blew a 5-0 lead in a suspended game against the visiting Imperial Tigers in Saturday’s (Mar. 12) Bully’s East Tournament.

The Matadors gave up 10 earned runs in succumbing to the Tigers. Nobody in the Mount Miguel lineup had more than one hit.

JOHNNY NICASIO was 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored and an RBI. He also stole two bases in the losing effort.

FOOTHILLERS 1, WARHAWKS 0 (8 inn.)
Madison   (2-1) 000 000 00 – 0 4 0
Grossmont (3-1) 000 000 01 – 1 6 0
Abel, Lantz (7), Hartin (8) and Rainaldi. Hulett, ALopez (8) and Hindorff. 
WP-ALopez (1-0). LP-Lantz.

Aztec-Foothiller Classic
PATRIOTS 5, TORREYS 2
LJCD      (3-1) 000 100 1 – 2 6 2
Christian (1-2) 004 001 x – 5 4 1
Nance, Kawano (3), Greene (4), Acol (6) and Petty-Hull.  
Gershow, Jeremiah (7), Bessone (7) and Josephson. 
WP-Gershow (1-1). LP-Nance. Sv-Bessone (1).

SULTANS 11, LANCERS 3
Santana (2-1) 003 203 3 – 11 15 4
Hilltop (1-2) 011 010 0 -  3  7 3
Salinas, Ellis (5), Linscott (7). Murillo, Tejeda (4) and Wenger. 
WP-Salinas (1-0). LP-Murillo.

EAGLES 1, MAVERICKS 0 (8 inn.)
La Costa Canyon (2-1) 000 000 0 – 0 4 0 
Granite Hills   (2-1) 000 100 x – 1 4 2
Rytz, Noble (6) and N/A. Shrum, Brown (7) and Fenn. 
WP-Shrum (1-0). LP-Rytz. Sv-Brown (1).

VAQUEROS 4, BULLDOGS 0
El Capitan (3-0) 013 000 0 – 4 5 2 
Ramona     (1-2) 000 000 0 – 0 3 0
Wannamaker and Moorman. Roberts, Bryant (6) and Hirsh. 
WP-Wannamaker (1-0). LP-Roberts.

35^th Annual Pirate Baseball Classic
COUGARS 16, NIGHTHAWKS 3
Steele Canyon   (2-2) 004 550 2 – 16 15 0
Murrieta Valley (1-3) 020 100 0 -  3  8 1
Schirer, Luban (5), Newberry (6), Garmo (7) and Arias, Blethen (4). McDonald, Timm (4), Collins (4), Moralez (5) Downen (7) and Short, Jacques (5). WP-Schirer (2-0). LP-McDonald. HR-Esquibel (SC-2) 4^th, three on.

Bully’s East Tournament
MONARCHS 6, HIGH TECH-SD
High Tech High-SD (1-2) 000 000 0 – 0  5 2 
Monte Vista       (2-1) 000 033 x – 6 14 2
Carrol, Carson (5) and N/A. AGonzales, Schweizer amd Sandoval. 
WP-AGonzales (1-0). LP-Carrol.

TIGERS 11, MATADORS 5 
Imperial     (1-2) 006 014 0 – 11 10 1
Mount Miguel (0-3) 320 000 0 -  5  5 2
Imperial battery N/A. Orozco, Sandoval (3), Camacho (7) and Montijo. 
WP-N/A. LP-Orozco.

CHIEFTAINS 8, MATADORS 7 (8 inn.)
Clairemont   (3-1) 221 000 02 – 8 2 8
Mount Miguel (0-3) 100 004 11 – 5 6 2
Clairmont battery N/A. Orozco, Abarca (5) and Montijo. WP-N/A. LP-Abarca (0-1). HR-Jarvis (C) 1^st, one on.

TROJANS 6, KNIGHTS 2
Castle Park       (1-2-1) 010 113 0 – 6 8 0
Foothills Christian (1-2) 000 011 0 – 2 5 3
Castle Park battery N/A. Lewis, Carey and N/A. WP-N/A. LP-Carey.