Ibrahim, Wheeler lift Norsemen in Regional

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: May 28, 2024

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
CIF-Southern California Regional
Quarterfinals

Compiled by Nick Pellegrino
ECS Senior writer

Division 3

Valhalla 4, Cypress-Oxnard Academy 0

Matt Ibrahim

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – The Valhalla battery combination of Matt Ibrahim and Mace Wheeler teamed once again to lead the Norsemen to a postseason victory.

Ibrahim fired a 1-hit shutout over six innings while Wheeler, the catcher, laced an RBI double in Tuesday’s (May 28) quarterfinals of the CIF Southern California Division 3 regional.

The triumph was the 18th straight for Orange Nation to extend the school record. The second-seeded Norsemen (25-6) will tangle with No. 3 Oxnard-Pacific at home on Thursday, slated for 4 p.m.

The Tritons (19-10-1) defeated Village Christian of Sun Valley, 6-1.

Ibrahim registered six strikeouts without a walk to Oxford, with all of the hits coming as soft singles.

Valhalla catcher Mace Wheeler

Coaches noted Ibrahim could’ve posted a complete game, but since this is a postseason tournament, they deciseed to save his arm in case needed later in the week.

Meanwhile, Wheeler seemed ti oart if every time the Norsemen scored.

In the first, following his basehit, Wheeler advanced to third base, then scored on a wild pitch.

An inning later with two down, Wheeler cleared the head of the center fielderfor a double, sending home JJJ McCormaixk (double to left) with the second run.

Oxnard, wisely, offered an intentional walk to Wheeler in the fourth ti orevent a wally, But Valhalla added on in the fourth

Nate Moulton flied out to left field for a sacrifice fly as Josh Rivera, even though the throw to the infield resuted in a double play out at third base (only a ground-ball doublr play means no RBI).

Then in the fifth, a ground ball off the bat of AAAA Treltas was biitedm allowing Julian Jerjees to trot home.

The consistent Norsemen collected right hits by eight different plauers.

Meanwhile, Ibrahim at one points retired seven consecutive batters. Noah Connor pitched the seventh in the combined 3-hit shutout.

At 25-6 overall, the Norsmen need two additional wins to equal the school record.

Division 1

Hunting Beach 8, Granite Hills 3

HUNTINGTON BEACH – It wasn’t just a long afternoon for the Granite Hills Eagles, the Division I competition saw esarly exits for all four San Diego Section entries to the CIF Southern California regional.

Not only sid Granite hills fall to the host Huntington Beach Oilers, 9-3, Torrey Pines, Rancho Bernardo and Cathedral Catholic were also send packing.

At least the San Diego Section, with its record number of bids, elected to play after several schools from the Southern Section elected to bail out and not face somne the nation;s tughest teams, including top -ranked Orange Luteran.

Trailing 2-0 after one inning, the Eagles received a solo homer run from Kade Gaeir in the second.

Later Parker Vance collected a pair of RBI, including his own solo shot.However, the long-balls were two of only four hits by the Eagles (22-8 final overall record).

The boys from Surf City, USA (24-9) host seventh-seeded La Mirada, which pulled an upset to advance.

Scoreboard

CIF Southland Quarterfinals
Complete Brackets HERE
DIVISION 1
(3) Huntington Beach 8, (6) Granite Hills 3
(7) La Mirada 4, (2) Torrey Pines 2
(1) Orange Lutheran 9, (8) Cathedral Catholic 3
(5) Santa Margarita 7, (4) Rancho Bernardo 1

DIVISION 4
(2) Valhalla 4, (7) Cypress-Oxford Academy 0

DIVISION 5
(3) Mount Miguel 2, (6) Newport Beach-Pacifica Christian 0