Namesake Liberty Lions post rare Double-shutouts

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 3, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Liberty Charter 19, Vincent Memorial 0 (5 inn.); Liberty Charter 15, ECVHS 0 (5 inn.)

EL CAJON – Back in the day — liek the mid-1950s, high school baseball often played double-headers.

Although twinbills can still be scheduled, the rules state you may only play in this fashion once pert season.

Rarely does any team to do, but tye can play two contests in a single day due to rain-outs in tournament settings.

This is the case for Liberty Charter after Mother Nature prevented Monday’s Lions Tournament opener.

Not only the Lions play twice on Wednesday (Apr. 2), they won in rather remarkable fashion by posting a pair of shutouts in triumphs over Vincent Memorial Catholic of Calexico and host El Cajon Valley.

Research was still being conducted at press time, but it is berlieveed to be the first double shutout by any San Diego VCouty school since San Diego High more than seven decades ago.

While many schools were running out of pitching with three games in as many days — many will play a fourthstraight contest on Thursday — Liberty Charter came throgh on the

Brody Harris

Against the Scots, Lions co-captain Brody Harris fired a complete-game 2-hitter, striking out nine VMC batters in the five-inning cvontest.

Harris also jojned teammate Drake Keehl, his battery -mate at catcher, with three RBI each.

Against ECVHS, Isaac Anderson tossed a complete-game 1-hitter. Anderson struck out 10 Braves batters.

A pair of Lions seniors — shortstop Andruw Godinez and center fielder Nate Banks 00 drove in three runs each, including a pairt of doubles by Godinez.

Liberty Charter levled its overall record to 5-5.

The Liberty Charter Lions out-scored two opponents by a composite 35-0 count in Lions Tournament action Wednesday.

Helix 10, Bonita Vista 3

BONITA – The visiting Helix Highlanders broke open this Lions Tournament contest with five runs in the fifth inning to bury Bonita Vista, 10-3, to close pool play in the Classic Division.

The Scotties (5-6) received production from throughout their line-up card, with six players driving in runs including a pair of RBI from second baseman Maddox Richardson.

Meanwhile, shortstop Ben Williams — another sophomore — batted 3-for-4 and scored all three times.

Sean Sherrod fired six solid innings to garner the victory. In the seventh, Ace Nguyen collected two strike outs to seal the win over the Barons (5-8). which was 2-0 in the pool before Helix eliminated them from championship consideration.

Grossmont 5, Point Loma 2

POINT LOMA – Defending CIF-San Diego Section Division 2 champion Point Loma was on the verge of a championship round berth in the top flight of the Lions Tournament the Open Division.

However, Grossmont had other plans.

The Foothillers (7-5), which has been seeking their way through the first month of the season after dropping five straight, now owns a mild win streak after stopping the hist Pointers, 5-2.

Down 1-0 early, the Hillers erupted for five runs in the fifth inning to secure full control.

Meanwhile, a quartet of Grossmont pitchers combined on a 4-hitter, survivng eight walks by stranding 10 Point Loma baserunners.

The victory went to Luis Camargo; thw save was garnered by sophomore Nate McCance.

Although Grossmont overcame issuing walks, the Pointers coudl not, especially in the fifth.

AN errorm a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, then McCance, the No. 9 hitter, accepted a two-out walk to end the shtout.

Turning over the line-up, designated hitter Duante Martinez then lined a double iunto the right fied corner. Three runs would score to completely flip over the ballgame.’

For PointLOma (9-3), center fielder Phoenix Brant posted two hits. The Pointers had won four straight and 8-of-9 contests.

Granite Hills 7, Patrick Henry 2

EL CAJON – Following last week’s tie in another tournament, Granite Hills made sure there would be no repeat in Wednesday’s (Apr. 2) final Open Division pool play contest at the 74th annual Lions Tournament.

The top-ranked Eagles (7-0-2) snapped a two-game streak of ties caused by darkness by handling Patrick Henry, 7-2, at Granite Hills Field.

Eagles pitcher Luke Bailey fell just one batter short of a complete game, striking out seven Patriots batters in a solid effort. Trevor Smith, another senior, registered the final out, extanding Granite Hills unbeaten streak to a season-long nine ballgames.

The Eagles were briefly down 2-0 in the fourth inning, exploding for six runs in the home-half of the frame to notch the victory.

The first seven Eages atters reached base on six hits and a walk. Included was a lead-off double by Trevor Smith, a rwo0run double by Parker Vance to knot the contest at 2-all, and s go-ahead, RBI singles by left fielder Brody Vicars with the bases loaded.

Designated hitter Phillip Jones ater added anither RBI knock, then a wild pitch brought home the fifth run

The oberall batting leader for Granite Hills was Vance with a pair of hits, with a pairof RBI and scoring twice.

Patrick Henry (6-5-1) two hits and a run from Ian Brooke, plus run-scoring singles in the third from Tyson Bobo and Jimmy Gunn.

Mount Miguel 9, San Jacinto 5

SPRING VALLEY – Alfreso Rodriguez posted another big day with the bat for Mount Miguel, slamming a pair of doubles worth four RBI, leading the Matadors to a 9-3 conquest of the San Jacinto Tigers.

Rodriguez, the clean-up hitting third baseman, posted his first RBI in the fourth inning for Mount Miguel’s initial run aftyer trailing, 3-0.

But in the sixth, after a bases-loaded walk to NAME Sanchez, Rodriguez slammed the ball depp over the left fielder to clear the bases and place the contest out of reach of the Tigers (7-11), which suffered their first Lions loss to get knocked out of the championship round.

The Matadors (5-7) parade of 12 hits saw Rodriguez joined by Angel Delpgado, Joe Kellogg and freshman Emilio Lopez with two hits each.

El Capitan 6, Maranatha Christian 5 (walk-off).

LAKESIDE – East County’s biggest come-from-behind triumph in thr seventh inning belongs to El Capitan after the Vaqueros scored four times to walk-off winless Maranatha Vhristian 6-5, in Lions Tournament action Wednesdasy (Apr. 2) at Hostetler Field.

The Eagles, lovated on the west side of Interstate 15 fron Rancho Bernardo in 4-S Ranch, scoredsingle runs in the first five innings for a 5-0 lead.

However, the Vaq Attack tallied twice in the sixth, before stealing the victory in the seventh to move El Cap to 5-6.

In the sixth, two singles and a walk loaded the bases, then an error brought home a pair of runs for a 5-2 deficit.

The seventh started in similar fashion with a walk and a pair of errors loading the bases with no one out.

The Eagles failed to turn a double play, allowing a run to score, then a line double t left field by shortstop Seth Walker knotted the contest at 5-all.

A hit-by-pitch, a grounder for the second out, and an intentional walk loaded the bases. Then the Maranatha bullpen did a final collapse when left fielder Nate McLean took a 3-2 pitch for a ball, waling to force home the game-winning run.

Walker finished with four RBI, although on just one bashit, as Maranatha issued eight walks and hit a batter, while the Eagles defense committed seven charged errors to remain winless (0-11).

West Hills 7, S.E. Career Tech (Las Vegas) 6 (9 inn.)

SANTEE – West Hills answered evey score from Southeast Career Tech of Las Vegas.

The visiting Roadrunners scored twice in the fourth and fifth innings, yet so did the Wolf Pack.

Southeast took a 5-4 lead in the eigth inning, yet West Hills matched the run with one out on an RBI double by Zach Bondurant.

However, when Southeast used the ITB to score in the ninth, West Hills was able to score twice to take a 7-6 verdict.

The game-winning rally centered around No. 9 hitter Roy Ruiz. The sophomore second baseman drove home Ryder Alexander with a basehit, then Ruiz would eventually score on a squeeze bunt by Riley Kulak.

Bondurant would finished with three RBI, while Carson-Kai Lewis collected three hits, including a pair of doubles.

West Hills (4-7) ended a 3-game skid; The Roadrunners (10-9) saw Kentin Grantz go 3-for-4 with two RBI, including a run-scoring double in the fourth to open the scoring.

Ramona 4, SD-Southwest 3 (8 inn.)

RAMONA – In American Division pool play action, Ramona’s eaerly 2-0 first-inning lead slowly disappear, yet they never trailed, eventually taking a 4-3 decision in 8 innings over the SD-Southwest Raiders.

The Bulldogs utilized the International Tiebreaker in near perfectionto ein after Justin Jarrett was placed on second base.

In short order, a fly ball to right field by designated hitter Connor Schwettmann moved Jarrett to third base, then a sacrifice fly to center field by catcher yler Haymes was the game-winner.

Cal Melendez and Zack Nightingale also stroked RBI doubls for Ramona (5-5) to finish second in its Lions Tournament pool.

The victory went to releiver Seth Gaines, who fired a pair of no-hit innings in place of starter Jacob Parker, who struck out eight Raiders batters in six frames.

For Southwest (7-4-1), Sebastian Martinez dtruck out eight Dawgs in six innings, but came away with a no-decision.

Santana at Vist – MaxPreps doesn’t list a score… GameChanger lists multiple results, like Santana winning in 8 innings; the game going to a 9th inning; and Vista winning in the 8th… HELP!

Elsewhere

San Ysidro 3, Steele Canyon 2

SAN YSIDRO – Playing on a ballpark holding a panoramic view of TGijuana, Steele Canyon held a 2-0 lead before San Usidro scored three times in the Cougars final trip to the plate in the 6th inning to claim a Classic Division-Pool B contest in the Lions Tornament.

Single runs in the fourth and fifth frames gave Steele Canyon snapped the pitchers’ duel. Tommy Rimoldi and Able Lopez recorded the RBI hits, bringing home Colton Pigeon and Rimoldi.

Meanwhile, Cougars pitcher Hunter Haase struck out 10 Cougars batters before getting burned after 5.2 innings. All three runs in the sixth were unearned adding to the frustration of Steele Canyon despite allowing just four hits.

The go-ahead runs came in on a 2-run single by Adrik Sanchez with two down.

Rimoldi collected two of the five hits for Steele Canyon (3-9), ehich has dropped four traight, including all three Lions affairs.

San Ysidro *11-6) has captured four straight, including all three Lions pool-play games, advancing to the championship round against University City.

Desert Oasis 11, Valhalla 1

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Upset over a difficult setback to Mt. Carmel whicxh eliminated Desert Oasis (Las Vegas) from a Lions championshi berth on Tuesday (Ar. 1), the Diamondbacks (13-8) took out their frustrations on Valhalla in an 11-1 romp on Wednesday (Apr. 2).

The Norsemen (4-7) has dropped 6-of-7.

New Roads (Santa Monica) 3, Mountain Empire 1

SKYLINE – At Morse High, New Roads School of Santa Monica scored three times in the first inning, then the bsllgame wasd all about pitching the rredst of the way as the Jaguars downed Mountain Empire,3-1.

Sebastian Berumen smacked a pair of doubles for New Roads (6-6), but it esd a two-run double by clean-up hitterXavier Walker which marked the difference.

Freshman right-hnder Matthew Linares lasted 4.1 innings before losing his shutout bid. Linares struck out nine out of the 12 batters to go down at the plate for the RedHawks (4-4).

Palo Verde Valley 11, Foothills Christian 1

LAKESIDE – Foothills Christian avoided the shutout loss with a fifth-inning run. Otherwise, the Yellowjackets of Palo Verde Valley (Blythe, along the California-Arizona border) were in control in a Lions game held at Matt LaChappa Field.