Hard-luck Matadors fall despite 2-hitter

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

 

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

LAKESIDE — Andy Hawkins, a former San Diego Padres first-round draft selection, once pitched a no-hitter for the New York Yankees in 1990. And lost.

Because of several errors aided by gusty winds in the 80th and final season of baseball at Comiskey Park in Chicago, the White Sox took an amazing 3-0 victory without registering a hit.

On Tuesday (Apr. 5), Mount Miguel pitchers Eddie Delgado and Tyler Kelly almost matched Hawkins’ unusual feat.

The pair combined on a 2-hitter, but a trio of Matador mistakes on defense in the first inning provided all of the scoring to allow El Capitan took a 2-0 decision at Hostetler Field.

There was so little offense by both ballclubs, the contest took just 87 minutes to complete.

Delgado, in just his second appearance on the mound following an injury, registered all of the team’s five strikeouts of Vaqueros batters over his three innings. He allowed just one hit.

Kelly followed, also pitching three frames of 1-hit ball in his best effort of the season.

However, the pair were over-shadowed by El Capitan freshman Emilio Flores, who fired a complete-game shutout.

Flores yielded just three base hits — all singles — and one walk, without allowing any Mount Miguel runner to reach second base.

Mount Miguel has three chances to move someone into scoring position, but was thwarted each time by the Vaqueros’ defense,

A lead single in the second by Julian Lopez was erased when El Cap second baseman Brody McAuliffe turned a double play, going from shortstop Cole Winsor to first baseman Ethan Curo.

An inning later, a basehit to right field was quickly corralled by Clayton Brown, who charged the ball and fired to Winsor to nail the runner attempting to stretch his hit into a double.

Then in the sixth, a lead walk was taken away on a “backward” double play, as Curo fielded the ball, tapped his bag at first, then fired to Winsor for the tag out.

Obviously, Flores was pleased with his defense.

Meanwhile, a ball game of strong defense by Mount Miguel was ruined by one poor inning. Usually, it’s the sixth inning, but this time it came in the first on three of the first four batters.

Two miscues and a double-steal by Wyatt Carrillo and Winsor placed both runners in scoring position. Landon Harbach followed with another ground ball for a single, allowing both runners to score,

El Capitan (6-8 overall) saw Brown register the club’s only other hit with a lead single in the sixth,

Mount Miguel (4-10) got hits from Johnathan Trader, Miles Emerick and Lopez. This contest was considered a non-league contest.

 

Foothills Christian 7, Pacific Ridge 3

CARLSBAD — It’s said that pitchers have the advantage the first time through the batting order, then the offense takes over the rest of the way.

And sure enough, Foothills Christian and Pacific Ridge were scoreless after three innings, then the offense took over in the middle frames to give the Knights a 4-3 lead.

When Foothills Christian replace its starting pitcher with Taylor Casey, the Firebirds had no chance.

Casey closed the ballgame with four shutout innings of 1-hit ball, allowing Foothills Christian to capture its third straight triumph in Tuesday’s (Apr. 5) 7-3 decision over Pacific Ridge.

In addition to his pitcher, Casey opened the scoring with a solo home run to right field in the fourth, but the Firebirds answered to tie the ballgame on a 2-run double by second baseman Wyatt Ogle.

An inning later, the Knights answered with a go-ahead RBI single by Billy Temple, then a run-scoring ground out by Colby Johnson.

Enter Casey. Although he yielded an unearned run right away on a walk, error and single. Pacific Rodge failed to register any more offense the rest of the way.

.Temple finished  batting 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while Johnson had two RBI without a hit

\Seth Gilbody also had two hits for Foothills Christan (6-7 overall). The Firebirds fell to 5-4.

Monte Vista 16, El Cajon Valley 4

SPRING VALLEY — Monte Vista shortstop Tyler Lemen batted 4-for-5 with two RBI and a pair of runs, while East County triples leader Isaiah Hilke posted another three-base hit, lifting the Monarchs over visiting El Cajon Valley, 16-4, in Tuesday’s (Apr. 5) non-league contest.

The Braves stayed close, tallying three times in the sixth inning to move to within 9-4. But Monte Vista answered with a 7-run rally to pull away.

Lemen started the fifth with a leadoff double when Monte Vista scored five times to mount a 9-0 lead. But when the Braves refused to roll over, Monte Vista was able to bat around.

Along with his triple, Hilke was the winning pitcher, throwing four frames of 1-hit, shutout ball, He struck out six Braves batters.

Meanwhile, the bottom of the Monarchs’ batting order registered five RBI, including a pair of RBI single by late-inning substitute Niko Heidt.

Monte Vista (6-9 overall) had now won three straight and 5-of-5 ballgames.

ECVHS (2-5-1).which gained two hits and RBI from shortstop Rikki Ortiz, dropped it fourth straight. Left fielder Ben Diaz and pitcher Chris Cosio also drove n runs.

West Hills 10, Valhalla 3

RANCHO SAN DIEGO — Trailing 2-0 after four innings and showing no life on offense, West Hills suddenly woke up behind Connor Evans.

The senior left fielder gave the Wolf Pack the lead with a 3-run double in the fifth, then drove in two more runs with a double in the sixth, as West Hills posted consecutive 5-run rallies to subdue Valhalla, 10-3, in non-league action on Tuesday (Apr. 4).

Evans finished the day batting 4-for-5 with five RBI, lifting the Pack to their fourth straight triumph.

Meanwhile, Shane Stevens allowed just five hits and a pair of runs in his complete-game victory. He struck out five Norsemen batters without issuing a walk.

Following Evans’ first double in the fifth, Ezekiel Sadler and BB Wilson added consecutive RBI singles to make it 5-2.

An inning later, Conner Tanga and Bryce Smith posted consecutive run-scoring singles before Evans second double, with Sadler adding a sacrifice fly.

West Hills (7-6-1 overall) saw catcher Owen Rodgers also record two base hits.

Valhalla (4-11) also received a solo home run from Davis Gordon in the seventh to end the string of 10 straight Wolf Pack runs, Shortstop Colin Scribner also had an RBI.

 

Steele Canyon 15, Clairemont 1

RANCHO SAN DIEGO — Steele Canyon shortstop Weston Clark batted 3-for-4 with three RBI, as the Cougars opened Tuesday’s (Apr. 5), game with five straight multiple-run innings to thrash visiting Clairemont in a non-league contest.

Starting catch Tommy Molina and reserve second baseman Ethan Browne each also added two RBI, featuring a 2-run homer by Browne in the fifth inning.

Meanwhile, Gabe Diaz was awarded the victory after allowing just one hit. Steele Canyon (9-6 overall).

Clairemont (4-0) saw senior shortstop Colton Tipps stroke a pair of doubles, one short of the Chieftains’ school record.