Patriots fall in last-ditch effort against champ Islanders

By Bill Dickens
Updated: May 17, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

CORONADO (5-17-16) — Despite a sparkling performance by East County Athlete of the Week CHASE WEHSENER the visiting Christian High Patriots fell short in their bid to capture the Central League championship, falling to the Coronado Islanders 4-2 on Monday (May 16).

“We make the same old mistakes over and over, and it costs us,” said Christian coach MIKE MITCHELL. “Nothing big, just little stuff that really hurts you in a big game.”

There can be no blame placed on Wehsener, who pitched a complete game 6 hitter and struck out 5.

“He’s our MVP. We’ve said it before,” said Mitchell.

Christian took the early lead in third inning as KYLE STOWERS hit a high chopper and beat the throw to first. Wehsener followed with a triple to stake the Patriots to the early advantage.

Coronado (25-5, 10-1 CL) countered with 3 runs in the bottom of the third against Wehsener, of which only one was earned.

Furthermore, the Patriots pecked away for a run in the sixth as Wehsener reached base on an error, ZACH HOGUIESSON singled to put runners at the corners and JOHN GERSHOW tapped into a fielder’s choice to score Wehsener, making it a 1-run ballgame.

Christian had difficulty solving the serves of Josh Leaser, who limited the Patriots to 4 hits and one earned run over six innings. Zach Weller came out of the bullpen to finish the job for the Islanders as he struck out 2 of the 3 batters he faced.

These teams will meet again on Wednesday (May 18) but it will be a dollar late for the Patriots (15-10, 7-3 CL) who will close the regular season on Thursday (May19) at Serra at 3:30.

Central League
Christian      ab r h bi Coronado        ab r h bi
Stowers 1b      3 1 1 0  Irigoyen dh      3 0 1 0
Wehsener p      2 1 1 1  Smith 2b         0 0 0 0
Hoguiesson cf   3 0 1 0  Fahrenthoid lf   3 0 0 0
Ledgerwood 3b   3 0 0 0  Weller ss-p      3 0 1 0
Gershow 2b      1 0 0 1  Harris 3b-ss     3 2 2 0
Cazares lf      3 0 1 0  Knight c         3 1 1 1
Nielsen dh      2 0 0 0  Leaser p         3 0 1 0
Josephson c     0 0 0 0  McNeil pr        0 1 0 0
NJarvis ph      0 0 0 0  Gilmore 3b       0 0 0 0
Contreras rf    3 0 0 0  Cummins cf       2 0 0 2
Beck ss         3 0 0 0  Depperschmidt rf 3 0 0 0
                         Gonzales 1b      2 0 0 0
TOTALS         23 2 4 2  TOTALS          25 4 6 3

  Christian (15-10, 7-3) 001 001 0 – 2 4 2
  Coronado  (25-5, 10-1) 003 001 x – 4 6 1

GWRBI-Leaser.
E-Ledgerwood, Stowers, Harris. DP-Coro 1. 
LOB-Chr 4, Coro 4. 2B-Harris Leaser. 
3B-Wehsener. SB-Wehsener. S-Cummins. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Christian           ip  h  r er bb so
 Wehsener  L(4-3)  6.0  6  4  1  0  5
Coronado
 Leaser  W         6.0  4  2  1  3  3
 Weller Sv         1.0  0  0  0  0  2