Eastern teams drive into fourth round

By Ramon Scott
Updated: May 26, 2017

Santana's COLTON CALVERT drives to the plate for the game-winning run on Friday.

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

SAN DIEGO – HUNTER ISBELL smashed a grand slam home run in the top of the seventh inning, rallying Helix past Cathedral Catholic, 9-6, in the second round of the San Diego CIF Open Division playoffs Friday.

Baseball comes back to beat Torrey Pines, 9-6 on a grand slam by H. Isbell with two outs in the 7th pic.twitter.com/f0AIgLsNe7

— Helix Athletics (@HelixScotties) May 27, 2017

The Falcons had a 4-1 lead through two, before seventh-seeded Helix (21-10) scored three in the top of the fifth to tie the game.

ERICK SMELKO had a sacrifice fly to cap the three-run rally.

Sixth-seeded Torrey Pines (25-8) went back in front 6-4 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run by Mac Bingham, the sophomore’s second of the game.

Helix pulled to within 6-5 in the top of the seventh when ZACK OWENS drew a bases-loaded walk with one out.

Two batters later, Isbell stepped in against the Falcons’ Matt O’Brien with the sacks full and two out.

MATTHEW RICHARDSON went 3-for-4 for the Highlanders, as Helix had 11 hits.

Helix scored a run in the top of the first on an error to take a one-run lead as Richardson led off with a single and eventually came around to score.

Smelko earned the win with two innings of work, allowing one run, one hit, and striking out two.

KEATON CHASE started the game for Helix, going five innings, giving up five runs, five hits, and striking out five.

Helix advances into Tuesday’s fourth round where it will meet the winner of tomorrow’s elimination game between the Falcons and Cathedral Catholic.

SANTANA 5, MONTGOMERY 4 – Santana senior ANDERS TOLHURST hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning to score senior COLTON CALVERT from third base as the Sultans won their second-straight playoff game in Division II.

Second-seeded Santana (21-9) moved into Tuesday’s fourth round where they await the winner of Saturday’s game between the third-seeded Aztecs and Otay Ranch.

The Sultans trailed 3-0 after 4 1/2 innings when they scored two runs on a hit by Calvert and an RBI groundout.

The Aztecs tacked on another run in the top of the fifth for a 4-2 edge.

Santana put a two-out rally together for a run in the bottom of the fifth when BROCK ELLIS led off with a base hit. He scored on a throwing error when the next batter, TRISTEN SALINAS, hit a grounder to third.

The Sultans put together the winning rally when NOAH NUNEZ led off with a hit. Calvert was then hit by a pitch.

Senior EMORY ALLEN-FOX came up with a clutch hit to score Nunez, and advancing Calvert to third, setting up the situation for Tolhurst’s fly ball to right-center, which was a difficult catch and throw moving away from the target.

Senior LOGAN LINSCOTT went 1 2/3 perfect innings to earn the win, striking out one. Calvert started and went 5 1/3 innings

Montgomery is 16-13.

GRANITE HILLS 5, SCRIPPS RANCH 1 – DARIEN COSSIO homered and drove in three runs to back the combined pitching effort of WILLIAM BURTON and MIKE KING as the Eagles moved into the fourth round of the Division I playoffs with their third win of the week.

Hazelhurst at the plate on Friday.

TREVOR HAZELHURST broke a 1-all tie with a double to the right field gap in the top of the sixth inning, giving seventh-seeded Granite Hills to go-ahead run. He would later score on BILLY BROOKS’ RBI groundout.

Cossio, who homered for the game’s first run in the second inning with one of his patented pull shots down the right field line, drove in a pair of runs in the seventh with a single.

SEAN ROSS had three hits, including a double, and scored a run for Granite Hills (15-16), while teammate JOSH VERDON had a hit and scored twice.

Burton earned the win, as he pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up one run, four hits, and striking out four.

King went the final 1 2/3 innings, allowing a pair of hits.

Scripps Ranch tied the game in the bottom of the fourth.

The Eagles fourth round game will be Tuesday at 3:30 against the winner of tomorrow’s game between Scripps Ranch (19-12) and Francis Parker and they are one win away from returning to the Division I championship game.

Francis Parker stayed alive by defeated La Jolla Country Day, 5-4, on Friday.

GROSSMONT 6, ST. AUGUSTINE 4 – Steady Grossmont went straight to the fourth round with the win over the top-seeded Saints thanks to a tiebreaking three-run rally with two out in the fifth inning.

CHRIS GIOVENGO singled home a run in the top of the fifth to give Grossmont a 4-3 lead.

Grossmont celebrates following the win on Friday.

NOAH LEVIN then drove in two more runs with a line double to center, giving the Hillers a three-run edge.

TYLER PARENT hit a 2-0 pitch for a RBI double in the second inning for a 1-0 lead. Parent had two hits.

MAX FORD followed with another double, driving in Parent for a 2-0 edge. Ford scored when the next batter, AUSTIN ODOM, reached on an error.

JESSE GARCIA had two hits and drew a walk for fourth-seeded Grossmont (17-14).

St. Augustine (15-16) tied the game in the last of the fourth on a two-run single.

JOE WILLIAMS started for Grossmont, going 3 2/3 innings, while KANNON ROMERO earned a win with 3 1/3 innings of relief.

The Saints play Poway on Saturday for the right to face the Foothillers on Tuesday at 3:30. Poway won 9-2 on Friday over Vista.

OTAY RANCH 3, STEELE CANYON 2 – Otay Ranch eliminated the Cougars from the Division II postseason, allowing just two hits.

BILLY TELLOUS and BRANDON NAVARRO were the only Cougars to solve Octavio Corona, who tossed six innings, surrendering two runs, two hits, and struck out seven.

JOSH ESQUIBEL walked twice and scored a run for the Cougars to bring it to within 3-2 in the sixth.

Otay Ranch took the lead in the third inning when Noah Isley drove in a run, snapping a 1-all tie.

Navarro scored in the third following his single, as he eventually came home on a wild pitch.

“We had a really young team but we got some experience so we’re optimistic for the future,” said Cougars assistant coach MARK BRUDER.

CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 4, CHRISTIAN 0 – The third-seeded Patriots were eliminated from the Open Division playoffs by the second-seeded Dons and starter Nick Nastrini.

CHASE WEHSENER, ZACH HOGUEISSON and GARRET NIELSEN managed singles against Nastrini, who went 2 6 2/3 innings. Wehsener also drew a walk.

Christian during a pitching change on Friday.

Cade Brown hit a two-run homer in the second inning for Cathedral Catholic (23-8).

Christian (22-9) loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh inning, but reliever Jake Rons got the final out on a strikeout.

“We didn’t want it to end, but we made the Open Division and that is unbelievable,” said Patriots assistant coach BRYAN MITCHELL. “Our goal all year has been to play in the Open Division, and that accomplished something that has never been done in school history.

“We battled today, our kids have nothing to hang their head about at all. What a fun year for our kids – four years to move up from Division III to the Open Division. As freshmen, we told them the goal was to move into the Open Division, and we did it.”

Patriots senior JOE MARKOWICZ came on to deliver 1 1/3 innings of hitless relief, walking one and striking out one.

CHULA VISTA 3, MONTE VISTA 1 – The Monarchs lost to the top-seeded Spartans and will have to win on Saturday for the right to face them again next week.

Senior DAVID GARCIA attempts to turn a double play against Chula Vista on Friday.

Monte Vista will host Olympian on Saturday at 11 a.m. for the right to play at Chula Vista on Tuesday at 3:30.

ANDREW GONZALES had the only RBI for Monte Vista against the Spartans on Thursday.

IVAN PLAZOLA turned in a playoff-worthy performance in defeat as he pitched seven innings, allowing one run, seven hits, striking out three, and walking none.

KRYSTEN CAMACHO singled and scored for the Monarchs in the sixth on Gonzales’ hit, which brought the score to within 2-1 at the time.

Leadoff man FRANCISCO GUTIERREZ went 3-for-3 for Monte Vista, but the Monarchs couldn’t bring him around.

Antonio Garcia was exceptional for Chula Vista with a complete game, striking out three and walking none.

Fri., May 26, 2017
SDCIF Playoffs – Round 2
OPEN DIVISION
HIGHLANDERS 9, FALCONS 6
Helix           ab r h bi Torrey Pines     ab r h bi
Richardson ss    4 2 3 1  Bingham cf        4 3 3 3
Kretzschmar 3b   4 0 1 1  Boone ss          3 1 1 1
Smelko cf-ss-p   3 1 2 1  Schlesier 1b      4 0 1 1
Peterson 2b      3 1 1 0  McCaskill c       3 0 1 0
Owens dh         3 1 0 1  Dill lf           1 0 0 0
Konishi lf-ss-cf 3 0 0 0  Patrick dh        4 0 0 0
Isbell c         2 2 1 4  Sim 3b            3 0 0 0
Padilla rf       4 1 1 0  McGuire 2b        4 0 0 0
Oquita 1b        3 1 1 0  Capozzoli rf      3 2 0 0
TOTALS         29 9 10 8  TOTALS           29 6 6 5

 (7) Helix       (21-10) 100 030 5 – 9 10 2
 (6) Torrey Pines (25-8) 130 002 0 – 6  6 2

E-Richardson, Kretzschmar, Capozzoli, McGuire.
LOB-Hel 5, TP 9.
2B-Smelko, Kretzschmar, Bingham. 
HR-Isbell (3) 7^th, grand slam; 
Bingham (4,5) 1^st, solo and 6^th, one on. 
SB-Boone. Sac-Isbell. SF-Smelko. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Helix            ip  h  r er bb so
 Chase          5.0  5  5  2  3  5
 Smelko W(4-1)  2.0  1  1  1  2  2
Torrey Pines
 Evans          6.1  9  7  5  3  8
 Schreiber      0.0  0  1  1  1  0
 O’Brien L(1-1) 0.2  1  1  1  0  1
 Pike           0.0  0  0  0  0  0
HBP-Chase 2.

DONS 4, PATRIOTS 0
Christian      ab r h bi Cathedral     ab r h bi
Wehsener 1b     3 0 1 0  Allred cf      3 2 0 0
Hogueisson cf   3 0 1 0  Becerra 2b     3 0 1 1
Nielsen lf      3 0 1 0  Whitesides 3b  3 0 0 0
Ledgerwood 3b   3 0 0 0  Brown 1b       3 1 1 1
Contreras rf    3 0 0 0  Nastrini p     1 0 0 0
Matthews 2b     3 0 0 0  Guerena pr     0 0 0 0
Beck p          2 0 0 0  Hoffman ss     2 0 1 0
JMarkowicz p    0 0 0 0  Polinsky c     3 0 0 0
Mazza ph        1 0 0 0  Connelly lf    2 1 0 0
Jeremiah dh     2 0 0 0  Demgen rf      2 0 0 0
Josephson c     0 0 0 0
Richardson ss   2 0 0 0
Keltner ph      0 0 0 0
TOTALS         25 0 3 0  TOTALS        22 4 3 2

 (3) Christian (22-9) 000 000 0 – 0 3 4
 (2) Cathedral (23-8) 210 100 x – 4 3 1

GWRBI-None.
E-Richardson 2, Josephson, Contreras, Whitesides.
DP-Chr 1.
LOB-Chr 7, Cath 6.
2B-Wehsener, Hogueisson. HR-Brown 1^st, solo. 
SB-Allred, Connelly. CS-Demgen, Becerra. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Christian         ip  h  r er bb so
 Beck  L(5-1)    4.2  3  4  2  5  1
 JMarkowicz      1.1  0  0  0  1  1
Cathedral
 Nastrini W(5-0) 6.2  3  0  0  3  4
 Rons    Sv(4)   0.1  0  0  0  0  1

DIVISION I
EAGLES 5, FALCONS 1
Granite Hills  ab r h bi Scripps Ranch    ab r h bi
Joslyn c        4 0 1 0  White 2b          2 0 1 0
Ross cf         4 1 3 0  Ruddick cf        2 1 1 0
Verdon 3b       3 2 1 0  Fernandez eh-c-dh 3 0 0 0
Cossio 1b       4 1 2 3  Kreger 3b         3 0 1 1
Hazelhurst rf   4 1 2 1  Hill 1b           3 0 0 0
Omahen ss       3 0 0 0  Beaver p          3 0 1 0
Anderson lf     2 0 1 0  Davis rf          2 0 1 0
Bodtke dh       1 0 0 0  Colmbra c         3 0 1 0
Brooks 3b-dh    2 0 0 1  Bolitho lf        3 0 1 0
McGrew 2b       3 0 1 0  Rodgers           - - - -
TOTALS        30 5 11 5  TOTALS           23 1 6 1

 (7) Granite Hills (15-16) 010 002 2 – 5 11 0
 (3) Scripps Ranch (19-12) 000 100 0 – 1  6 0

E-None.
DP-GH 2.
LOB-GH 7, SR 4.
2B-Anderson, Hazelhurst, Ross. 
HR-Cossio (2) 2^nd, solo. 
SB-Ross, Verdon, Ruddick, Davis, White. 
CS-Kreger, White.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Granite Hills     ip  h  r er bb so
 Burton  W(3-4)  5.1  4  1  1  3  4
 King   Sv(2)    1.2  2  0  0  0  0
Scripps Ranch
 Beaver  L(5-3)  6.0  8  3  3  2  3
 Tapia           1.0  3  2  2  0  2
HBP-Tapia. WP-Burton, King, Verdon.

FOOTHILLERS 6, SAINTS 4
Grossmont     ab r h bi St. Augustine   ab r h bi
Ford  cf       4 1 1 1  Staker ss        4 0 2 0
Odom rf        3 0 0 0  Whites lf        4 1 0 0
Lombardo c     4 0 0 0  Anderson cf      4 0 1 0
JGarcia 1b     3 0 2 0  Fontes c         2 1 1 0
Farris 3b-1b   0 1 0 0  Marchesano pr    0 0 0 0
Hulett lf      3 1 0 0  Dolak 1b         2 1 0 1
Giovengo ss    4 1 1 1  Silvia dh        3 0 0 0
Levin 2b       3 0 1 1  Pyatt 3b         3 0 2 2
Romero dh-2b-p 2 1 0 0  Peraza 2b        2 1 0 0
Parent 3b      2 1 2 1  Marty rf         3 0 0 0
TOTALS        28 6 7 4  TOTALS          27 4 6 3

 (4)Grossmont     (16-14) 030 030 0 – 6 7 1
 (1)St. Augustine (14-15) 001 210 0 – 4 6 2

E-Lombardo, Staker, Anderson.
LOB-Gro 6, St.A 8.
2B-Ford, Parent, Fontes. CS-Parent.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Grossmont       ip  h  r er bb so
 Williams      3.2  2  3  2  1  3
 Romero W(4-5) 3.1  4  1  1  2  3
St. Augustine
 Rhoades       2.0  2  3  2  3  2
 Hall          2.2  4  3  3  1  0
 Cammall       1.2  0  0  0  1  0
 Cortez        0.2  1  0  0  0  1
HBP-Romero, Williams 2.

DIVISION II
SULTANS 5, AZTECS 4
Montgomery     ab r h bi Santana       ab r h bi
JoCerda p       4 1 1 0  Salinas cf     3 1 1 0
Torres cf       3 1 1 0  Rasmsusson ss  4 0 0 0
Murillo dh      2 0 0 1  NNunez rf      2 2 2 0
Martinez 1b     4 0 1 0  Calvert p      1 1 1 1
JuCerda c       4 0 1 0  Simmons dh     3 0 0 1
Duarte 3b       3 1 1 0  Allen-Fox c    4 0 1 1
Alvarez lf      1 0 0 0  Tolhurst 2b    3 0 0 1
Gonzalez lf     1 1 1 0  Alesi 1b       3 0 1 0
Morales 2b      2 0 0 0  Ellis lf       3 1 1 0
Cortes ph       0 0 0 0
Quintana rf     3 0 2 2
TOTALS         27 4 8 3  TOTALS        26 5 7 4

 (3) Montgomery (16-13) 200 101 0 – 4 8 1
 (2) Santana     (21-9) 000 021 2 - 5 7 0

GWRBI-Tolhurst.
E-Duarte.
LOB-Mont 7, Sant 8
2B-JoCerda, JuCerda, Gonzalez, NNunez. 
Sac-Gonzalez. SF-Murillo, Tolhurst.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Montgomery        ip  h  r er bb so
 JoCerda         6.0  6  4  3  3  6
 Torres          0.1  1  1  1  0  1
Santana
 Calvert         5.1  8  4  4  3  5
 Linscott W(3-1) 1.2  0  0  0  0  1
HBP-by JoCerda (Salinas), by Torres (Calvert).

MUSTANGS 3, COUGARS 2
Steele Canyon   ab r h bi Otay Ranch      ab r h bi
Taylor rf        2 0 0 0  Riley rf         2 1 1 0
Brinkmeier cf    3 0 0 0  Isley cf         3 1 2 1
Esquibel lf      1 1 0 0  Tovalin c        3 0 2 1
Arias c          3 0 0 0  Branbaugh 1b     3 0 2 1
McCarthy pr      0 0 0 0  CLopez 3b        3 0 0 0
Tellous 1b       2 0 1 0  Vasquez dh       3 0 0 0
Yanez 2b         3 0 0 0  MArtalejo lf     0 0 0 0
Mata ss          3 0 0 0  Perez 2b         3 0 1 0
Navarro 3b       3 1 1 0  Corona p         2 0 0 0
Pedrin dh        2 0 0 0  AArtalejo p      1 0 0 0
                          Canizales ss     2 1 1 0
TOTALS          22 2 2 0  TOTALS          25 3 9 3

 (10) Steele Canyon (20-11) 001 001 0 – 2 2 1
 (6) Otay Ranch (16-13)     101 010 x - 3 9 1

GWRBI-Isley.
E-Schirer, Tovalin. 
LOB-SC 3, OR 5.
2B-Tellous, Perez. SB-Riley. CS-Taylor, Tellous.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Steele Canyon   ip  h  r er bb so
 Nadeau  L     3.2  7  2  2  0  4
 Schirer       2.1  2  1  0  0  2
Otay Ranch
 Corona  W     6.0  2  1  1  4  6
 AArtelejo Sv  1.0  0  0  0  0  0
WP-Corona 2. BK-Schirer.

DIVISION III
SPARTANS 3, MONARCHS 1
Monte Vista    ab r h bi Chula Vista    ab r h bi
Gutierrez cf    3 0 3 0  Iribe ss        3 0 1 1
KCamacho 2b     2 1 1 0  Celiceo lf      3 0 0 0
DGarcia ss      3 0 1 0  Yoquigua 1b     3 0 0 0
Gonzales 3b     3 0 1 1  Valenzuela dh   3 1 2 0
DSandoval c     3 0 0 0  No. 19 lf-dh    0 1 0 0
Sanchez 1b      3 0 0 0  AGarcia p       3 0 1 0
Manuel dh       3 0 0 0  Rincon rf       1 0 1 2
Gulley lf       2 0 1 0  Munoz c         3 0 1 0
Alvarez  rf     1 0 0 0  Lucero 3b       2 1 2 0
Schweizer rf    1 0 0 0  Medina cf       0 0 0 0
                         Gomez           - - - -
TOTALS         24 1 7 1  TOTALS         21 3 8 3

 (4)Monte Vista (19-12) 000 001 0 – 1 7 0
 (1)Chula Vista  (23-7) 010 011 x – 3 8 0
E-None.
DP-MV 2.
LOB-MV 3, CV 4.
2B-Valenzuela 2. Sac-KCamacho, Medina. 
SF-Rincon 2. CS-Gulley, Gutierrez.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Monte Vista      ip  h  r er bb so
 Plazola  L     6.0  8  3  3  1  4
Chula Vista
 AGarcia W(5-1) 7.0  7  1  1  0  3
WP-Plazola.