ROUNDUP: Hillers, Eagles wins set up finish; Pats get Isles

By Bill Dickens
Updated: May 19, 2016

Grossmont Foothillers on Senior Day

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

EL CAJON (5-19-16) — It could be said that JACKSON HULETT made one pitch too many in Tuesday’s (May 18) critical Grossmont Hills League encounter with upset-minded Valhalla.

It didn’t cost the Foothillers the game so much as it denied Hulett of making a place in Grossmont history. Hulett faced the minimum number of batters and was on the verge of spinning a no-hitter when Valhalla’s LEWIS DIRKES singled to lead off the seventh inning with the Norsmen’s only hit of the contest. However, Dirkes was eventually cut down stealing by Hillers catcher JAYDEN LOMBARDO.

Valhalla had two previous runners – one on a hit batter and one on an error – and both were cut down on strong throws by Lombardo.

Bottom line is Grossmont won the game 1-0 and now has a shot of forcing a 3-way tie for league championship, depending on the result of Thursday’s Helix-Granite Hills game.

“When I’m pitching I’m very conscious of what’s going on,” Hulett noted. “So yes, I knew that I had a shot at a no-hitter.”

When Dirkes spoiled the gem he hit a bloop single.

“God, I wish he’d at least hit a line drive,” Hulett said wryly. “But at least I counted on our defense which was really good today.”

Grossmont scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth against Valhalla starter CASEY O’SULLIVAN, who gave up only 3 hits and struck out 6 in the hardluck loss.

Hillers No. 9 hitter BAILEY VAN EVERY singled then stole second and swiped third. That set the stage for scrambling STEVEN OUELLETTE’s game-winning sacrifice fly. Ouellette also slugged a double and a single before his clutch sacrifice fly.

Hulett pitched his seventh complete game of the season, which is tops in East County while rolling his record to 6-1.

“He’s a workhorse,” said Foothillers’ coach JORDAN ABRUZZO. “He always wants the ball and we like to give it to him.”

The same should be the case at St. Mary’s of Moraga where the junior Hulett with his 4.3 GPA has made a commitment. Hulett visited the Northern California Western Conference school in mid-April.

This is definitely a bigtime baseball school which includes such teams as BYU, Gonzaga, Loyolla, USD.

“Having made my decision as early as I have takes away a lot of stress,” Hulett said. “It will allow me to focus on my senior year.”

GRANITE HILLS 3, HELIX 0 – In the early going of his senior baseball season DILLAN SHRUM was one of the top hitters in San Diego County. But in one particular game he suffered a dislocated shoulder when he dove back on a potential pickoff throw. Fortunately for the lefthander it was not his pitching arm.

Shrum has missed three weeks, unable to participate in struggling Granite Hills’ Grossmont Hills League battle for the pennant drive.

As much as Granite Hills welcomed back Shrum’s pitching, he still can’t contribute on the batting side. Thus the Eagles have had to turn to other places to generate offense.

In the first inning of Wedneday’s (May 18) contest with Helix, Granite Hills’ JOSH VERDON slashed an RBI single.

SEAN ROSS led off the third inning with his fourth home run of the season.

In the fourth frame the Eagles scored on an error and that would be more than enough for Shrum.

So it’s all up for grabs on Thursday (May 19), when the Highlanders host the Eagles in a battle of blue chip pitchers – Helix’s JACK STRONACH vs. hard-throwing ANDREW BROWN.

“There is a lot on the line in this last game,” said Helix coach COLE HOLLAND. “Hopefully we’ll find a way.”

CHRISTIAN 4, CORONADO 2 – It was a little bit too late for the Christian High Patriots who finally defeated Coronado on Wednesday (May 18) after two losses to the Islanders in the battle for the Central League title.

Christian will close the season Thursday (May 19) at Serra. Win or lose against the Conquistadors, the Patriots will come up short to Coronado in the drive for the flag.

Since the high school season is built on a power point structure, the Patriots’ latest victory is worthy of improved placement.

Coronado, however, did not go down without a fight. Sure, the Islanders used five pitchers, which hints they weren’t overly concerned with the results of their regular season finale in El Cajon.

Christian tied the game in the first inning with a line drive home run by Arizona State-bound ZACH HOGUIESSON, his 4^th of the season, tying him for the East County longball lead.

“I’ll tell you this, they’re a really good ballclub,” said Christian coach MIKE MITCHELL of Coronado, which finished the season 10-2 in league and 25-6 overall. “They’re solid on defense and they made at least four SportsCenter highlight plays.”

At the top of the list was a circus catch by centerfielder Chris Cummins, who robbed Christian’s NATE CAZARES of a 3-run homer in the first inning.

“The guy literally reached over the fence to get it. Unbelievable,” said Mitchell.

Christian took the lead in the second inning on a bases loaded walk to Hoguiesson.

The Patriots gained some breathing run with a pair of runs in the fourth. JAKOB BECK singled and GARRET MAZZA followed with a base hit. KYLE STOWERS laid down a perfect bunt single as the Coronado third baseman fielded and threw away, allowing Beck to score. JUSTIN LEDGERWOOD then hoisted a sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.

JOHN GERSHOW pitched into the seventh inning, allowing only 2 earned runs while striking out 8 to earn his 5^th win against three losses.

The versatile Stowers finished the game with a shutout seventh to notch his 4^th save.

Wed., May 18, 2016
Grossmont Hills League
FOOTHILLERS 1, NORSEMEN 0
Valhalla       ab r h bi Grossmont     ab r h bi
Dirkes 2b       3 0 1 0  Pineda 2b      3 0 0 0
CBrown dh       3 0 0 0  Ouellette ss   2 0 1 1
Henderson ss    2 0 0 0  Lopez 3b       3 0 0 0
Mosier cf       2 0 0 0  Farris rf      2 0 0 0
CSt.Clair 1b    2 0 0 0  Garcia 1b      2 0 0 0
Howard rf       2 0 0 0  Hulett p       2 0 1 0
RO’Sullivan 3b  2 0 0 0  Lombardo c     2 0 0 0
Heider c        2 0 0 0  Tedokon dh     2 0 0 0
Dunnam cf       2 0 0 0  Buchanan cf    0 0 0 0
                         Van Every lf   2 1 1 0
TOTALS         20 0 1 0  TOTALS        20 1 3 1

  Valhalla  (3-25, 2-12) 000 000 0 – 0 1 0 
  Grossmont (19-10, 9-5) 000 001 x – 1 3 1

GWRBI-Ouellette (2).
E-Hulett. LOB-Val 0, Gro 2. 2B-Ouellette. 
SB-Van Every 2. SF-Ouellette.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Valhalla             ip  h  r er bb so
 CO’Sullivan L(2-7) 6.0  3  1  1  0  6
Grossmont 
 Hulett   W(6-1)    7.0  1  0  0  0  6
HBP-by Hulett (Henderson).

EAGLES 3, HIGHLANDERS 0
Helix         ab r h bi Granite Hills   ab r h bi
Smelko lf      4 0 0 0  Ross cf          3 1 1 1
Stronach 3b    3 0 2 0  Hazelhurst dh    3 1 0 0
Konishi p      2 0 1 0  Shrum p          0 0 0 0
Richardson ss  3 0 0 0  Cossio 2b        2 0 0 0
Isbell c       3 0 1 0  JoVerdon 3b      3 0 2 1
Padilla dh     3 0 2 0  ABrown rf        2 0 0 0
Brogan 1b      2 0 1 0  BSt.Clair lf     3 1 2 0
Chase cf       3 0 0 0  Fenn c           3 0 1 0
Peterson 2b    3 0 0 0  Reyes pr         0 0 0 0
                        JaVerdon 1b      3 0 0 0
                        Omahen ss        3 0 0 0
TOTALS        26 0 7 0  TOTALS          25 3 6 2

  Helix          (17-10, 9-5) 000 000 0 – 0 7 3
  Granite Hills (19-10, 10-4) 101 100 x – 3 6 0

GWRBI-JoVerdon (2).
E-Richardson 2, Peterson. DP-Hel 1, GH 1. 
LOB-Hel 9, GH 9. 2B-Padilla. HR-Ross (4) 3^rd, solo. 
SB-BSt.Clair 2, Stronach. S-Brogan. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Helix             ip  h  r er bb so
 Konishi L(7-2)  6.0  6  3  2  4  5
Granite Hills
 Shrum  W(6-2)   7.0  7  0  0  2  7
WP-Shrum.

Central League
Coronado        ab r h bi Christian       ab r h bi
Irigoyen lf      4 2 2 0  Stowers cf-p     3 0 1 0
Fahrenhold p-lf  3 0 1 0  Wehsener 1b      3 0 0 0
Butcher p        0 0 0 0  Hoguiesson rf    1 1 1 2
McNeil ph        1 0 1 0  Ledgerwood 3b    1 0 0 1
McCollough p     0 0 0 0  Gershow p-2b     3 0 0 0
Weller ss        3 0 0 2  Cazares dh       3 0 1 0
Harris 3b        3 0 1 0  Josephson c      0 0 0 0
Knight c         3 0 1 0  Contreras lf     3 0 0 0
Leaser dh        3 0 0 0  Beck ss          3 1 1 0
Smith 2b         0 0 0 0  Mazza 2b         3 2 2 0
Cummins cf-p     3 0 1 0  Hester cf        0 0 0 0
Pepperschmidt rf 2 0 1 0
Legidakes ph     1 0 0 0
Gonzales 1b      3 0 0 0
TOTALS          29 2 8 2  TOTALS          23 4 6 3

  Coronado  (25-6, 10-2) 100 000 1 – 2 8 2
  Christian (16-10, 8-3) 110 200 x - 4 6 4

GWRBI-Hoguiesson (4).
E-Weller, Harris, Beck 2, Mazza 2. DP-Coro 1, Chr 1. 
LOB-Coro 8, Chr 7. HR-Hoguiesson (4) 1^st, solo. 
SF-Weller, Ledgerwood. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Coronado          ip  h  r er bb so
 Fahrenhold      1.0  1  1  1  1  0
 Butcher  L      1.0  1  1  1  3  1
 McCollough      2.0  3  2  1  1  2
 Cummins         1.0  1  0  0  0  1
 Harris          1.0  0  0  0  0  1
Christian
 Gershow  W(5-3) 6+   8  2  2  1  8
 Stowers Sv(4)   1.0  1  0  0  0  0
 (Gershow faced one batter in the 7^th.)