Sultans, Matadors mirror-like outings

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: February 27, 2022

2021-22 EAST COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

EL CAJON — Baseball is known to be all about numbers, but some integers are luckier than others.

Saturday’s (Feb. 26) “numer of the day” turned out to be 13 after both Santana and Mount Miguel high schools registered one-sided vicroies in tournament action — both by identical scores.

The Sultans mounted a quick lead to corral Rancho Buena Vista, 13-1, while the Matadors stomped all over Hoover by an identical margin.

Santana 13, Rancho Buena Vista 1
VISTA — By the time many were just waking up Saturday )Fedb. 26) morning, the Santana Sultans had driven 35 miles for a non-league baseball game. However, no one was complaining to the ballclub’s fast start, posting seven runs in the second inng to take an 11-0 lead over Rancho Buena Vista. In the end, an extremely comfortable 13-1 decision made the ride home seem short.

Starting pitcher Destin Allen-Fox collected the victory even though he pitched just three innings,based on the CIF rule on “winning with dignity” and good sportsmanship. The “hyphen” was joined by three others — Brent Page, Josh Hison and Trevor Hirt — in a composite 3-hitter to corral the Longhorns.

The ballpark at RBV is difficult when it comes to slugging homer runs, Santana did the next-best thing, collecting an array of doubles from David Rodriguez, Tyler Begg, Caleb Harris.and Allen-Fox.

Meanwhile, Ethan Wright and Tyler Begg posted three RBI each, while Harris drove in a pair as part of a 17-hit attack.

The Sultans were one out away from a shutout, but Rancho Buena Vista recorded an RBI single by senior Mikey Solari with two down inth seventh for the winless Longhorns (0-3).

Santana (2-1), the winners of two straight, receives a major test on Tuesday when they infiltrate Manchester Field to meet host Cathedral Catholic to continue the Sultans’ 3-game road swing.

Mount Miguel 13, Hoover 1
SPRING VALLEY .— Unlike the Santana ballgame (above), ths tilt was scoreless through more than four innings before the Mount Miguel Matadors raised their collective heads off the pillow.

The Matadors posted the biggest single inning by any East County school so afr this season, ringing up a 10-spot in the fifth inning to trump the visiting Cards, 13-1.

While remain scoreless on two hits through three frames, at least the Matadors kept the team alive with a key double play to escape a jam in the third.Torres grounds into a double play.

A fairly routine grounder to shortstop David Keller was turned over by second baseman Eddie Delgado for the pivot throw to Eric Sandoval at first base.

In the fireworks of the fifth, the Matadors immediately doubled their hit count on consecutive lead single byJoseph Ortega and Daniel Guzman.

A run-scoring error ended the clean-sheet, which disrupted Hoover’s pitching, which (in no particular order) Hit three batters, walked three batters and allowed RBI single by Steve Gulley and Sandoval, plus a third error to cap the inning’s outburst.

In the sixth, Matt Acevedo slapped sa one-double, scoring on an ensuing error to start a 3-run rally.

Four Matadors pitchers combined on a 4-hitter. Starter Josh Hollis tossed three innings of no-hit ball, but the pitching win went to reliever Johnathan Trader, who tossed two frames of 1-hit ball.

Just like Rancho Buena Vista did against Santana, Hoover, winless in four starts, also scored its lone run late in the sevfenth to avoid the shutout bid. With two down and Mount Miguel one strike away, a wild pitch allowed senior Jimmy Roman to come home from third base.