ROUNDUP: Eagles, Cougars, Vaqueros, Monarchs, Sultans win

By Bill Dickens
Updated: April 30, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

EL CAJON (4-30-16) — In a draw down between two of East County’s best baseball teams, the Granite Hills Eagles squeezed out a 3-2 victory over the host Grossmont Foothillers in Friday’s (April 29) Grossmont Hills League encounter.

The victory gave No. 4 ranked Granite Hills a two game lead over No. 8 Grossmont and No. 11 Helix.

“You won’t see a better high school baseball game than this one,” said Granite Hills coach JAMES DAVIS, who’s Eagles improved to 15-7, 6-1 GHL.

Granite Hills was playing without its arguably top player, DILLAN SHRUM, who suffered a dislocated shoulder on his non-pitching arm when he slid headfirst into first base in Thursday’s game against El Capitan.

“He’ll probably be out a week,” Davis said of Shrum. “Fortunately he did not hurt his pitching arm.”

SEAN ROSS was a key performer in the Eagles’ success over the Foothillers. He slammed his third home run of the season over the right center field fence in the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2.

Of his game-tying home run, Ross said, “I felt the ball come off my bat really well. I knew I hit it well but I thought it was going to hit the top of the fence. I was shocked when it went over.”

An inning later Ross singled in the game-winning run.

“It was a really exciting game as far as I’m concerned,” Ross said. “To get that key base hit that won the game was really special.”

Ross said that Granite Hills is seeking a five-peat in terms of winning the league championship.

TREVOR HAZELHURST and JOSH VERDON combined to limit Grossmont to one earned run while striking out 6 and surrendering only 7 hits.

The game came down to the seventh inning. With one out ANDREW BROWN got hit by a pitch from Grossmont’s ADAM LOPEZ. He advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on Ross’s base hit to right field.

“We’re in need of just getting a big hit, which we didn’t get,” said Grossmont coach JORDAN ABRUZZO. “But this game against Granite Hills . . . they deserved to win. They beat us.”

STEELE CANYON 3, HELIX 2 – Although nobody in the Steele Canyon dugout will label the Cougars as the upset outfit, that may be the role for the Cougars for the remainder of the season.

Steele Canyon pulled a punch against visiting Helix in Friday’s (April 29) Grossmont Hills League contest. LUKE ARIAS led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a walkoff home run to steal the victory from the Highlanders.

TREVOR ROW pitched six innings, allowing only 3 hits and one earned run. LANDON SCHIRER came out of the Cougars bullpen to pitch the top of the seventh, retiring the side, and striking out two in the process. He came away with his 4^th win in five decisions.

“We’re struggling to find some offense,” said Helix coach COLE HOLLAND. “We’ve had only 11 hits in our last two 22 innings. That won’t win ballgames. It’s tough to win games when your attack is so anemic, but I’m happy with the pitching of KEATON CHASE.”

Chase pitched a complete game, scattering 8 hits and allowing just 2 earned runs.

“He did a great job today for us,” Holland added. “And I’m happy for him to have success.”

Steele Canyon took the lead in the first inning as JASE RUSSELL walked and AVERY TUCK sliced his East County leading 4^th triple, scoring Russell. Tuck scored on the same play when Helix threw the ball away in an attempt to nail him at third base.

Helix cut the Cougars lead in half in the second inning. ROMAN PADILLA singled and stole second. AUSTIN KOVALCHECK singled to put runners at the corners. The Cougars committed an error to handed the Highlanders the run.

Helix tied the game in the third inning as MATTHEW RICHARDSON drew a walk and stole second. He advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by ERIC SMELKO.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

EL CAPITAN 5, VALHALLA 2 – The Vaqueros clawed back into contention in the Grossmont Hills League race by avoiding an upset challenge from visiting Valhalla Friday (April 29) in Lakeside.

El Capitan rallied from a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the third inning. MICHAEL LARWA hoisted a pop fly single over the second baseman’s head. Then KENNY OLHAUSER singled to put runner at the corners. DAWSON McCLANAHAN slashed a single to left field to score Larwa and Olhauser to tie the game 2-2.

JASON MOORMAN then singled to left to snap the tie.

The Vaqueros padded their lead in the fourth inning. Larwa and McClanahan drew walks. VICTOR CARLINO singled to load the bases then McClanahan hoisted a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Vaqueros a 4-2 lead.

In the sixth inning El Capitan picked up another tally as Olhauser singled to left and eventually scored on a base hit by Moorman.

Not to be lost in the shuffle was the work of DYLAN WANNAMAKER who pitched a complete game 6-hitter to earn his third win without a loss.

For Valhalla BROCK MOSIER was 2-for-3 in a losing cause.

El Capitan will suffer a serious setback next week when versatile MYLES EMMERSON will undergo Tommy John surgery and will be lost for the season.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

MONTE VISTA 19, EL CAJON VALLEY 4 – The Monte Vista Monarchs made a statement in the first inning when they logged 10 runs to take charge of Friday’s (April 29) Grossmont Valley League game at El Cajon Valley.

The Monarchs hammered out 19 hits on their way to a 19-4 victory over the Braves.

BRENDAN COLLIS, one of the most versatile Monarchs, was 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored.

JOSE ALVAREZ came up big as he went 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored including a double and went on to drive in 3 runs.

No question this was a batting free-for-all for Monte Vista.

BRYAN HARMON chipped in with a 2-for-2 effort, a double and 3 RBI. That was more than enough for Monte Vista pitcher JUSTIN SCHWEIZER to sail into the victory column. Schweizer posted his second win in four starts, hurled three innings allowing 2 hits and one earned run while striking out 5.

JON GULLEY followed up with a three inning stint, surrendering only one earned run while striking out four.

ANTHONY ROSARIO put the cap on the win, tossing the final frame allowing no hits, no runs and striking out 2.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

SANTANA 15, MOUNT MIGUEL 0 – Grossmont Valley League kingpin Santana, which is ranked 7^th in the Top 10 in the San Diego Section, stretched its winning streak to 13 in a row by mauling host Mount Miguel in Friday’s (April 29) GVL contest.

The Sultans pounded out 15 hits and built up a 13-0 lead after four innings.

Santana junior TRISTEN SALINAS pitched the first four innings allowing only 2 hits as he raised his record to 4-1. COLTON CALVERT and LOGAN LINSCOTT helped complete the shutout for the Sultans.

Right fielder NOAH NUNEZ was 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored, a double and 2 RBI in the Santana onslaught.

Catcher NIK MORA was 3-for-3 with 2 runs scored and an RBI, while third baseman MITCHELL MILLER was 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored and an RBI.

BROCK ELLIS punched out 2 hits in 3 at-bats to chase home 2 more runs for Santana (18-2, 5-0 GVL).

Mount Miguel mustered only 4 hits, including 2 by JOEL SANDOVAL who also smacked a double.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

Fri., April 29, 2016
Grossmont Hills League
EAGLES 3, FOOTHILLERS 2
Granite Hills     ab r h bi Grossmont       ab r h bi
JoVerdon 3b-p      3 0 2 0  McCarthy ss      3 0 0 0
Hazelhurst p-rf    4 0 1 0  Ouellette 2b-3b  4 0 2 0
Cossio 2b          4 0 2 1  ALopez 3b-p      4 0 2 0
ABrown 1b-rf-3b    3 1 0 0  JGarcia 1b       4 0 0 0
Ross cf            4 1 2 2  Farris p-lf      3 0 0 0
BSt. Clair lf      2 0 1 0  Pineda cf-rf     3 1 1 0
Harris dh          4 0 1 0  Lombardo rf      2 0 1 1
Omahen ss          0 0 0 0  Hulett dh        1 1 1 1
Fenn c             3 1 2 0  Van Avery lf-2b  0 0 0 0
Reyes rf           1 0 0 0  Buchanan cf      0 0 0 0
Strickland ph      1 0 0 0  Tedokon c        3 0 1 0
JaVerdon ph-1b     0 0 0 0
TOTALS           29 3 11 3  TOTALS          27 2 8 2

  Granite Hills (15-7, 6-1) 000 011 1 – 3 11 1
  Grossmont     (14-8, 4-3) 001 100 0 – 2  8 1

GWRBI-Ross (2).
E-JoVerdon, McCarthy 1. DP-GH 1, Gro 2. 
LOB-GH 11, Gro 8. 2B-Pineda. 
HR-Hulett (1) 3^rd, solo; Ross (3) 6^th, solo. 
SB-Ross, Ouellette, Lombardo. SF-Lombardo.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Granite Hills       ip  h  r er bb so
 Hazelhurst        5.2  7  2  1  2  4
 JoVerdon  W(2-0)  1.1  1  0  0  1  2
Grossmont
 Farris            6.0  9  2  2  2  7
 ALopez   L(2-2)   1.0  2  1  1  0  0
HBP-by Hazelhurst (ALopez, Farris 2), by ALopez (ABrown). 
WP-Hazelhurst, ALopez.

COUGARS 3, HIGHLANDERS 2
Helix          ab r h bi Steele Canyon   ab r h bi
Richardson ss   3 1 0 0  Bagdasar lf      3 0 0 0
Smelko lf       2 0 0 1  Russell 2b       2 1 1 0
Stronach 3b     2 0 0 0  Tuck cf          3 1 1 1
Konishi cf      3 0 0 0  Esquibel 1b      2 0 0 0
Padilla dh      3 1 1 0  Logan 3b         3 0 2 0
Isbell c        2 0 0 0  Alcarez dh       3 0 1 0
Brogan 1b       3 0 0 0  Arias c          3 1 1 1
Kovalcheck rf   3 0 1 1  Fiedler ss       2 0 0 0
Kretzschmar 2b  2 0 1 0  Brinkmeier rf    2 0 2 0
Peterson 2b     1 0 0 0 
TOTALS         24 2 3 2  TOTALS          23 3 8 2

  Helix            (12-8, 4-3) 011 000 0 – 2 3 2
  Steele Canyon (10-11-1, 3-4) 200 000 1 – 3 8 2

GWRBI-Arias (1).
E-Richardson, Kretzschmar, Russell, Row. 
LOB-Hel 5, SC 3. 2B-Logan. 3B-Tuck. 
HR-Arias (2) 7^th, solo walkoff. 
SB-Richardson, Kretzschmar, Padilla. SF-Smelko.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Helix             ip  h  r er bb so
 Chase  L(2-3)   6+   8  3  2  1  1
Steele Canyon
 Row             6.0  3  2  1  3  3
 Schirer W(4-1)  1.0  0  0  0  0  0
(Chase faced one batter in the 7^th.)
HBP-by Chase (Esquibel). WP-Row. PB-Arias.

VAQUEROS 5, NORSEMEN 2
Valhalla       ab r h bi El Capitan     ab r h bi
Dirkes ss       4 0 0 0  Olhauser cf     4 2 2 0
CBrown dh       3 1 1 0  McClanahan lf   3 1 1 2
Kister 2b       0 0 0 0  Carlino 2b      4 0 1 0
Tardiff p       0 0 0 0  Moorman 3b-c    3 0 2 3
Henderson p-2b  3 0 0 0  Duncan 1b-3b    4 0 1 0
Mosier cf       3 0 2 0  Emmerson dh     3 0 2 0
CSt. Clair 1b   2 0 1 0  Wannamaker p    0 0 0 0
Howard lf       3 0 0 0  Medford rf      2 0 1 0
RO’Sullivan 3b  3 1 1 0  Lindsay c-1b    3 0 0 0
Heider c        3 0 0 0  Larwa ss        2 2 1 0
Paape rf        3 0 1 0
TOTALS         31 2 6 0  TOTALS        28 5 11 5

  Valhalla    (2-19, 1-6) 110 000 0 – 2  6 0
  El Capitan (10-10, 3-4) 003 101 x – 5 11 1

GWRBI-Moorman (2).
E-Duncan. DP-Val 1, EC 2. LOB-Val 6, EC 9. 
2B-RO’Sullivan. SB-CBrown, McClanahan, Medford 2, Olhauser. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Valhalla            ip  h  r er bb so
 Henderson L(1-5)  5.0  9  4  4  2  5
 Tardiff           1.0  2  1  1  0  0
El Capitan
 Wannamaker W(3-0) 7.0  6  2  1  1  3
HBP-by Wannamaker (Henderson). 
WP-Wannamaker, Henderson, Tardiff.

Grossmont Valley League
SULTANS 15, MATADORS 0
Santana       ab r h bi Mount Miguel ab r h bi
Salinas p      2 2 1 0  Nicasio       3 0 0 0
Calvert p      1 0 0 0  Preciado      2 0 1 0
Linscott p     1 0 0 0  Orozco        3 0 1 0
Hernandez 2b   4 1 1 2  JSandoval     3 0 2 0
Nunez rf       3 2 3 2  Ortiz         3 0 0 0
Simmons rf     1 1 0 0  Beauzec       2 0 0 0
Alesi 1b       4 1 1 0  Conwright     2 0 0 0
Rasmusson ss   2 0 0 1  Abarca        2 0 0 0
Mosburg ph     1 0 0 0  Montijo       1 0 0 0
Ellis lf       3 1 2 2
Roe lf         2 0 0 0
Mora c         3 2 3 1
Allen-Fox c    0 1 0 0
Pryor ph       2 1 0 0
Jackson dh-cf  1 0 1 1
Miller 3b      4 3 3 1
TOTALS     34 15 15 10  TOTALS        21 0 4 0

  Santana      (18-2, 5-0) 047 211 0 – 15 15 0
  Mount Miguel (4-16, 1-4) 000 000 0 -  0  4 3

GWRBI-Nunez (1).
2B-Salinas, Nunez, JSandoval. 
SB-Salinas 2, Hernandez, Nunez.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Santana           ip  h  r er bb so
 Salinas W(4-1)  4.0  2  0  0 NA NA
 Calvert         2.0  1  0  0 NA NA
 Linscott        1.0  1  0  0 NA NA
Mount Miguel
 N/A

MONARCHS 19, BRAVES 4
Monte Vista        ab r h bi El Cajon Valley   ab r h bi
FGutierrez 1b       2 2 1 2  Favela p-ss        3 2 1 0
Elia 1b-3b          2 0 0 0  Sanchez 3b-p       4 1 2 1
DSandoval 3b        0 0 0 0  Carreon c          3 0 0 1
DGarcia ss          5 1 1 3  Moreno 1b          4 0 0 0
Collis dh           3 2 3 1  Herrera lf         3 0 0 0
Rosario p-1b        3 1 1 1  Manglona rf        3 0 1 0
Harmon rf           2 1 2 3  Castillo dh        2 0 0 0
Harlow rf           3 1 1 1  Bernardo cf        3 1 1 0
JGutierrez 3b-1b-cf 5 1 1 2  Perez-Foster ss-3b 3 0 0 0
Gulley 2b-p         5 2 1 0  Trinidad 2b        0 0 0 0
AGonzales p         0 0 0 0
Marquez cf-2b       5 3 3 2
Alvarez lf          4 3 3 3
Matanane lf         4 2 2 1
TOTALS          43 19 19 19  TOTALS            28 4 5 2

  Monte Vista    (7-14, 3-4) (10)30 000 6 – 19 19 4
  El Cajon Valley (9-9, 0-5)  0 0 3 010 0 -  4  5 5

GWRBI-Collis (3).
E-DGarcia, Rosario, JGutierrez, Elia, Manglona, Trinidad 2, Bernardo 2. 
LOB-MV 10, ECV 6. 
2B-Harmon, Marquez, DGarcia, JGutierrez, FGutierrez, Alvarez, Favela. 
SB-Collis, Marquez, JGutierrez, FGutierrez, Manglona. 
SF-Carreon, JGutierrez.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Monte Vista         ip  h  r er bb so
 Schweizer  W(2-2) 3.0  2  3  1  0  5 
 Gulley            3.0  3  1  1  1  4
 Rosario           1.0  0  0  0  0  3
El Cajon Valley
 Favela   L        2.0 11 13 10  1  1
 Sanchez           5.0  8  6  2  4  4
HBP-(Favela, DGarcia, Schweizer, Sanchez).