Grossmont league baseball openers

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 3, 2024

West Hills' catcher with the scoop on the short-hop, then applied the tag for the out.

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

Compiled by Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

Grossmont Hills League

Santana 4, Steele Canyon 0 – When the concept of divisions by power index was initally utilized in Southern California community college football in the mid-1990s, the coaches were all for it.

One (major) problem: When all the power teams play each other, someone is going to lose. So two years later, when power schools like Fullerton and El Camino posted consedcutive losing seasons, the syste was rossed into the dumpster.

In CIF-San Diego Section baseball this season, the ballclub receiving the short end of the stick is obviously Santana.

Following a forgettable 10-game losing streak, the Sultans had Wednesday (Apr. 3) circled on their calendar as a way to truly start a new season.

And the Sultans did in excelent fashion in shutting out host Steele Canyon, 4-0, in tossing a 6-hitter.

Adam Brabandt pitched a complete game for the Sultans, but barely registered hius shutout.

The Cougars bit inbky posted six hits, two other batters were walked and a pair reached on error. Neveertheless, Brabandt stranded every baserunner while remaining under the pitch count.

The picthers’ duel with the Cougars’ Hunter Haase saw Santana score in the first inning, but then neither side could dent the scoreboiard until when Santana posted three additional runs to clinch the triumph.

For Santana, Kayden Henson batted 2-for-4 and drove in a run. The other RBI were collected by Jack Endicott and Xander Bennett.

Bradley Phillips added three Sultas hits with a pair of doubles to end his batting slump.

For Steele Canyon, Haase struck out seven Santana batters against just two walks. The hit leader was Tommy Rimoldi (2-for-3).

The Sultans moved to 3-12, but they prefer to look at their share of first place with a Top 5 team in Granite Hills at 1-0. Steele Canyon drops to 4-11 (0-1 GHL).

Granite Hills 3, Grossmont 2 – Three runs in the third inning barely stood up, yet it allowed defneding Grossmont Hills League titlist Granite Hills to nip hard-cjarging Grossmont at the finish line, 3-2, in Wednesday’s (Apr.3) league opener.

The Eagles, co-champions with Santana a year ago, are seeking their third consecutive GHL crown.

Grossmont could argue that Hillers pitcher Cody White may have posted a better outing, allowing just four hits compared to five by Eagles hurlers. However, two of the Eagles hit came in the key third inning.

The Foothillers rally saw Elijah Caul drove in a run while the second run came unearbed as Lucas Abkin and Luis Camargo scored.

Granite Hills loves to 10-3 (1-0 GHL). Grossmont falls to 5-10 (0-1 GHL)

Editor’s Note: For some reason, our computer connection for Eagles stats remains down. We are working with gc.com to fix the malfunction as soon as possible.

Grossmont Valley League

Valhalla 6, West ills 3 – At Valhalla,- the Norsemen tallied four times in the third inning to mount a 6-0 advantage,over defending league champion West Hills in Wednesday’s (Apr. 3) GVL opener.

A season ago, an incredible 14-game winning streak in extra-inning games — CalHiSports is willing to call it an “unofficial” state record — turned into dust to Monte Vista, which was the loss that pevented Orange Nation from sharing the league crown with the Wolf Pack.

Matthew Ibrahim

Thus, Valhalla came out smoking with a pair of runs on its initial trip to the plate, then kept adding on.

West Hills made things interesting with three late run, but Norsemen bullpen ace Carlton Stinkeoway registered the final three outs to save the victory for Mathew Ibrahim, who struck out six Wolf Pack batters in as many innings.

Early on, Julian Jerjees belted a two-eun single. Mace Wheeler posted an RBI double.

Meanwhile, Josh Rivera (2-for-3)was the lone player with multiple hits

El Capitan 15, Mount Miguel 1 – At Mount Miguel, the preseason saw El Capitan share the top non-league record with Monte Vista, but Mopunt Miguel was only a half-gmed behind with one of its two best season since last capturing the Grossmont Conference title in 1980.

However, no one expected this type of result in Wednesday’s (Apr 3) GVL openever.

GThe Vaqueros shredded the atadors for seven runs beofre the home team received its first trip to the plate in a one-sided wipeout win. The 15 runs was a season-best. topping the 12 the Vaq Attack tallied against an extremely poor ballclub at Canyobn Crest.

Emilio Fearn Flores led the offense with four RBI on on 3-for-5 hitting, with a double and scoring three times.

Meanwhile, Kyle Kuhn went 4-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI as part of a season-best 21-hit attak.

In addition, Brody McAuliffe posted three hits to raise his season average to .351 “B-Mac” also gained the pitching victory with five frames of 2-hit ball.

The lone Matadors run saw Junior Ettleman single home Jeremiah Castillo (walk) in the first.

El Capitan (11-5 overall, 1-0 GVL) has taken four straight games by a composite total of 41-8 in runs.

Against the MNatadors, the Vaqs have won nine staright, incuding the last four by a 44-7 count.

Mount Miguel (9-6, 0-1 GVL), which at one point captured nine straight, has now dropped three in-a-row.