Patriots control Western destiny

By Ramon Scott
Updated: May 12, 2017

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

SCRIPPS RANCH – JAKOB BECK and the Christian Patriots returned the favor to the first-place Scripps Ranch Falcons, scoring a 6-1 road win and landing right back smack in the middle of what is turning out to be a wild stretch run for the Western League pennant.

The Patriots improved to 5-3 in league play and moved into a three-way tie for second place, just a half-game behind the Falcons. Christian lost at home on Tue., 2-0, to Scripps Ranch.

Christian (21-6) is deadlocked with Madison and Cathedral Catholic after the Dons beat the Warhawks, 3-0, on Thursday.

The Pats play a home-and-home next week against the Warhawks on Tue. and Thur. Christian’s last regular-season home game is Tuesday.

The Falcons, meanwhile, have just one game remaining – at fourth-place St. Augustine on Thursday.

The Dons close the season with a two-game set against last-place La Jolla.

All the Patriots can do is worry about themselves. Sweep Madison and let the chips fall.

On Thursday, a four-run sixth broke open a 1-all affair.

Beck hit a 2-run single and senior ZACH HOGUEISSON also hit a 2-run single to put Christian up, 5-1.

That was good enough for the tag-team duo of Beck and freshman ALONZO RICHARDSON (2-0).

The Falcons managed a first-inning unearned run off starter Beck, but the junior overcame control issues (5 walks) to leave after 4-plus innings with the score deadlocked at 1-all, having allowed just one hit.

Richardson came in to stem the tide and earn the win with three innings of three-hit ball, allowing no walks.

Christian tied the game in the third.

With two outs, Hogusisson doubled and GARRETT NIELSEN singled to drive him in. Nielsen lifted his season batting average to .425.

Beck later got involved in Christian’s insurance-run rally in the top of the seventh. Senior ETHAN CONTRERAS scored two runs in the contest.

Thur., May 11
Western League
PATRIOTS 6, FALCONS 1
Christian        ab r h bi Scripps Ranch     ab r h bi
Wehsener 1b       3 0 0 0  Garcia ss          3 1 1 0
Hogueisson cf     3 1 2 2  White 2b           2 0 0 1
Nielsen cf        2 0 1 1  Rudick cf          3 0 0 0
Ledgerwood 3b     4 0 1 0  Kreger 3b          1 0 1 0
Contreras rf      2 2 1 0  Beaver dh          3 0 1 0
Matthews 2b       4 1 2 0  Davis rf           3 0 0 0
Beck p-ss         4 1 3 2  Hill 1b            2 0 1 0
Jeremiah dh       4 0 0 0  Belitho lf         0 0 0 0
Richardson ss-p   4 1 1 0  Hernandez lf       2 0 0 0
                           Coimbra c          3 0 0 0
TOTALS          30 6 11 6  TOTALS            22 1 4 1

 Christian      (21-6, 5-3) 001 006 1 – 6 11 1
 Scripps Ranch (17-10, 6-3) 100 000 0 – 1  4 0

GWRBI-Beck.
E-Contreras.
DP-Chr 2, SR 1.
LOB-Chr 9, SR 5.
2B-Hogueisson, Contreras. 
SB-Hogueisson, Matthews, Kreger, Bolitho. 
CS-White, Mazza.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Christian           ip  h  r er bb so
 Beck              4+   1  1  0  5  1
 Richardson W(2-0) 3.0  3  0  0  0  1
Scripps Ranch
 Nguyen  L         5+   4  2  2  3  3
 Tapia             0.1  4  3  3  1  0
 Castiglia         1.2  3  1  1  1  0
Beck faced one in the 5^th.
Nguyen faced one in the 6^th.
HBP-by Nguyen (Nielsen).

EastCountySports.com