LIONS: Sultans, Patriots, Monarchs, Norsemen win

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 1, 2021

2021 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

SANTEE – In a reverse twist to the tale of Robin Hood, the Santana Sultans gave away a Lions Tournament ballgame to Torrey Pines, but then took it all back

The visiting Falcons scored three times in the fourth inning, but the Sultans took as many markers back in the home half of the frame to steal a 5-4 triumph in Wednesday’s (Mar. 31) pool play finale.

The winning run came quietly as Ethan Wright walked with the bases loaded. Still, the clock struck midnight on Torrey Pines as Sultans pitcher Caleb Harris entered to fire three innings of shutout relief for the save.

Half of the eight hits by Santana (4-2) were doubles — by Elijah Reber, Dean Landers, Wright and Harris. Reber also stole a base.

For Torrey Pines (3-3), the 6-7-8 batters — Ryan Flater, Junior Barajas, and Liam Kelly — each collected two base hits.

Christian 10, Ramona 6

EL CAJON – The hot bats of the Christian High Patriots rallied for four runs in the sixth inning to snap a 6-all tie, as they defeated the host Ramona Bulldogs to earn a championship game berth against the Otay Ranch Falcons on Thursday.

The Lions Tournament has been good to the Patriots. They scored in the first 15 consecutive innings of their tournament games, spanning three contests.

With no semifinals, the championships are played by the winners of the pool-play groups, essentially awarding co-division champs.

Josh Meekins had two RBI for Christian.

Ramona tied it up with three runs of their own to make it 6-all in the top of the sixth.

Three freshmen saw the hill for the Patriots. Peter Zacharzuk pitched two innings, allowing one hit.

“Our young guys battled and threw strikes,” Christian High head coach Mike Mitchell said.

Hunter Kaul scored a pair of runs and had an RBI to go with his base hit for Christian.

“I felt really good at the dish,” Kaul said. “The off-season work has been paying off. The underclassmen have been really stepping up these last two games and our team is building really good chemistry. This is a great group.

Monte Vista 13, Central 3

SPRING VALLEY – Monte Vista senior Andy Canedo pumped a pair of no-doubt home runs, while Ernie Arambula and David Vega also went deep Wednesday (Mar. 31), as the Monarchs put on a rare power display to demolish Central, 13-3, in both sides final Lions Tournament game of the season.

Canedo’s homers were good for three RBI. However, Vega, the leadoff hitter, matched a career-high with four RBI thanks to his grand slam in the fifth.

Vega also doubled to open the first, followed by Arambula two-run shot to left field to open the scoring. Canedo then made it back-to-back shots with a drive to center.

Bubba Leask pitched the first four frames for the win. Albert Rodriguez tossed the final three frames to qualify for the save.

For winless Central (0-5), four players had two hits each, including a triple and a double by Eduardo”Eddie” Perez.

“This team is starting to gel,” Monte Vista head coach Craig Neu said. “We are putting together better at-bats and catching the ball behind our pitchers. Our team’s improvement over the past couple of weeks is very promising but we still have work to do.

Valhalla 4, Rancho Buena Vista 3

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – The Valhalla Norsemen survived an upset bid by Rancho Buena Vista, scoring three times in the sixth inning to hand the winless Longhorns their sixth straight setback.

Valhalla (2-3) snapped its two-game losing streak.

El Camino 13, El Capitan 7

OCEANSIDE – El Camino advanced to the Division 3A final of the Lions Tournament, capped a 3-game sweep by out-scoring the visiting Vaqueros

Cole Winsor and Jake Bergherm contributed two RBI each, but the Vaqs collected just six singles.

The ballclubs shared the lead in the pool coming in but El Capitan (2-4) allowed nearly two dozens base-runners on 12 hits, seven walks, and a series of other miscues to the Wildcats (5-1).

Hoover 5, Mountain Empire 4

KENSINGTON – At historic Ted Williams Field, the bullpen of the Hoover Cardinals was able to stave a late Mountain Empire rally to nip the RedHawks to conclude Lions Tournament action for both sides.

Mountain Empire tallied twice in the seventh to get close, thanks to two errors, a single, and a pair of ground balls. However, Hoover pitcher Joel Rivera ended the contest on a pair of strikeouts for a complete game.

For the RedHawks (1-2), Christian Corona went 2-for-4, including a double to the racquetball courts in left field. Corona, the third baseman, also turned a double play by snaring a line drive to end the first inning.

Calexico 18, Mount Miguel 1

SPRING VALLEY – Calexico High, one of the schools with the largest enrollments among CIF San Diego Section members at more than 3,000 students, overwhelmed the host Matadors to complete Lions Tournament pool play action Wednesday (Mar. 31).

The Bulldogs doubled their score by posting nine runs in the seventh inning. Meanwhile, pitcher Orlando Lamas, who is listed as a 130-pound freshman, tossed a 1-hitter. He struck out six batters.

Down 3-0 in the third, Mount Miguel (2-4) gained its lone run on a wild pitch to plate freshman Alex Sandoval,

The Matadors’ top hitter, Thomas Ringer raised his season average to .467 by lining a lead single in the second.

“As well as we competed yesterday we were the opposite today,” Mount Miguel head coach Frank Coit said. “We looked disinterested most of the game.”