Future Bronco Ellis improves to 3-0

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: March 8, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

ECS staff report

EL CAJON — Following two full weeks of heavy hitting and scoring by East County baseball schools, Monday’s (Mar. 7) was surprisingly empty of offense, with many schools not scoring or finding the plate only on unearned runs.

Thye lone exception came from Patrick Henry High where a budding player of the candidate is emerging.

Patrick Henry 2, at Olympian 0
EASTLAKE — Patrick Henry pitcher Ryan Ellis, who has already signed with NCAA Division I Santa Clara, fired a 1-hit shutout, keeping the Patriots unbeaten through five contests in blanking the host Olympian Eagles, 2-0, in Monday’s (Mar. 7) tournament action in the South Bay.

The 6-foot-5 Ellis, a senior, also yielded just one walk, facing just two above the minimum number of batters possible in another standout performance.

Ellis is now the region’s first 3-game winner,with startling numbers: three starts, 19 innings, four hits allowed, and a 0.74 earned-run average.

Henry scored in the third nd fourth on hits by Ellis and sophomore Talin Gardini.

The lone it for Olympian (3-3) was by senior Niko Sesma.

Cathedral Catholic 5, Steele Canyon 1
RANCHO SAN DIEGO — Steele Canyon saw its school record 5-game winning streak to open a season blow up on Monday (Mar. 7), falling to the host Dons, 5-1,at Manchester Field.

The slow-saarting Dons (2-4) had won just five of their last 16 gaames against East County programs since the middle of the 2019 season. So they went with a new face in pitcher Sean McDermott.

A senior, McDermott yielded just an unearned run on two hits over five innings over his first career varsity victory. Dylan Murphy followed with two shutout innings in the combined 3-hitter.

The pitching effort was needed because Steele Canyon led 1-0 through four innings. However, the Dons answered with runs in each of the final three innings.

Cathedral Catholic scored rwice to claim the lead in the fifth,with Cody Nitowitz supplying the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.

Stevie Castillo then took over. He slugged a solo home run in the sixth, then a 2-run double in the seventh.

The Cougars lone run came on a two-out bases-loaded walk to Taylor Corella in the fourth. An error extended the inning.

“We just didn’t hit. The starter for Cathedral tossed a good game,” lamented Cougars head coach Jesse Evans. “What do you tell your squad after playing a game like this, yet had to face serious adversity?”

“You can’t get too high or too low. It’s a long season.”

Eastlake 2, Santana 0
SANTEE — Eastlake, the defending CIFSDS IOpen Division titlist, has found life difficult as everyone’s target. Still, the Titaans (3-2) finally climbed over the .500 plateau by blanking the Santana Sultans.

Titans junior Isaiah Martinez fired a 3-hit shutout, striking out 10 Sultans batters against three walks.

The game’s lone RBI went to Eastlake’s Daniel Mora in the fifth, while teammate Ben Melendrez stroked a double.

Santana (4-2) received a double from sophomore Bradley Phillips. The hard-luck losing pitcher was Caleb Harris, who allowed just four hits over six frames, as the Sultans aw their 4-game winning streak snapped.

Coronado 4, at Valhalla 0
RANCHO SAN DIEGO — The Coronado Islanders, known as a big-hitting ballclub over the past decade, have allowed just 12 earned runs this season. Well, the Island Boys can lower that earned-run average even further following their first shutout of the season to sinking Valhalla on a 3-hitter.

A pair of Coronado runs inthe first was enough for pitcher Tony Miley, a senior, and two others.

The Islanders (4-2 overall) have captured four of their last five outings. Valhalla )1-4) hasn’t won since its opener over San Deigo High.

Canyon Hills (Serra) 6, Monte Vista 1
TIERRASANTA — Canyon Hills High (the former Serra High) leveled its record to 3-3 overall followinga home triumph over Monte Vista (1-4).

The Rattlers continue to drop a game, then follow up with a win. They last fell to Foothills Christian, but looked several steps better against the Monarchs behind a combined 2-hitter by “Q-Dawgs” seniors Evan Youngblood and Josh Davis.

The pitcher pair combined for 15 strikeouts, including 11 by Youngblood over five innings.

For Monte Vista, Jacob Schweizer scored the lone run (unearned), while the lone basehits came from junior Tyler Lemen and sophomore acob Schweizer.

Clairemont 5, West Hills 2
SANTEE —The Chieftains from “Ridgemont High” are having anything but “Fast Times” — until Monday (Mar. 7) in capturing their first ballgame of the season at Wolf Pack Park.

Clairemont, badly out-scored 47-24 in its first four starts,moved to 1-4 overall.

West Hills (1-3-1) is winless in four starts; last week’s extra-inning contest with Mater Dei Catholic has been declared a tie.

Otay Ranch 6, Christian 5
OTAY RANCH —The Christian Patriots rallied from a pair of 3-rfun defiicit, yet fell one short in a setback at Otay Ranch.

Mustangs freshman Kalani Jauregui drove in three runs, including a 2-run double, to stake the hosts to a 4-1 advantage.

“This was a very frustrating game,” said Pats coach Mike Mitchell. “Otay, literally, ‘bloopered’-swinging and bunted us to death.”

“I definitely don’t mean it in a disrespectful way, but they definitely won the game and deserve to win because they made plays when they needed to.”

“Baseball is a crazy game and just sometimes things don’t go your way.

For Otay Ranch (2-3), Conner Alonzo aded two hits and a pair of RBI.

SCOREBOARD
Helix 9, Bonita Vista 2
Granite Hills 8. Madison 3
Patrick Henry 2, Olympian 0
Canyon Hills (Serra) 6, Monte Vista 1
Cathedral Catholic 5, Steele Canyon 1
Clairemont 5, West Hills 2
Coronado 4, Valhalla 0
Otay Ranch 6, Christian 5
Eastlake 2, Santana 0