Lewis, Entrekin spark Eagles in Top 10 tilt

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: March 25, 2025

2024 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Granite Hills 6, Point Loma 2

EL CAJON – In the best early-season pairing of the season, a pair of ballclubs with a combined rercord of 10-1 faced-off at Granite Hills Field on Monday (Mar. 24).

Not only was the contest a battle of the hottest team in East County in Granite Hills, the Eagles were meeting the defending CIF-San Diego Section Division 2 champions Point Loma, who is now guided by the former coach at Santana.

Could this be a start of a newnon-leagye rivalry.

If so, give the present advntage to Granite Hills.

Buoyed by a go-ahad home run by Brnadon Lewis to lead off the fourth inning, the Eagles downed the Pointers, 6-2.

Lewis, who has scouts drooling with his pitching excploits, displayed his prowlesswith a bat by delivering a 1-0 pitch deep over the left field wall on a no-doubter of a line drive.

Then the Eagles moved inside the heads of Point Loma.

Trevor Smith followed by a bunt in the direction of the pitcher, who dropped the ball. By the time he regained possession and fired to first base, the hustling Smith was sfe.

The mis-play may have rattled the Pointers pitcher, because Tommy Entrekin followed with a 2-run home to almost the same locationas Lewis’ blast,giving Granite Hills the lead for keeps at 5-2.

Lewis(2-for-3, 2 runs), the shortstop, also tripled earlier in the ballgame.So after his home run, he was predictably struck by s pitch, which warranted a post-inning meeting between the umpire and a member of the Point Loma coaching staff.

Granite Hills (6-0) saw pitcher Tommy Entrekin (Sr) come within one out of a complete game. However, after a walk, Entrekin entered to post the final out,sneding the Pointers record to 5-2.

In addition, Entrekin batted 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and scoring three times.

El Capitan 4, Mira Mesa 3 (walk-off)

LAKESIDE – At one time trailing 3-0, the El Capitan Vaqueros stormed all the way back to secure a 4-3, walk-off triumph over the Mira Mesa Marauders on Monday *(Mar. 24).

The Vaq Attack woke-up in the fourth inning with a pair of runs to trim the deficit to 4-3. They later addedsingle markers in the fifth and seventh for the dramatic win.

The game-winning shot came a rarer triple at Hostetler Field,

A drve by senior Landon Harbach hit the bank in center field. By the time an outfuelder could reach the ball, Dustin Celeste, who reached on a fielder’s choice, was able to circumnavigate the bases for the walk-off.

In the fifth, another extra-base hit was decisive.

Emilio Fearn – Flores lined a one-out double to right field, allowing Branden Hawkins (lead walk) to also circle the diamond.

In the contest, Harbach also doubled in a 2-for-3 outing by the third baseman.

Out of the pullpen, Seth Walker fired 3.1 innings ball to garner the win for El Capitan (4-3)to snap a mild 2-game losing streak. Mra Mesa is even at 4-4.

Monte Vista 4, Morse 2

SPRING VALLEY – Following a slow start, the Monte Vista Monarchs have now captured 2-of-3 after downing the Morse Tigers, 4-2, Monday (Mar. 24).

The ballclubs were knotted at 2-all, but the Monarchs pulled ahead with single runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

In the fifth with two down, Damian Ordaz walked and reached third base. When a pickoff play was attempted at first base, the ball got loose and Ordaz scored the go-ahead run.

An inning later, it was a similar situation.

A pair of walks and another error on a pickoff play sey-up a sacridice fly by freshman Diego Vega, allowing Tanner Meyr to come home.

<eamwhile, the defense of Monte Vista, which has been spotty in recent yeats, again playe3d error-less ball to support winning pitcher Adrian Gutierrez, who fired a complete-game, 1-hitter.

Monte Vista will entertain a school from Miami — Palmer TGrinity Academy — Tuesday in a non-leage contest. The ballgame will be the first of three in Southern California for the Falcons (10-5).

West Hills 8, Clairemont 4

SANTEE – A wild opening inning which took nearly 45 minutes to complete, the Clairemont Chieftains came away with four= runs, but the West Hills Wolf Pack answered with five runs, then slowly pulled away for an 8-4 triumph.

Despite a traggic opening inning, West Hills starting pitcher Ryder Alexander fought back to fire four full innings to qualify for the victory.

Devin Woods, a sophomore, capped the contest with three innings of shutout relief for the save. The pair combined to shutout Clairemont over the final 6.1 iniings.

The Wolf Pack hitting stndout once again west Caron-Kai Lewis. Despite just ne hit (triple), the shortstop reached base four times and scored on each occassion.

The Joey’s — catcher Joey Monetti and center fielder Joey Hamiltn — each drove in a pair of runs for West Hills (4-4), the winners of three straight to rwach the .500 pl;ateau.

In the first, Clairemont (3-2) receivedf a two-run double from Harrison Byard, while Harrison Byard added a two-run single.

Steele Canyon 3, Christian 2

JAMUL – In the first of a rare home-and-home series due to tournaments, Steele Canyon discovered some pitching to upset visiting Christian, 3-2.

Hunter Haase fired six innings of 2-hit balol, striking out 10 Patriots batters. Kaleb McCullough then tossed a 1-2-3 in the seventh for the save.

The tie-breaking run came in the sixth thanks to a pair of doubles,

Catcher Gavin Caha opened by smacking a line shot to left field. Caha was sacrifices to third on a surpirse bunt by cleanup hitter Tommy Rimoldi.

However, the bunt proved moot when first basemanLogan Page also line a shot to left for the go-ahead run.

In the seventh, McCullough struck out all three Christian batters.

Since an 0-4 start, Steele Canyon (3-5) has won 4-of-4. Christian slipped to 5-2, despite a game-tying sacrifice fly by Benji Molina in the fifth.

Foothills Christian 5, Vincent Memorial 2

LAKESIDE – The Scots of Vincdent Memorial Catholic, loctaed in Calexico, made the third of a school-record eight trips to East County schools on Monday (Mar. 24) — and they remain winless (0-4 overall).

At Matt LaChappa Field, Foothills Christian expanded an early lead by scoring five times in the fifth inning for q 5-1 cushion. A 2-run double by freshman Jr Merino was key to the rally.

Nerino also pitched the first two innings, but the victory went to “Captain” Jack Morgan,while the save was registere by sophomore Trevor Cochrum with three frames of 1-hit relief. The run off Cochrum was unearned.

In the fifth, Merino’s one-out double scored catcherred Josh Howard an cemter fielderd Jonah Nottoli, who both singled.

The Knights would later load the basesm as Merino came home on a balk,

Liberty Charter 18, Guajome Park 6 (5 inn.)

ALPINE – In a paor of victories this season, Liberty Charter has averaged an amzing 30.0 runs per contest.

So Monday’s (Mar. 24) effort, in some ways, macabre fashion, may have been disappointing after the Lions “only” dvotrd 18 tunes to romp over the winless Frogs of Guajome Park.

Although the Lions (3-4) crossed the plate in all foor trips to the plate, they only led 10-6 through three innings. But in the fourth, LCHS tallied eight time to invoke the run rule three outs later.

The pitching win went to Andruw Godines, who struck out seven Frogs among his 10 outs (3.1 innings) on the mound.

The 3-4 hitters of catcher Drake Keehl and third baseman Brody Harrtis regustered four RBI each. Throw in No. 5 batter Isaac Anderson, the first baseman, that gave the middle of the batting order of 11 RBI on the day.

Harris also connected for his first home run of the season. The 33-run shot to reight field in the first trimmed the GA — School ommercial: “For a great GPA, go to GPA: Guajome Park Academy” — early lead to 4-3.

Godinez also recorded tthree hits and scored four times.

The Frogs 0-7) walked 10 batters and hit five others. Meanwhile, the offense scored their six runs on just two total hits — did we mention there were a bunch of errors?

Eastlake 2, Patrick Henry 0

CHULA VISTA – Patrick Henry out-hit Eastlake, 4-2, but the Titans record the shutout of the visiting Patriots.

Eastlake pitcher NO21 stuck out six Patriots batters without issuing a walk,

Patrick Henry ciukd advance just one baserunner to second base all contest. as Eastlake pitcher Nick Romero dominated, facing just three batters above the minimim in his 2-hitter.

Madison 8, at Santana 0

SANTEE – Madison pitcher Jeremiah . Jennings fired his third straight complete game against Grossmont Conference school, stopping Santana on just three hits in Monday’s (Mar. 24) triumph.

Earlier,m jennings stopped West Hills and Valhalla, and was two outs short of a complete-game effort against La Jolla Coutry Day before beingf lited due to his pitch count.

Jennings struck out six Sultans batters.

Six members of the Warhakws (7-3) collected RBI.

For Valhalla (2-6), first baseman Michael orrison collected two of the ballclub’s three hits.

St. Augustine 9, at Helix 1

LA MESA – A pair of “birddiog” scouts attending this contest were asked seoartly” how fast was St. Augustien starting pitcher Grayson Boles was throwing.

Both said 94 miles per hous.

So after Boles finished by striking out 10 Helix batters — including all three in the first inning — Boles moved significantly the up the radar of many scouts list of prospects in the Saints’ 9-1 victory over Helix. Both ballclubs entered with identical 3-4 records.

Following Boles’ fast start in the first, the Saints answered with five runs in the second to pull away early.

Included was a three-run homer by senior catcher Shane Miranda.

For the Scotties, their lone run came on a solo shot by first baseman Romeo Briones in the second, hitting the bsll to right field off Boles./

San Ysidro 3, at Grossmont 2 (8 inn.)

FLETCHER HILLS – Ever since Steele Canyon snapped a school-0record 24-game losing streak against San Ysidro on Mar. 27, the Cougars have yet to lose.

The win streak reached theee — all against Grossmon Conference schools — by working overtime to edge host Grossmont, 3-2 in 8 inning, at Gizona Field.

Grossmont (4-4) scored single runs in the fourth and fifth inningd to pull even both times, but San Ysidro relievers finished the Hillers with 3.2 innings of shutout ball.

The winning run came on a lead-off home run by Armann Robles. Th left fielder clubbed the ball into the wind in left field.

The Hillers rallies saw Max Tufugafale lift a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Cougars re-took the lead in the fifth, but Grossmont immediately pulled even when Duarte Martinez smacked his first career homer to lead-off; the ball also went to left field.

The winning pitcherfir the Ciugars was senior Marco Hernandez, who tossed an 8-inning complete game, striking out five Hillers batters.

For Grossmont, Jacob Holman also went the distance with eght Cougars batters striking out. The first two runs allowed by the senior were unearned in a hard-luck loss.

University City 6, at Valhalla 1

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – The pitching staff for University City has allowed just right run in as many games this season,including another single unit allowed in Monday’s (Mar. 24) victory at Valhalla.

The Centurions (7-1; the single loss was by a 1-0 score against Grossmont) saw sophomore Thiago Quillin allow just three hits in six innings, striking out seven Norsemen batters.

Reliever Elijah Caul pitched the seventh. He allowed a pair of walks, yet was aided by a double play.

On offense, Josh Kaplan registered a pair of basehits, including a 2-run double, part of a 4-run rally in the seventh to break open the contest, sneding Valhalla’s record to3-5.

Fallbrook 10, Ramona 7

FALLBROOK – In a see-saw contest featuring four lead changes, Ramona held a 6-5 lead until Fallbrrok scored five times in the fifth inning to bury the Bulldogs, 10-7.