Steele Canyon halts school-record skid

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: March 17, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Steele Canyon 4, San Ysidro 1

SAN YSIDRO – The Steele Canyon Cougars went gone more than a uear since feeling the thrill of victory.

On Mar. 13, 2024 — some 369 days ago — the Cougars needed to go extra inning before eding Montgomeyr, 2-1 in 11 innings, to raise their record to 4-3.

Then the ballclub hit a wall — the Great Wall of Jamul beyind left field? — to drop 20 straight in ’24, a stretch that extended to a school record 24 this seaspn.

However, a return to the South Bay saw the Cougars (1-5) reach the win column by stopping the host Cougars, 4-1, on Mondy (Mar. 17).

In the search for pitching for several seasons, Steele Canyon seems to have found an arm in Hunter Haase, a four-yeat varsity performer.

Haase fired a complete game, 4-hitter in stopping San Ysidro.

The senior struck out five Cougars batters, closing the contest with 6.1 innings of shutout ball.

The Cougars immediately pulled even uin the second inningm, then scored twice in the third to maintain the lead for keeps.

TheCougarshitting standot was Julian J. Cervantes, who collected two hits, including an RBI triple at the mammoth San Ysidro ballpark.

Also driving in runs were Gavin Caha, Andrew Bravo and Austin Hall. Setting the table was Tommy Rimoldi, who scored twice.

For the Cougars, Antonio Soto scored their lone run on a ground out to the rifht side by Axel Reyes.

El Capitan 6, Christian 5

EL CAJON – El Capitan battled back from a 3-0, first-inning deficit by tallying five times in the fifth to hold off previously unbeaten Christian, 6-5, Monday (Mar. 17).

The Vaqueros’ Seth Walker collected three hits and two RBI to spur the comeback. Branden Hawkins also added three hits, with an RBI and scoring once.

Christian reached the scoreboard immediately on a lead-off singleto right field by Maximus Villalva, a walk tocatcher Benji Molina, when center fielder Breaden Casey came up next and doubled to open the scoring,

Chase Togerson followed with a flare over the El Cap second baseman for a second run, then third baseman Roman Gustin slapped a rollerto third base that wenttoo slow for a play at the plate and a 3-0 advantage.

The margin might have been greater, but the Vaqueros received a break when second baseman Emilio Fearn-Flores snagged a line drive.

The lead climbed to 4-1 before the Vaq Attack came alivein the fifth.

After loading the bases, shortstop Kasen Baker scored on a balk. Brenden Hawkins lined a basehit to center to bring home pinch-runner Sal Ponce to tie the ballgame at 4-all,

Walkerfollowed with his go-ahead, 2-run single.

The Patriots moved to within a run in the fifth, then had baserunners in the sixth and seventh. However, El Cap closer Landon Harbach reistered the finalfour outs for the save.

Both ballclubs are now 3-1 overall.

Grossmont 1, University City 0

UNIVERSITY CITY – Grossmont pitcher Jacob Holman fired a complete-game 5-hitter, leading the Grossmont Foothills past host University City, 1-0, Monday (Mar. 17).

Holman, who went 6-1 last season, moved to 3-0 in 2025 after he struck out nine Centurions batters. The total is a career high for the four-year varsity erformer.

The lone Hillers run came without the aid of a basehit in the second. A ground ball to the right side by Colton Burke was good for an RBI when Nate McCance came home from third base.

Sophomore Logan Struck registed two of the five hits by Grossmont (4-1) to help snap a 4-game win streak by the Cents (4-1).

Granite Hills 10, St. Augsutine 4

KEARNY MESA – Knotted at 1-all through gour inning,unbeaten Ganite Hills bombed St. Augustine pitching for nine runs in the fifth inning to martyr the Saints, 10-4, at Hichman Field.

Eagles senior Brenden Lewis drilled a home run and a double, good for four RBI. He also scored three times.

ommy Entrekin also collected two hits, including a run-scoring double.

Eagles pitcher Luke Bailey tossed five innings, with only one earned run among the four allowed to the Saints (1-4).

Bailey struck out four Saints batters, then Scott Russell also struck out four in his two innings of relief.

Foothills Christian 10, Canyon Hill1

LAKESIDE – According to social media, Foothills Christian fields two players who were unable to play for Canyon Hills, located in nearby Tierrasanta.

Thus, the Knights owned extra incentive to wipe-out the Rattlers, 10-1, Monday (Mar, 17) at Matt LaChappa Field.

The sophomores amalgamate of Jansen Granillo and revor Cochrum allowed just three hits.

On ffense for the Knights (3-4), eight differetnt players collected one RBI each.

The top hitters was center fielder Jonah Nottoli, another soph, with two hits and scoring both times to send Canyon Hills to 1-3-1.

Scripps Ranch 3, Helix 1

SCRIPPS RANCH – In an interesting pitching duel, Scripps Ranch starter Jake Sakurauchi struck out six Helix batters over four innings, then releiver Tyler Gloff fired three frames of 1-hit ball to down the Helix Highlanders, 3-1, on Monday *Mar. 17).

The Falcons duo combined for nine strikeouts in tossing a 4-hitter.

Helix pitchers Antoin Simpson and Ace Nguyen fired five shutout innings, with the difference coming inthe third when the Falcons socred their three runs. Simpson struck out six.

The Scotties (2-3).attempted to generate offense with four stolen bases, but only Alex Carbajal would score on an unearned run in the second off the Falcons (2-2)

Madison 2, Valhalla 1

CLAIREMONT MESA – The contest which was scoreless for four inngs, host Madison scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to off-set Valhalla’s run in the seventh to win 2-1, at Roeder Field.

Landis Nguyen and EvanJensen knocked in runs for the Warhawks (4-3), while pitcher Jeremiah “J.J.” Jennings tossed a complete-game 3-hitter to stop the Norsemen (3-2).

Disappointing for Valhalla, Jennings career varsity record is now a mere 4-8.

Montgomery 4, Patrick Henry 1

SAN CARLOS -Montgomery sophomore Jesus Cano fired a complete-game 4-hitter, as the Aztecs rallied from a 1-0 deficitr to top host Patrick Henry, 4-1, Monday (Mar. 17).

Cano, who went 2-0 as a freshman, struck out six Patriots batters, facing just 27 total batters.

Pitcher-shortstop Cody Cappelletti drove in the lone Patrick Henry run in the first inning, driving home center fielder Alex Mestman, the lead-off batter who batted 2-for-3.

The hitting standout was Montgomery’s Noah Flores, went drove inthree runs,including a key 2-run single in the seventh.

Mira Mesa 8, Santana 0

MIRA MESA – Ziggy Avinion fired six innings of 1-hit ball, then Caleb Gerlach tossed a 1-2-3 in the seventh inning, as the pair of sophomore powered the Mira Mesa Marauders past Santana.

Avinion also allowed a walk, but faced just one batter above the minimum because of a Mira Mesa double play.

Zerek Zamora collected a 3-run single for the Marauders (3-2 overall). Santana (2-3) has been blanked in all three setbacks.

La Jolla 7, West Hills 1

LA JOLLA – West Hills avoided a shutout with a run in the seventh inning, otherwise, La Jolla surfed past the Wolf Pack, 7-1, at Muirlands Middle School.

The lone Wolf Pack marker was provided by Joey Monetti, who collected tawo of the team’s six hits, including a basehit to drive home Carson-Kai Lewis, who also recortod two hits.

Mission Bay 3, Monte Vista 2

PACIFIC BEACH – In a battle of opposites, undefeated Mission Bay held on for dear life to escpe a challenge from winless Monte Vista, 4-3, at Dennis Pugh Field.

Monte Vista (0-5) rallied to pull even with single runs on the sixth and seventh innings, but the Buccaneers (6-) answered with a walk-off, game-winner.

The deciding run was unearned on one of five errors by the Monarchs.

For Mission Bay, senior Van Playman belted an RBI triple.

Mission Bay is on pace to match its best start (13-1) since 2006; Monte Vista is off to its porrest start since 2013 (0-6).

The Bishop’s 4, Ramona 0

PACIFIC BEACH – Clyde Kates and Jimmy Sampson comvined on a 3-hit shutout, leading The Bishop’s School past Ramona 4-0, at Kate Sessions School.

Kates struck out eight Bulldogs over 4.1 innings, then Sampson registered four more for the save, giving the Kngiths a dozen K’s on Monday (Mar. 17).

yle Rippel smacked a 2-run double for The Bishop’s (4-2-1), part of a 3-run rally in the first. The struggling offense of Ramona (1-2-1) has just seven runs in four contests (two in the last three).