Local ballclubs ‘just can’t wait’ for road

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 16, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP BSEBALL
Small Schools

Compiled by Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

Small Schools

There are an assortment of explanations, but the rule seems simple: Small schools play well (andwin) on the road.

Among East County’s quartet of small schools or porgrams located in the back country, each came out on top in Tuesday’s (Apr. 16)_ action.

AS Willie Nelson once sank, “Just can’t wait toget backonthe road again.:

Foothills Christian 3, at Coastal 1

OCEANSIDE – In a battle of sticks-and-stones, the host Stingrays scored in the second inning, but the Knights answered with single runs in the third, fourth and fifth to collect an important Pacific Lerague decision.

The ballclubs entered tied for second place, wuth Foothill Christian now standing alone in second place, one game behind Escondido Charter.

Two of the rallies for FCHS centered around freshman Josh Howard, who walked and scored to tie the contest at 1-all, then smacked an RBI doubled to pad the lead.

Also driving home runs were sophomore ack Morgan and frosh Bruce Bailey.

On the mound, another youngsters in soph Jack Morgan fired a complete-game 5-hitter.. Morgan strick out 10 Stingrays batters, with the run allowed being unearned due to four errors behind him.

Foothills Christian is now 12-8 overall, seeking to become the Kngiths’ first 20-win club since 2018.

Liberty Charter 16, at CV-LCC 0 (3 inn., white flag)

CHULA VISTA – Chula Vista Learning Community Charter isa fine progtam for learning, but as far as Cobras baseball is concerned…

Alpine’s Liberty Charter scored four, five and seven runs over the first three innings before CVLCC ran of pitching, conceeding after a mere three frames to give the visiting Lions the Summit League triumph.

For Liberty, senior Jaxon Adrain became the first member of the Lions to smack two home runs in a ballgame — in only three official at-bats. Asrain also collected three RBI and scored twice.

However, the hitting standout may have been 19 Brody Harris with five RBI on three hits. He scored three times.

Harris also pitched a “complete game,” be it just three frames. He tossed a 1-hitter, facing just one batter above the minimum.

Only one question remains: If that one Cobras hitting had failed to register aq basehit, would HGarris get credited for a perfect game?

Liberty Charter (5-11 overall) move to 2-1 in the Summit, remaining a half-game behind front-running Mountain Empire. VCC (1-7) is 0-3 in league.

This is the ninth season of CVLCC Cobras baseball, yet they have never poted a winning season.

Mountain Empire 14, at CV-High Tech 5

CHULA VISTA – At Sweetwater Canyon L.L., Mountain Empire snapped a 1-all deadlock with four runs in the second, then erupted for eight more runs in the fourth to mount a 13-1 cushion to bury the Bruins of Chula Vista-High Tech.

The first-place RedHawks (7-2 overall) now lead the Summit League by one game over Liberty Charter, which should grow into an interesting rivaly in the near future.

Borrego Springs 15, at Julian 4

JULIAN – The Borrego Springs Rams moved to 5-0 in the Manzanita League by dropping their historical rivals in the Julian Eagles.

It’s been a remarkable turnaround for the Rams (8-5 overall), which went winless in Manzanita action just two seasons ago, yet bow own a full three-game lead over the second-place Eagles.

Both coaches don’t report game details until they arrive at school the following morning.