ROUNDUP: GH, Hel, San, Val, MM, MV, FC, EC

By Bill Dickens
Updated: March 18, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

RAMONA (3-18-16) — The rule of thumb at Granite Hills this season has been exactly that – the hand of the pitcher has decided the outcome of the majority of the Eagles’ games.

Thursday’s (Mar. 17) encounter at Ramona was completely out of sorts as the Eagles hammered out a 17-8 victory in the foothills.

“We sort of had a change of philosophy at Ramona,” said Eagles coach JAMES DAVIS. “It’s a hitter-friendly place – balls just fly out of there.”

The Eagles registered game highs in runs and 18 hits as they rolled over the Bulldogs.

By winning, Granite Hills (4-1) will face Rancho Bernardo in Saturday’s (Mar. 19) finals of the Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament at 10:30 a.m. at Hilltop.

DILLAN SHRUM continued his blazing batting binge as he went 4-for-4 including three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored. He was the epitome of the game.

“He’s just a good solid hitter,” said Davis of Shrum, who is headed for Nevada Reno.

Of course Shrum could go almost anywhere he wants to as he carries a 4.7 GPA.

DARIEN COSSIO was 3-for-5 with four RBI. ANDREW BROWN gave Granite Hills the early lead with a two-run double.

The Eagles pushed across four more in the second inning.

Surviving a six-run second inning by Ramona that tied the game, the Eagles regained the lead in the third to make it 7-6 as SEAN ROSS doubled and eventually scored on a passed ball.

Granite Hills broke the game open with six runs in the fourth and continued the onslaught with four runs in the sixth.

“This was a good win for us,” noted Davis.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

EASTLAKE 7, HELIX 6 – Helix was one out away from qualifying for a berth in the Aztec-Foothiller Classic championship Saturday (Mar. 19) at Grossmont (10:30 a.m.).

But the Highlanders served up a three-run homer to Eastlake’s Micha Pietla with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to propel the Titans into the finals of the Aztec-Foothiller Classic at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at Joe Gizoni Field.

The game was suspended by rain in the fourth inning on March 11 with the Highlanders leading 5-1. When the game was resumed on Thursday (Mar. 17) it was all about Eastlake.

Going back to when the game started, the Highlanders took a 2-0 lead on an RBI single by MICHAEL BROGAN and a sacrifice fly by AUSTIN KOVALCHECK.

Helix added two more in the second on a two-run homer by MATTHEW RICHARDSON, which also scored WES BABBITT.

“We just weren’t ready to play today,” lamented Helix coach COLE HOLLAND. “When you start a game with a lead like we had, it’s hard to get the kids fired up to keep playing at that caliber.”

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

SANTANA 8, VALHALLA 2 – The Santana Sultans banged out 13 hits including five doubles on Thursday (Mar. 17) in a Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament encounter to vanquish Valhalla.

That was enough to support the pitching of NOAH NUNEZ and TRISTEN SALINAS, who combined to limit the Norsemen to only six hits. Nunez worked five innings to collect his first win, and Salinas allowed only one hit and struck out three in the final two innings for the Sultans.

Santana (4-1) narrowly missed qualifying for the finals in Saturday’s tournament championship as they dropped a 3-2 decision to Rancho Bernardo in eight innings earlier in the month.

Thus Rancho Bernardo will face Granite Hills in the prestigious Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament championship game on Saturday (Mar. 19) at 10:30 a.m. on the Lancers’ field.

Santana took a 2-0 lead in the second frame on an RBI single to center field by JACOB ODENKIRK and an RBI double by JERRY ALESI.

The Sultans hoisted their lead in the third on a single by Salinas, a sacrifice bunt by REECE HERNANDEZ and a sacrifice fly by Nunez to make it 3-0.

In the fourth inning BLAKE PRYOR reached base on an error and advanced to third on a double by Alesi. MITCHELL MILLER then singled home Pryor. Then it was Salinas’s turn again as he slugged a two-run double.

With two outs in the sixth Salinas doubled and Hernandez doubled him home. A Valhalla error set the stage for Santana’s final run.

On the charts, Salinas, the Sultans’ leadoff man, had the big game as he was 3-for-4 with two runs, two RBI and three hits, including a pair of doubles.

As well as a strong pitching effort Nunez was 2-for-4 with two RBI for Santana.

Valhalla scored in the fourth as BROCK MOSIER doubled to left with one out. He advanced to third on an infield single by COLE HOWARD. RILEY O’SULLIVAN tapped into a fielder’s choice, scoring Mosier.

The Norsemen’s final tally came in the fifth as COLE HENDERSON doubled on a pop-up and eventually scored on a groundout by JACOB PAAPE.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

MOUNT MIGUEL 4, TRI-CITY CHRISTIAN 1 – The Matadors broke into the win column after suffering four losses by clipping Tri-City Christian in a Bully’s East Tournament encounter on Thursday (Mar. 17) in Spring Valley.

ANDREW MONTIJO was the star of the show for the Matadors. He gave a powerful pitching performance, allowing only three hits and no earned runs while striking out eight to earn the win. He was also a threat at the plate and was 2-for-2 with two RBI.

The Matadors broke a 1-1 tie with three runs in the fifth inning. With one out RUBEN PRECIADO singled and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by ANGEL ABARCA. Preciado skipped to third on a base hit by JOHNNY NICASIO, and scored on a single by JOEL SANDOVAL, who logged the game-winning RBI.

Montijo provided himself with a pitching cushion as he slashed a two-run triple, scoring Nicasio and Sandoval.

“In the top of the sixth TCC led off with a single flyball – drilled it to center field,” recalled Matadors coach LB HAVIRD. “Abarco ran the 400 footer down, sprinted 30 feet and fired it to first for the out.

“That was the ballgame. There were no outs in the sixth. But that catch took the wind out of their sails. Angel ran it down like they do in the big leagues.”

MIGUEL OROZCO pitched a shutout seventh to earn his first save.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

MONTE VISTA 14, KEARNY 4 – In one of the wildest games of the season thus far Monte Vista was outhit by host Kearny 10-7, yet wound up routing the Komets on Thursday (Mar. 17) in a Bully’s East Tournament contest.

The Monarchs (3-2) capitalized on 12 errors, 9 walks and stole 10 bases in pasting the Komets.

Left-hander FRANK GUTIERREZ scattered eight hits over six innings but surrendered three unearned runs due to seven Monte Vista errors. He did not issue a walk and struck out five.

ANDREW GONZALES pitched a shutout seventh to wrap up the win for the Monarchs.

Monte Vista took a 9-3 lead after three innings. In the first inning ANTHONY ROSARO doubled and AGonzales sacrificed him to third. BRENDAN COLLIS hit into a force play to drive in the first Monte Vista run. BRYAN HARMON then slashed an RBI single, and another run scored on a error.

That was a harbinger of things to come.

In addition to his strong pitching, FGutierrez was 2-for-4 with three RBI, and leadoff man Rosario was 3-for-5.

Monte Vista’s parade of stolen bases was led by Collis’s three, AGonzales’ two, JUAN GUTIERREZ two, Harmon, TAYLOR MARQUEZ, and SHAUN CAIN.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 2, HORIZON 1 – BAILEY LEWIS allowed only one run and three hits over 6 2/3 innings, but needed last inning relief help from TREVOR SMALLWOOD to nail down his first victory in three decisions in Thursday’s (Mar. 17) Bully’s East Tournament at Alliant University.

Lewis walked five, the majority in the late innings, while striking out seven.

“Bailey kept asking us to let him to go one more inning, one more batter, then another batter until he loaded the bases on walks in the seventh inning with two outs,” said Knights coach DAVE LEWIS. “We gave him all the chances we could but we weren’t gonna lose the game.”

Smallwood came on and walked the first batter he faced to cut the Knight’s 2-0 lead in half. Then he got the final out on a fly ball to center field to earn his first save.

Foothills did all of its scoring in the sixth inning. The Knights started their uprising on a single by BAILEY LINK. Link moved up a base on EZRA SIMS bunt single. The two runners then executed a double steal. KONNER VON DER LIETH hammered a sacrifice fly, scoring Link to break a scoreless tie. Then Lewis helped his own cause as he followed with an RBI single for what proved to be the winning run.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

POWAY 3, EL CAPITAN 2 – The El Capitan Vaqueros must not have the ‘Luck ‘o the Irish’ as they let one slip through their fingers Thursday (Mar. 17) in a Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament game in Lakeside.

Both teams scored a run in the first inning and the Vaqueros eventually tied it 2-2 in the sixth.

But then it was Poway’s turn again and they pushed across the winning run in the seventh.

The Vaqueros displayed sparse hitting of only six hits.

KENNY OLHAUSER, JASON MOORMAN, DAWSON McCLANAHAN, MICHAEL LARWA, VICTOR CARLINO and TRISTAN DUNCAN each had a hit for the Vaqueros, who did not generate a single RBI.

El Capitan wasted stout pitching by BAILEY ROBERSON and DYLAN WANNAMAKER who combined to limit Poway to six hits.

Ryan Gagliano and Dayton Dooney each had RBI for the Titans.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

EL CAJON VALLEY 14, GOMPERS PREP 1 – The Braves improved their record to 4-2 in the Urban Invitational. No other information reported.

Thur., March 17

Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament
SULTANS 8, NORSEMEN 2
Valhalla (0-5) 000 110 0 – 2  6 3
Santana  (4-1) 021 302 x – 8 13 2
Poe, Tardiff (6) and Paape. Nunez, Salinas (6) and Mora. 
WP-Nunez (1-0). LP-Poe (0-2).

EAGLES 17, BULLDOGS 8
Granite Hills (4-1) 241 604 0 – 17 18 1
Ramona        (2-3) 006 020 0 -  8 15 3
Burton, Hazelhurst (2), JoVerdon (5), King (7) and Fenn. 
Dick, Abruzzo (4), Marinshaw (5), Roe (6) and Roe, Ramirez (7). 
WP-Hazelhurst (1-0). LP-Dick. HR-Spacke (R) 2^nd, solo. 

TITANS 3, VAQUEROS 2
Poway      (2-3) 100 100 1 – 3 7 1
El Capitan (3-2) 100 001 0 – 2 6 3
Ackley, Blaszyk (6) and Padilla. Roberson, Wannamaker (3) and Moorman. 
WP-Blaszyk. LP-Wannamaker (1-1).

Bully’s East Tournament
MONARCHS 14, KOMETS 4
Monte Vista (3-2) 351 020 3 – 14  7  7
Kearny      (3-2) 210 100 0 -  4 10 12
FGutierrez, AGonzales (7) and Rosario. 
Witchester, Fuentes (4), Evans (5) and Lopez. 
WP-FGutierrez (1-1). LP-Witchester. 

KNIGHTS 2, PANTHERS 1
Foothills Christian (2-3) 000 002 0 – 2 5 0
Horizon             (2-3) 000 000 1 – 1 3 3
Lewis, Smallwood (7) and Link. Pizzo and Lockshaw. 
WP-Lewis (1-2). LP-Pizzo. Sv-Smallwood (1).

MATADORS 4, EAGLES 1
Tri-City Christian (1-5-1) 100 000 0 – 1 3 1
Mount Miguel         (1-4) 100 030 X – 4 5 2
Reitmier, Brown (6) and N/A. Montijo, MOrozco (7) and JSandoval. 
WP-Montijo (1-0). LP-Reitmier. Sv-MOrozco (1).

Aztec-Foothiller Classic

TITANS 7, HIGHLANDERS 6
Helix    (3-2) 220 200 0 – 6 6 2
Eastlake (4-1) 010 021 3 – 7 8 3
(Two outs when winning run scored.)
(Resumption of suspended game of 3-11)
Jackson and Isbell. Escunedo, Aahin (2), Leonheart (4) and Reyes. 
WP-Leonheart. LP-Jackson (0-1).

Urban Invitational
El Cajon Valley 14, Gompers Prep 1