Foothillers, Sultans reach title games

By Ramon Scott
Updated: May 31, 2017

Grossmont junior JASE RUSSELL at the plate on Tuesday.

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

By Ramon Scott

EastCountySports.com

SAN DIEGO – The Grossmont Foothillers rallied from a 3-0 first-inning deficit and defeated the top-seeded St. Augustine Saints at Hickman Field in the San Diego CIF Division I playoffs Tuesday afternoon, advancing to the championship game.

The Saints scored their early runs before Grossmont could record an out.

Grossmont, the fourth seed, tied the game in the fifth after the first two runners reached with no outs.

AUSTIN ODOM had a key single to drive in a run.

The Foothillers took a 7-3 lead with four more in the sixth, but the Saints picked up a couple of runs in the bottom half.

In the top of the 7th, Grossmont extended the lead to 10-5, scoring three more runs.

Junior JASE RUSSELL had two hits, including a triple, a stolen base and three RBI to lead the Foothillers.

His single in the top of the sixth gave the Hillers a 5-3 lead, as JACKSON HULETT and NOAH LEVIN came around to score.

His triple landed in front of the diving center fielder, plating another run.

Sophomore MAX FORD had three hits for Grossmont.

Senior KANNON ROMERO was the pitching star for Grossmont ith his four innings of shutout ball to earn the win.

Senior CHRIS GIOVENGO had a big role in the game for the Hillers, getting two hits and scoring twice. He also pitched the final three innings.

“We have a lot of confidence in our offense right now,” Grossmont coach JORDAN ABRUZZO said. “We were taking good ABs early, we just didn’t get it going, but then we strung some good at-bats together and got the momentum going and didn’t look back.

“We’re just enjoying the moment, playing in the championship game.”

Grossmont (18-14) will play for the San Diego CIF Division I championship at USD on Friday at 7 p.m. against the winner of Wednesday game between visiting Granite Hills and Francis Parker at 3:30 p.m.

SANTANA 2, MONTGOMERY 1 – Santana ace NOAH NUNEZ pitched a complete game and the Sultans continued to their historical season by advancing to the San Diego CIF Division II championship game on Saturday at 3 p.m. at USD.

Calvert at the plate on Tuesday for Santana.

The second-seeded Sultans will face top-seeded San Marcos in the title game.

Left-hand hitting COLTON CALVERT singled home AIDAN RASMUSSON from second with a shot to right-center as part of the Sultans’ two-run first.

That would be enough for Nunez, who was his masterful self with a three-hitter.

Montgomery scored their only run in the second inning on an impressive home run to right-center by Jorge Martinez on a well-timed swing off the Santana star.

The Sultans improved to 22-9 overall.

Santana returns to the CIF championship game for the first time since 1994 when it captured its fourth title in school history behind star CHRIS JUAREZ and coach JERRY HENSON.

CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC 1, HELIX 0 – The host Dons forced a deciding game for an Open Division finals berth with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the seventh inning to win at Lynch & Allred Field.

Danny Becerra’s sacrifice fly won it for Cathedral Catholic.

Helix’s JORDAN JACKSON was the hard-luck loser in this pitcher’s duel. Jackson allowed just three hits and one walk, going the distance.

Jackson made an uncharacteristic pair of mistakes in the bottom of the seventh, hitting a pair of Cathedral batters.

The Dons used a sacrifice to aid the inning, setting up the winning sac fly.

The scoreboard read all zeros for the first 6 1/2 innings.

Helix (21-11) got a lead single in the top of the seventh from BRANDON PETERSON, but he was left at third. Peterson had two of Helix’s four hits.

The two teams will meet again on Thursday at 1 p.m. at Cathedral for a spot in the Open Division championship game at USD on Saturday at 7 p.m., where the winner will face Eastlake, which eliminated Madison, 6-2, on Tuesday.

FRANCIS PARKER 3, GRANITE HILLS 2 – TREVOR HAZELHURST homered to left for Granite Hills in the top of the sixth inning to cut the lead to 3-2, but the Eagles lost on the road in the CIF Division I playoffs, forcing a deciding game for the championship berth.

TREVOR HAZELHURST at the plate on Tuesday.

The Lancers hit a home run in the first inning by Ethan Risse to take a 2-0 lead.

BILLY BROOKS was strong in relief for Granite Hills, going 2 1/3 innings, allowing just a hit, keeping his team within shot at the title game. He has been stellar when called on in the postseason.

Brooks also led off the top of the seventh with a base hit with no outs, putting the Eagles’ potential tying run aboard. However, Granite would leave a runner stranded.

Cossio had a sacrifice fly in the top of the third, cutting the Lancer lead in half.

However, Parker put the marker back up in the bottom half on a run-scoring double.

Granite Hills (15-17) remained alive and can now set up an all-East County championship game with a victory against the Lancers tomorrow.

The two teams meet again on Wednesday with the winner headed to the Division I title game to face Grossmont on Friday at 7 p.m. at USD.

CHULA VISTA 8, MONTE VISTA 4 – The host Spartans eliminated the Monarchs from the Division IV postseason.

The Monarchs scored all of their runs in the fifth inning, thanks to hits from IVAN PLAZOLA, FRANCISCO GUTIERREZ and ANDREW GONZALES.

DAVID GARCIA, KRYSTIAN CAMACHO and Gutierrez each had a pair of hits for Monte Vista.

The Monarchs already trailed 8-0 when they cut the lead in half in the fifth.

Plazola lined a single to center for the first run. Then Gutierrez grounded a single to right.

With two out, Gonzalez singled to center, scoring two runs.

It was an awesome season for the Monarchs, who finished 20-13 overall.

SDCIF Playoffs – Rnd 4
Rnd 4  - Tue., May 30
OPEN DIVISION
DONS 1, HIGHLANDERS 0
Helix           ab r h bi Cathedral      ab r h bi
Richardson ss    3 0 0 0  Allred cf       4 0 0 0
Kretzschmar 3b   3 0 1 0  Becera 2b       3 0 0 1
Smelko cf        3 0 0 0  Whitesides 3b   3 0 0 0
Peterson 2b      3 0 2 0  Brown p         2 0 1 0
Owens dh         2 0 0 0  Gerena ph       0 0 0 0
Konishi lf       3 0 0 0  Nastrini 1b     2 0 0 0
Isbell c         2 0 0 0  Hoffman ss      3 0 0 0
Padilla rf       3 0 1 0  Polinsky c      2 0 0 0
Oquita 1b        2 0 0 0  Campos c        0 1 0 0
Chase            - - - -  Connelly lf     2 0 1 0
Kovalcheck       - - - -  Demgen rf       2 0 1 0
TOTALS          24 0 4 0  TOTALS         23 1 3 1

 (7) Helix    (21-11) 000 000 0 – 0 4 2
 (2) Cathedral (25-8) 000 000 1 – 1 3 1

E-Peterson, Kretzschmar, Hoffman.
DP-Cath 1.
LOB-Hel 5, Cath 6.
Sac-Owens, Connelly. SF-Becerra. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Helix          ip  h  r er bb so
 Jackson L    6.2  3  1  0  1  2
Cathedral
 Brown   W    7.0  4  0  0  1  4
HBP-Jackson 3. WP-Jackson 2.

DIVISION I
LANCERS 3, EAGLES 2
Granite Hills      ab r h bi Francis Parker     ab r h bi
Joslyn rf           2 1 0 0  Allen ss            2 1 1 0
Strickland 2b-rf    2 1 1 0  Krongard lf         2 1 0 0
Ross cf             4 0 1 0  Chatfield cf        3 0 2 1
Verdon p-2b-c-ss-3b 2 0 1 0  Risse p             3 1 1 2
Cossio 3b-ss-1b     2 0 1 1  Hayes 3b            2 0 0 0
Hazelhurst 1b-ss-rf 2 1 1 1  Campagna c          3 0 0 0
Omahen ss           3 0 0 0  Yourg 1b            3 0 0 0
Anderson lf         3 0 0 0  Stewart eh-c-dh     3 0 0 0
Brooks dh-2b-p      3 0 2 0  Neels rf            3 0 2 0
Allister pr         0 0 0 0  Allen               - - - -
McGrew 2b           3 0 0 0
Bodtke              - - - -
TOTALS             25 2 6 2  TOTALS             24 3 6 3

 (7)Granite Hills (15-17) 001 001 0 – 2 6 1
 (2)Francis Parker (21-7) 201 000 x – 3 6 0

E-Omahen.
LOB-GH 6, FP 6.
2B-Chatfield, Neels. 
HR-Hazelhurst (5) 6^th, solo; Risse (5) 1^st, one on. 
SB-Joslyn, Allen, Hayes. SF-Cossio. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Granite Hills     ip  h  r er bb so
 Verdon L(3-4)   3.2  5  3  3  2  5
 Brooks          2.1  1  0  0  0  0
Francis Parker
 Risse  W(4-4)   6.1  6  2  2  2  5
 Cetale Sv(6)    0.2  0  0  0  0  0
HBP-Verdon, Risse.

FOOTHILLERS 10, SAINTS 7
Grossmont        ab r h bi St. Augustine     ab r h bi
Ford  cf          5 0 3 2  Staker ss          4 2 1 1
Odom rf           3 0 1 1  Whites lf          3 1 2 1
Lombardo p-c      4 0 0 0  Anderson cf        3 1 2 1
JGarcia 1b        4 0 1 0  Fontes c           3 0 2 1
Keagy 1b          0 1 0 0  Marchasano c       0 0 0 0
Hulett lf         4 1 2 6  Dolak p-ss-1b      3 1 0 0
Giovengo ss-p     4 2 2 0  Pyatt 3b           4 0 0 0
Levin 2b          3 2 1 0  Bitter dh          4 1 2 1
Romero dh-p       2 0 1 1  Peraza 2b          2 1 0 0
Russell 3b-ss     2 3 2 3  Cortez 1b          2 0 0 0
Parent 3b         4 1 1 1  Hall  ss-p         - - - -
                           #12 ss-p           1 0 0 0
                           Rhoades lf-p       1 0 1 1
                           Rhee               - - - -
TOTALS         35 10 14 8  TOTALS           30 7 10 6

 (4)Grossmont     (18-14) 000 034 3 – 10 14 0
 (1)St. Augustine (16-17) 300 002 2 -  7 10 1

E-Peraza.
LOB-Gro 6, St.A 9.
2B-JGarcia, Staker, Anderson, Fontes, Rhoades. 
3B-Russell, Bitter. 
SB-Ford, Russell, Staker, Whites 2, Peraza. 
CS-Ford. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Grossmont         ip  h  r er bb so
 Lombardo        0.0  2  3  3  1  0
 Romero          4.0  2  0  0  2  4
 Giovengo W(1-0) 3.0  6  4  4  0  4
 Smith           0.0 10  7  7  3  8
St. Augustine
 Dolak           5.0  7  3  3  2  7
 Hall            0.1  2  2  2  0  0
 #12             0.2  2  2  1  0  0
 Rhoades         1.0  4  3  3  0  0
 Cortez          0.0  0  0  0  0  0

DIVISION II
(2) SANTANA (22-9) 2, (3) Montgomery (17-14) 1

DIVISION III
SPARTANS 8, MONARCHS 4
Monte Vista              ab r h bi Chula Vista      ab r h bi
Gutierrez lf-p-cf-ss-rf   4 1 2 1  Iribe ss          3 1 1 0
KCamacho 2b               4 1 2 0  Celecio 2b-3b-lf  4 3 2 0
DGarcia ss                4 0 2 0  Yoquigua 1b       4 2 1 0
Gonzales 3b-ss-p          4 0 1 2  Valenzuela dh     4 1 2 3
DSandoval c               3 1 1 0  AGarcia c         4 1 1 1
Sanchez 1b                3 1 1 0  Rincon rf-3b-p    4 0 3 2
Gulley dh-p-lf-ss-3b      3 1 1 0  Munoz lf-3b-rf    3 0 2 1
Plazola cf-p-ss-cf        3 0 1 1  Lucero 3b         3 0 1 0
Alvarez rf                2 0 1 0  Medina cf         4 0 0 0
Manuel rf                 1 0 0 0  Diaz              - - - -
TOTALS                  32 4 12 4  TOTALS          33 8 13 7

 (4)Monte Vista (20-13) 000 040 0 – 4 12 3
 (1)Chula Vista (24 -7) 422 000 X - 8 13 0

E-Gonzales 2, Plazola.
DP-CV 1.
LOB-MV 7, CV 9.
2B-Gulley, Valenzuela. SB-Celiceo, Iribe.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Monte Vista         ip  h  r er bb so
 Schweizer L(4-5)  0.1  6  4  4  0  1
 Plazola           5.1  7  4  0  3  3
 Gonzales          0.1  0  0  0  0  1
Chula Vista
 Gomez  W(7-0)     4.1  8  4  4  0  2
 Rincon            2.2  4  0  0  0  1
WP-Gonzales, Gomez.