Lions Tournament: “Sometimes, it rains”

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: March 31, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

EL CAJON – Except for Ramona, East County schools either lost or were cancelled by wet grounds on Monday’s (Mar. 31) opening day of the Lions Tournament.

As stated in the 1988 motion picture Bull Durham, “Sometimes you win, sometimes ysou lose, sometimes… it rains. Think about it.”

Del Norte at Granite Hills, ccd. wet grounds
Eastlake at Grossmont, ccd., wet grounds
University City at Helix, ccd., wet grounds
Vincent Memorial at Liberty Charter, ccd., wet grounds
Santa Fe Christian at Steele Canyon, no report

San Marcos 4, Patrick Henry 3 (walk-off)

SAN MARCOS – In last season’s Lions Tournament, San Marcos swet through pool play to advance to the Classic Division championship ballgame — then they stepped in it.

The Kngiths refused to play No. 1 Granite Hills on the Eagles’ field, stating they didn’t want to travel to East County for the third time in fours day, nevermind that they might not haveenough pitching.

The theory on a lack of arms proved false — San Marcos play a consolation contest with Poway and shut them out, 2-0.

Meanwhile, never scared of a challenge, Helix stepped forward ti plat Granite Hills.

Even thoough the Eagles won the Lions title, the Highlanders bounced back the following week and fefeated Granite Hills in a Grossmont Hills League contest.

Meanwhile, San Marcos was listed as a “chicken” by severasl social media outlets (not ECS). CalHiSpors even noted the Knights refusal to meet the Eagles, as reflected in the school’s state ranking.

Game stuff

Now in 2025, everyone is shooting to stop the Knights, but they somehow survived to capture their pool opener against Patrick Henry in Monday’s )Mar. 31) opener of the Lions Tournament.

Although the Patriots battle back to pull even in the top of the seventh inning, San Marcos andwered in the home-half of the inning to claim a 4-3 verdict.

CLean-up hitter Evan Hall,m a senior center fielder, smacked a 1-0 pitch over the fence in left for a one-out,walk-off home run. It wasHall’s lone hit, yet he finished with two RBI.

Patrick Henry (5-4-1) was two strikes away from fallinf, yet were able to pull even in the team’s final trop to the plate.

No. 9 batter Lukas Waite, the left fielder, grounded a hard single past the third baseman. Waite noved to second base on a sacrifice bunt from pinch-hitter Rohan Brown.

hem with two down, shortstgop Preston COnklin capped a 2-for-3 outing with a line double into the left-field corner to knot the ballgame at 3-all.

For San Marcos (6-2), dhortstop Max Farrell collected two of the Knights’ six hits.

Down 2-0 early, the Patriots also pulled even inthe fourth inning, thanks to a two-run home run by sophomore Lukas Waite, also went 2-for-4 and scored twice.

Elsewhere

Ramona 15, LV-Clark 6 (5 inn.)

SAN MARCIS – In a Lions Tournament Division 3-A contest, the Ramona Bulldogs collected 11 hits to down the Clark Chargers of Las Vegas, 15-6, Monday (Mar. 31) at San Marcos High.

Down 1-0, the Bulldogs (4-4) erupted for 8 runs in the thitf inning in the romp. The Chargers fell to 7-6.

The big bat belonged to center fielder Zack Nightingale, who clubbed a grand slam in right fiueld in the breakthrough inning.

Along with his four RBI, Nightingale was among fiver Dawgs to also stroke doubles. The others were Connor Schwettmann, Blake Hollopeter,Tallon Ogilive and Derek Taylor.

Mira Mesa 5, West Hills 0

SANTEE – Mira Mesa pitchers”Z.Z.” Zerek Zamora put the bats of West Hills to sleep, throwing five innings of shutout ball, joining reliever Jacob Asuncopn in a combined 4-hitter at Wolf Pack Park.

Zamora allowed just three hits whhile striking out six West Hills batters to start the deep sleep. Asuncion then retired the Pack in order in both the sixth and seventh innings for the save and seeminbgly placing the hosts into coma.

Mira Mesa scored four times in the second, then one in the third, thanks to three RBI by ristan Aguon.

The Marauders (6-4) are now 4-2 against Grossmont Conference schools this season.

West Hills (4-6) received two hits from senior first baseman Ethan Vergne, including a triple.

The three-base hit led off the seventh, but on the ensuing Pack at-bat, a line out to center field saw Tristan Aguon fire a strike to sophomore catcher Ziggy Avinion for a dramatic double play to preserve the shutout.

Pacifica Christian (Newport Beach)_ 3, Foothills Christian 0

LAKESIDE – Pacifica Chrisdtian pitchers John Coopman (4.2 innings) and Jon Stone (2.1) combined on a 2-it shutout, demonstrating why the Triots were a CIF state playoff team a year ago in stopping Foothills Christian, 3-0, at Matt LaChappa Field.

Coopman struck out six Knights batters, while Stone matched the number, retiring six of the seven batters he faced on strikes.

A trio of Foothills Christian pitchers — Jansen Granillo, Jr. Merino and “Captain” Jack Morgan — allowed just one earned run, but a first-inning run by the Tritpns proved to be the difference.

Pacifica Christian (6-5) has now won 5-of-6 after a challenging, early-seras0n scheudle. Foothills Christian (7-6) saw uts 4-game sin streak snapped.

In 2024, Pacifica Christian came to ERast County to eliminate Valhalla, 6-4,to reachth South Regional championship ballgame. The ballclub still features outfielder Jake Dravecky,m the grandson of former San Diego Padres pitcher Dave Dravecky.

Chadwick 8, Mount Miguel 6

SPRING VALLEY – The Chadwick Dolphins (3-4) of Rancho Palos Verdes scored five times in the sixth inning to rally past the Mount Miguel Matadors, 8-6, in Lions Ypurnament action on Monday (Mar. 31).

For Mount Miguel (4-6), Easton Sanchez posted three hits, Mekhi Yancy belted a run-scoring triple, and Alfreso Mekhi Yancy posted a 2-run double.

Morse 11, Mountain Empire 3

SKYLINE – The Morse Tigers tallied four tuns in both the first and sixth innings in a gate-to-wire verdict over the Mountain Empiure Redhawks.

For Morse, sophomores Rey Hernandez and Angel Salamanca both drove in two runs. Moises Davison tripled and walked twice, scoring all three times.

The Tigers (2-8-1) ended a 6-game losing strreeak. The Empire dropped to .500 at 3-3 overall.

The Rock 17, ECVHS 4

EL CAJON – In the past decade, the El Cajon Valley Braves have actually captured their division in the annual Lions Tournament. Unfortunately, not ths seasom after dropping ther pool-play opener.