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- CIF OPEN DIVISION: SCRIPPS RANCH ROLLS EAGLES
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3-run HR by Lewis launches Granite
- Updated: May 19, 2022
2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer
EL CAJON — Granite Hills freshman Brenden Lewis, a finalist for East County Newcomer (Rookie) of the Year award, added to a growing list of credentials in his CIF playoff debut.
Lewis, the shortstop, slamed a 3-run, go-ahead double in the fifth inning, powering the top-ranked Eagles to a 6-1 decision over league rival Helix in the first round of the CIF San Diego Section Open Division championship.
Granite Hills also added three runs in the sixth, with the late offense enough to carry Eagles pitcher Nico Tomasello to his East County leading seventh victory of the season.
Tomasello allowed his three hits in his complete-game effort, striking out four Scotties batters, blanking Helix over the final 6.2 innings.
For most of the first four innings, the Highlanders only needed to follow the lead of Wyatt Laub, who fired four shutout innings, including striking out the side in the fourth in throwing one-hit ball.
Laub also drove in the lone run of the ballgame, as Helix needed just four batters to score.
James Whitman stroked a one-out single, stepped to second when Ben Haar was walked, then wenthome on Laub’s line single to left field.
Granite Hills’ comeback saw the first three batters — Tanner Vielguth (hit by pitch), Cody Macias (single) and Hudson Beamon (walk) — reach to load the bases.
Lewis then drilled a hard grounder into left field, with all three runners coming around to grab a 3-1 lead.
In the sixth, Macias and Beamon added consecutive run-scoring singles. Jacob Embleton later added a sacrifice fly.
The bottom third of the Eagles batting order contributed five of the team’s six hits, including two each from Beamon and Macias.
With the triumph, Granite Hills (22-5 overall) has defeated Helix in four of five meetings this season. The Eagles will continue their playoff path against Grossmont Hills League competition, meeting 5th-seeded Santana, which upended host Rancho Bernardo, 6-1.
Helix (16-11), seeded No. 8, will remain on the road at the No. 4 Broncos, as three of the four ballclubs in the upper flight of the Open Division all hail from East County.
