ROUNDUP: Helix ties Santana; Monarchs playing spoiler

By Ramon Scott
Updated: May 12, 2017

Abraham Sanchez takes a cut for Monte Vista on Friday.

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

LA MESA – We’re all tied up in the Grossmont Hills League with one game to play thanks to Helix’s ERICK SMELKO.

Smelko doubled home a run in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving the host Highlanders a 5-4 walk-off win over Santana.

Baseball walks off on Santana, 5-4 pic.twitter.com/VZhf9tXiAv

— Helix Athletics (@HelixScotties) May 13, 2017

Both Helix and Santana now sit at 8-3 in the standings.

Santana would seem to have a slight advantage heading into the last game of the season, but a closer look might make you say, ‘not so fast.’

The league title will be decided this week.

On Wednesday, the Sultans host El Capitan, which sits last in the GHL, but the Vaqueros have jumped up and won two-straight, beating Granite Hills and the Highlanders.

Helix, meanwhile, on Tuesday travels to face the Eagles, which have stumbled to the finish, losing four of their last five.

In Friday’s thriller, the Sultans erased a 1-0 first-inning deficit thanks to a 3-run home run by TRISTEN SALINAS in the top of the second, driving in ANDERS TOLHURST and BROCK ELLIS, both of whom walked.

Helix resumed the advantage in the third on a two-run home run from BRANDON PETERSON.

However, the Sultans would knot the game back up at 4-all in the top of the fourth when AIDEN RASMUSSEN drew a bases-loaded walk.

Smelko earned the win with 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, although he was on the mound when the game-tying walk was issued.

Smelko’s game-winning two-bagger came with one out.

MATTHEW RICHARDSON walked to lead things off, then AUSTIN KRETZSCHMAR sacrificed him to second.

Smelko ripped his hit and the Highlanders’ squad chased him down for a post-game run down in the outfield.

MONTE VISTA 3, VALHALLA 0 – The Monarchs’ IVAN PLAZOLA put the Norse’s title plans on hold with an impressive 6 1/3 innings, allowing four hits and striking out seven.

FRANCISCO GUTIERREZ reached on an error and later scored on another Valhalla miscue for a 1-0 lead in the last of the first.

Gutierrez later came on to record a two-out save with a pair of strikeouts as Valhalla loaded the bases on a two-out single by MAX HAGEMAN.

Plazola recorded 10-straight outs at one point before RILEY O’SULLIVAN tripled.

Senior DAVID GARCIA singled and scored in the sixth, while ANDREW GONZALEZ stole home on a pickoff attempt at first base in the sixth inning to make it 3-0.

Garcia was the only player with two hits in the game.

Valhalla (11-2 Grossmont Valley League, 15-11) still holds a one-game lead over Steele Canyon (10-3) with two games to play. The two teams meet in El Cajon on Wed.

On Tuesday, Valhalla faces West Hills in Santee, while the Cougars also have a road task that day at Monte Vista.

EL CAPITAN 6, GRANITE HILLS 2 – The Vaqueros’ late-season noise continued on Friday as BLAKE PEYTON struck out 10 Eagles over 5 1/3 innings, allowing just one run, for the win.

EL CAPITAN scored in the first inning as AUSTIN BELL singled and later scored.

A double by Bell followed by a single by TREVOR SHENEFIELD in the second inning improved the lead to 3-0.

Peyton needed to work out of situations, but succeeded with the K and his defense. He allowed six hits and three walks.

Bell recorded the last five outs for El Capitan.

“The guys are very exciting they’ve won two in a row,” El Capitan coach CLAYTON CURO said. “We’re going to try to finish strong. I think they are getting hot at the right time. We are just trying to get into the CIF playoffs.”

JOSH VERDON and SEAN ROSS both had two of the Eagles’ seven hits.

Ross’ single in the bottom of the second made it 3-1.

TYLER LINDSAY added a single in the top of the fourth to drive in the Vaqueros’ fourth run.

JUSTIN ZAMORA doubled and scored in the seventh for more El Cap insurance.

JOSH VERDON picked up a consolation RBI in the bottom of the seventh.

MOUNT MIGUEL 6, WEST HILLS 3 – Mount Miguel’s JULIUS HARRIS hit a three-run triple in the second inning the Matadors prevented a 3-game season sweep by the Pack.

The shortstop drilled the ball over the West Hills third baseman and the ball bounced around the bullpen as all three runners came home.

CHRIS “LARRY” SCHROEDER drove in a run for a 1-0 lead for West Hills in the first and TREVOR COMMERFORD drove in a run for West Hills in the top of the third.

ANGELO ZERTUCHE had an RBI groundout for a RBI in the second for the Matadors.

CAMERON BEAUZEC earned his first win for Mount Miguel, going 2 1/3 innings. He also drove in a run with a double in the bottom of the fourth.

AUSTIN ORTIZ had two hits and a RBI for Mount Miguel, which picked up its third Grossmont Valley League win.

Harris had three hits in the game and also scored a pair of runs.

ANDREW MONTIJO earned his first save of the season.

Montijo allowed just one run over the final 4 2/3 innings to gain the victory. He shut the door in the 4th, striking out the two batters he faced after West Hills had loaded the bases with one out.

In all, he stranded six runners in scoring position as the Wolf Pack again failed to find many key hits in finishing with 11 runners left on base.

BRADEN SANFORD stole another pair of bases to move him close to the top of the Wolf Pack’s all-time single-season chart.

Commerford scored on a single by SAM HUGHES later in the game.

However, Montijo kept the potential tying run at the on-deck circle with his fifth strikeout.

West Hills now has a 6-game, on-field losing streak, dropping to fourth place after Monte Vista shocked GVL-leading Valhalla to capture that season series.

The Norsemen visit the Wolf Pack in Tuesday’s home finale, then West Hills caps the regular season at El Cajon Valley on Wednesday.

STEELE CANYON 16, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 – The Cougars tuned up for their big challenge behind four RBI from BRANDON NAVARRO and a home run from junior JOSH ESQUIBEL.

Steele Canyon (10-3 Grossmont Valley League, 18-9) scored nine runs in the first inning on the way to the rout.

AUSTIN GARMO (3-0) delivered a three-hitter against the Braves, striking out eight with no walks allowed.

Sophomores RICHARD PEDRIN and BILLY TELLOUS each drove in a pair of runs for the Cougars, while senior teammates LANDON SCHIRER had two hits and scored two runs.

Steele Canyon junior IVAN CANALES had two hits, scored and run and drove home a run.

HECTOR CARREON continued his strong offensive season with a hit for the Braves and endured the mop up duty, going five innings on the hill, as well.

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 18, CALVIN CHRISTIAN 0 – The Knights continued their rule of the Ocean League, recording their school-record fifth-straight shutout as senior JUSTIN EICHER delivered a two-hitter and drove in three runs.

Eicher struck out seven and walked one as Foothills Christian (6-0, 20-8) clinched at least a tie for the circuit crown by handing their closest rival their second loss.

The Knights have outscored Ocean foes 95-3 in the six contests, which included a 31-3 win over Rock Academy.

Senior BRADLEY BROWN drove in four runs for FCHS, while senior JOE KANG drove in a pair of runs.

TREVOR SMALLWOOD, a junior, was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI.

Sophomore leadoff man JELANI BROWN scored three runs, as did senior JOSH GATES.

“We had great pitching again,” Knights coach DAVE LEWIS said. “We played great defense. Everybody in the lineup hit the ball.

“(Calvin Christian’s) pitcher, Zeke Shockley had not lost a game all year and we knocked him out.”

BAILEY LEWIS was 3-for-3 with two runs scored for FCHS.

Fri., May 12

HIGHLANDERS 5, SULTANS 4
Santana       ab r h bi Helix            ab r h bi
Salinas cf     3 1 1 3  Richardson ss     3 3 1 0
Rasmusson ss   4 0 1 1  Kretzschmar 3b    1 0 0 0
NNunez rf      2 0 0 0  Smelko cf-2b-p    4 1 1 1
Simmons dh     4 0 1 0  Peterson 2b       2 1 1 2
Calvert p      4 0 1 0  Owens dh          3 0 1 0
Allen-Fox c    4 0 1 0  Konishi lf-2b-cf  3 0 0 0
Taylor 3b-c    0 0 0 0  Isbell c          3 0 0 0
Tolhurst 2b    2 1 1 0  Padilla rf        2 0 0 0
Alesi 1b       2 1 1 0  Kovalcheck 3b-rf  1 0 1 0
NJackson 1b    1 0 0 0  Oquita 2b         3 0 0 0
Ellis lf       3 1 1 0  JJackson          - - - -
Oedewaldt      - - - -  Chase             - - - -
TOTALS        29 4 8 4  TOTALS           25 5 6 3

Santana (18-7, 8-3) 030 100 0 – 4 8 5
Helix  (18-10, 8-3) 103 000 1 - 5 5 1

E-Rasmusson 2, Alesi 2, Tolhurst, Richardson.
LOB-Sant 13, Hel 4.
2B-Alesi, Smelko, Kovalcheck. HR-Salinas (3) 2^nd, two on; Peterson (5) 4^th, one on. SB-NNunez 2. Sac-Alesi, Kretzschmar 3.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Santana           ip  h  r er bb so
 Calvert L(5-3)  6.1  5  5  3  2  3
Helix
 JJackson        3.1  3  4  4  6  2
 Smelko  W(4-2)  3.2  5  0  0  2  2
WP-JJackson 2.

VAQUEROS 6, EAGLES 2
El Capitan        ab r h bi Granite Hills     ab r h bi
Bell c-ss-p        4 2 4 1  Ross cf            3 1 2 1
Coker pr           0 0 0 0  Cossio 1b-2b-3b    4 0 0 0
Lindsay ss         4 0 1 1  Verdon 3b-2b-p     3 0 2 1
Shenefield 1b-lf-p 2 0 1 1  Joslyn c           4 0 1 0
Zamora cf          3 1 1 0  Hazelhurst p-2b-1b 3 0 0 0
Barker lf          4 1 1 0  Omahen ss          2 0 0 0
Peyton p-ss-2b     2 0 0 1  McGrew 2b          2 1 1 0
Montesanto 3b-lf-2b4 0 1 0  Cummings dh        2 0 0 0
Markle 2b-ss       3 1 0 0  Anderson lf        3 0 1 0
Head rf            1 1 0 0  Bodtke             - - - -
Roberson           - - - -  Strickland 2b      1 0 0 0
Moliter            - - - -
TOTALS            27 6 9 4  TOTALS            27 2 7 2

 El Capitan     (7-18, 2-8) 120 100 2 - 6 9 0
 Granite Hills (12-15, 3-7) 010 000 1 – 2 7 2

E-Joslyn, McGrew.
LOB-EC 8, GH 8.
2B-Zamora, Bell, Barker, Verdon. SB-Barker, Ross. CS-Montesanto, Barker, Joslyn. Sac-Head. SF-Peyton.

PITCHING SUMMARY
El Capitan          ip  h  r er bb so
 Peyton W(1-7)     5.1  8  1  1  3 10
 Bell   Sv         1.2  1  1  1  0  1
 Shenefield        0.0  0  0  0  0  0
Granite Hills
 Hazelhurst L(3-2) 3.1  4  4  4  5  0
 Verdon            3.2  5  2  1  1  4
HBP-Bell, Ross. WP-Peyton 3, Hazelhurst, Verdon 2.

MONARCHS 3, NORSEMEN 0
Valhalla       ab r h bi Monte Vista       ab r h bi
Barba 3b        3 0 1 0  Gutierrez cf-lf-p  3 1 1 0
Dirkes 2b       3 0 1 0  KCamacho 2b        3 0 0 0
RO’Sullivan 1b  3 0 1 0  DGarcia  ss        3 1 2 0
Casper cf       3 0 0 0  Gonzales 3b        3 1 1 0
Heider c        3 0 0 0  DSandoval c        3 0 0 0
Dunnam c        0 0 0 0  Sanchez 1b         2 0 1 0
Howard rf       2 0 0 0  Plazola p-lf-cf    2 0 0 0
Zamudio rf      0 0 0 0  Gulley lf          2 0 0 0
TSmith ss       2 0 0 0  Alvarez rf         2 0 0 0
JSt.Clair ss    1 0 0 0
Hageman dh      3 0 1 0
Perot lf        3 0 1 0
CO’Sullivan     - - - -
TOTALS         25 0 5 0  TOTALS          23 3 5 0

 Valhalla   (15-12, 11-2) 000 000 0 – 0 5 3
 Monte Vista (18-11, 7-5) 100 002 x - 3 5 1

E-RO’Sullivan 2, TSmith, DGarcia.
DP-Val 1. 
LOB-Val-6, MV 2.
3B-RO’Sullivan. SB-Barba, DGarcia, Gonzales. CS-Perot.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Valhalla             ip  h  r er bb so
 CO’Sullivan L(4-5) 6.0  5  3  0  0  5
Monte Vista
 Plazola     W(4-2) 6.1  4  0  0  1  7
 Gutierrez          0.2  1  0  0  0  2



COUGARS 16, BRAVES 0
El Cajon Valley   ab r h bi Steele Canyon       ab r h bi
Sanchez p-ss       3 0 0 0  Brinkmeier cf        2 2 0 1
Bovee 1b           3 0 0 0  McCarthy cf          1 0 0 0
Carreon cf-p       3 0 1 0  Back cf              0 0 0 0
Moreno ss-3b       3 0 1 0  Dickey rf            2 1 1 1
Michel c           3 0 1 0  New berry rf         2 1 1 1
Cebreros lf-cf     2 0 0 0  Esquibel lf          2 1 1 2
Romero 3b-2b       1 0 0 0  Pedrin lf            2 0 1 2
Acveaa rf          1 0 0 0  Nadeau lf            1 0 0 0
Alvarez rf         1 0 0 0  Aries dh             1 1 0 1
Nacem 2b-lf        2 0 0 0  Blethin ph-dh        2 1 1 0
                            Garmo p              1 0 1 0
                            Tellous 1b           1 1 1 2
                            Schirer 1b           2 2 2 0
                            Yanez 2b             1 1 0 0
                            Luban 2b             1 1 0 0
                            Canales c            2 2 1 1
                            Kenney ph            1 0 0 0
                            Navarro 3b           4 1 2 3
                            Mata ss              1 1 1 1
                            Kratz ss             4 0 0 0
TOTALS            22 0 3 0  TOTALS           33 16 13 15

 El Cajon Valley (4-18, 0-13) 000 000 0 –  0  3 5
 Steele Canyon   (18-8, 10-3) 932 200 x – 16 13 1

GWRBI-Esquibel.
E-Nacem, Romero, Moreno 2, Sanchez.
LOB-ECV 2, SC 10.
2B-Michel, Tellous, Pedrin, Schirer 2, Navarro. 
HR-Esquibel (3) 1^st, one on. 
SB-Carreon, Moreno, Arias.

PITCHING SUMMARY
El Cajon Valley  ip  h  r er bb so
 Sanchez  L     1.0  4  9  2  r  2
 Carreon        5.0  9  7  3  1  3
Steele Canyon
 Garmo  W(3-0)  7.0  3  0  0  0  8

Western League
KNIGHTS 18, CRUSADERS 0 (6 inn)
Calvin Christian  ab r h bi Foothills Christian ab r h bi
Corona cf          3 0 0 0  Link ss              3 2 2 1
Louisa c           3 0 1 0  JlniBrown cf         3 3 1 0
Shockley p-ss      2 0 0 0  Gates dh             1 3 0 0
Coseo 1b-2b        2 0 0 0  Wurts c              0 0 0 0
Garcia ss-p        2 0 0 0  Barling ph           1 1 1 0
Detrich 1b-p       2 0 1 0  Eicher p             5 2 2 3
Pilgrim rf         0 0 0 0  BBrown 1b            3 1 1 4
Spoelstra rf       1 0 0 0  JlenBrown ph         1 0 0 0
Stires 2b          1 0 0 0  Lewis lf             3 2 3 1
Katje 3b           1 0 0 0  Nickell ph           1 0 1 1
Sanders lf         2 0 0 0  Kang rf              3 1 3 2
                            Smallwood 3b         3 2 3 2
                            Thompson ph          1 0 0 0
                            Stallard 2b          3 1 0 0
TOTALS            19 0 2 0  TOTALS           31 18 17 14

Calvin Christian    (7-11, 4-2) 000 000 –  0  2 5
Foothills Christian (20-8, 6-0) 318 42x - 18 17 0

GWRBI-BBrown.
E-Shockley 2, Detrich, Stires, Coseo.
DP-FC 1.
LOB-CC 2, FC 10.
2B-Barling, Eicher, BBrown, Lewis 2. SB-Link, JlniBrown, Gaes, Detrich 2. SF-BBrown, Kang.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Calvin Christian   ip  h  r er bb so
 Shockley L(3-1)  1.1  2  4  4  5  3
 Garcia           1.2  7  8  4  2  1
 Detrich          2.0  8  6  6  4  0
Foothills Christian
 Eicher W(4-2)    6.0  2  0    1  7
Balk-Eicher 2.