Lions Tournament 74: Day 4 Highlights

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: March 28, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Thurs., Mar. 28
74th annual Lions Tournament

ECVHS 5, Foothills Christian 3 – Despite a winning record, El Cajon Valley (7-4) has displayed some difficulkty to closing out close games in the seventh inning. However, not in Thursday’s (Mar. 28) Lions Tournament consolation game.

After Braves starting pitcher Alejandro Vargas Tiznado finally ran out of gas just before finishing off a complete game, reliever Matias Herrera registered the final out for the save to give ECVHS a 5-3 decision over Foothills Christian.

The Knights (9-6), down 5-1, scored twice in the seventh and brought the go-ahead batter to the plate before Herrera came in to retire the lone batter he faced.

For the Braves, Paul Rodriguez Pelayo belted an RBI double, including one of two runs scored by Christopher Cosio.

Meanwhile, Jorge J. Vargas Tiznado two hits and a pair of RBI.

For the Knights, freshman Trevor Cochrum posted two hits, an RBI and scored a run.

El Capitan 9, Madison 7 – Trailing 5-4, the El Capitan Vaqueros tallied five times in the fifth inning to handle the Warhawks, 9-7, in consolation action of the Lions Tournament.

The Vaqeuros registered 13 hits — all singles — yet most came with runners on base. Included were two hits and a pair of RBI for Brody McAuliffe and David Vera.

Meanwhile, Matthew Eckis collected two RBI without a hit, pushing runs across on a fielder’s choice and a bases-loaded walk.

Landon Harbach tossed 4.1 innings to gain the victory in relief. When he tired in ther seventh, D. Brumfield retired the two batters he face to garner the save.

El Capitan (10-5) won its third straight, becoming the first Grossmont Conference ballclub to reach double figures in wins. Madison fell to 8-6 after a disappointing tournament showing of 2-2 after opening 2-0.

Liberty Charter 6, Will C. Crawford 2 – Liberty Charter [itching carried a shutout through 6.1 innings before Crawford hit thr scoreboard, but the victory was well in hand after the Lions scorefd four times in the third innin to corral the host Colts, 6-2, in a Lions consolation contest.

The Lions (3-10 overall) tossed a 3-hitter. at Crawford (5-8) after dropping three previous tournament outings by a composite four runs.

Ramona 2, Brawley 1 (walk-off) – Limited to just a single hit through sux innings, the Ramona Bulldogs scrambled with a pair of late runs in the sefventh inning to gain a walk-off vicvtory over the Brawley Wildcats in Thursday’s (Mar. 28) consolation gamein the Lions Tournament.

Brayden Santa, who earned the lone Dawgs giut through sx frmes, registered his second hit for a game-tying RBI. The wining run home on an error.

The runs were scored by Alex Wilson and Colton Simpson, who both reached witout the aid of a basehit or walk.

With most Lions teams now short on pitching in playing their forth contest is as many days, the future looks good for Ramona after freshman Noah Bedia fired a complete-game 3-hitter. Bedia struck out six Wildcats batters.

Ramona moved to 7-5-2 in capturing its third straight 1-run decision. Brawley fell to 10-3-2.

Non-League
Borrego Springs 4, at Desert Mirage 2 – At Thermal in the Battle of the Rams, Borrego Springs sophomorfe Chris Alcaraz fired a 4-hitter to stop host Desert Mirage.

Following a slow start, Borrego Springs (5-5 overall) has now won three straight, including the first two Manzanita League outings in rest in first place.

= Compiled by Nick Pellegrino

Scoreboard

ECVHS 5, Foothills Christian 3
El Capitan 9, Madison 7
Grossmont 5, McClatchy (Sacramento) 4 (walk-off)
Liberty Charter 6, Will C. Crawford 2
Ramona 2, Brawley 1 (walk-off)

Bonita Vista 4, Steele Canyon 0
Del Norte 15, Santana 2
El Camino 7, Monte Vista 0
Green Valley (Henderson, Nev.) 7, West Hills 2
Santa Fe Christian 19, Valhalla 0 (6 inn.) — Not a record: Granite once df. Valhalla, 20-0.
Torrey Pines 4, Patrick Henry 1
Viewpoint (Calabasas, Calif.) 14, Mount Miguel 5

Non-League
Borrego Springs 4, at Desert Mirage 2