Pair of grand slams for Liberty’s Keehl

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 10, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Summit League

Liberty Charter 30, at Bonsall 1 (5 inn.)

PALA INDIAN RESERVATION – The Liberty Charter Lions mounted a 15-1 lead through four innings as the sun was setting..

Only one problem: Despite the Summit League ballgame started at 5 p.m., the Pala Rercrration Center ballpark has lights, so the game continued.

Fortunately, the powers-that-be were smart enough to halt the game just one inning later.

Why?

Drake Keehl

Liberty Charter batted around the line-up twice, sending 21 plsyrts tothe plate in taking more than a half-hoir to score 15 runs in a 30-1 win over host Bonsall.

The breakout inning included the second grand slam on the day for Lions first baseman Drake Keehl.

Yes, the Legionnaires received their final at-bats in the home-half of te fifth. yet it prefdicvtably ended in short order.

Why?

The Lions (6-7 overall) capped this mismatch of a league opener with a double play.

A ground ball to shortstop Andruw Godinez, ignited a toss to second baseman Logan Hays, then on to Keehl.

Yes, the CIF-San Diego Section cancelled fhe “Mercy Rule” earlier this century, but common sense was requested.

That was the case here.

As for school records,East County Sports couldnt find any in the team category,

The Lions record for runs, margin of victory and shutout margin was all against Bonsall, but in a, April 2022 ballgame, 34-0.

However, one statistic is being nominated for an individual award.

Keehl was, who batted 3-for-6 and scred three times, was credited 10 RBI. Most of the damage came courtesy of his slames: a shot to left in the second inning to double the lead to 8-0, then another slam on a liner to center in his first at-bat in the fifth.

The listed record is 12 by Jon Cos of Cristan, set in 1988. And only one player had 11 RBI, by Vhris Wilson of Cathedral Catholc in 2–7. Thus, Keehl would be tied for third all-time in CIFSDS history (since 1961).

Also homering for Foothills Christian was Isaac Anderson with a two-out, solo shot to center in the third.

The pitching victory went to Jacob Jones, but he couldn’t earn a complete game. The top of the ffth took so long, Jones’ pitching arm went cold, so Austin Otero was summoned to close out the romp.

Bonsall, which just started an athletes program three season ago and, frankly, were horrible, entered with a decent mark. The Legionnaires were even at 6-6 before this fortgetable ballgame dropped them to a game under .500.