Time for defense to shine for Granite

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 11, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

Grossmont Hills League

Granite Hills 8, Helix 1

LA MESA – Docuentation of the hitting and pitching prowless of the Granite Hills Eagles is substantial, but Thursday’s (Apr. 10) Grossmont Hills League contest at Helix also placed the spotlight on the defense.

Making tough plays look comfortably easy, all three phases of the Eagles (10-0-2) were in action to complete a GHL series sweep of the host Highlanders in an 8-1 verdict.

Pitching: Granite Hills yielded just one run to the Scotties in the two wins, running their undefeated streak to 12 contests.

Hitting: Granite Hills found keys hits from segemnts of the batting order to score in five of seven trips to the plate.

However, a particiular sequence in the fifth inning displayed why the Eagles are the top-ranked porgram in the CIF-San Diego Section. Every member of the infield was involved.

Out No. 1 ssaw third baseman Luke Schutza , a freshman, leap to his left to collect a hot grounder, making the throw to first.

Next was shortstop Tommy Entrekin, who ranfed up the middle to get aq gove to the ball and another throw to first.

However, the best of the three consecutive outs was performed by seocnd baseman Anthony Miotti.

The junior dived to his left also, preventing the ball from rolling into right field. He then rolled his body over and threw out the runner from his knees.

Granite Hills also executved inning-ending double plays in both the sixth and seventh innings to hand the victory to starting pkitcher Brenden Lewis.

“We are such a confident team and know we can get plays, offensivelt and defensively, from every one in our line-up,” said Lewis. “We got so many keys hits fromthe bottom of our batting order, other teams just can’t pitch around anybody.”

Already signed to Arizona State, Lewis fired 3-hit ball over his six innings. Lewis struck out five Helix batters, with the one run coming unearned.

Indeed, the bottom third of the Granite Hills lineup drove in the majority of the runs, inclduing a pair of RBI from first baseman Phillip Jones.

Entrekin and right fielder Parker Vance both added a pair of basehits.

Helix (7-8, 0-2 GHL) received half of the club’s four hits from leadoff batter Jake Johnson, the shortstop.

Non-League

Grossmont 4, Cathedral Catholic 2

FLETCHER HILLS – The poor record by Cathedrl Catholic on the road against Grossmont Conference schools has been well-documented.

East County Sports knows this because we received all sorts of “fan” mail when this fact is mentioned.

In the Dons’ only scheduled regular-season trip to East County for 2025, the ballclub from Carmel Highlands lost (yet) again.

Indeed, it was another heart-breaker.

After Cathedral Catholic pulled even at 2-all in the sixth, Grossmont answered with a pair of runs in the home-half of the frame for a 4-2 triumph Thursday (Apr. 10) at Gizoni Field.

Brandon Lewis

Hillers left fielder Colton Burke drove the ball to his own position for a 3-run double fore the game-winning blow.

The rally started when clean-up hitting first baseman Max Tufugafale, who was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from Chris “Jr.” Jacques, then an error.

Tufugafale was held at third on a soft infield grounder, but he and Tyler Mesho both came home on Burke’s blast

Earlier, Grossmont’s first two runs were center around right fielder Tyler Holmes. The sophoore drove in one run, thn scored another.

Hillers pitcher Luis Camargo tossed 5.15,2 solid innings, but left with a no-decision because the ballgame was tied,

Instead, the win went to releiver Luis Camargo, who registered the final four outs .

The Foothillers (8-7) will open Grossmont Hills League action next week with a two-game series with Valhalla.

Cathedral Catholic (8-6) saw sophomore left fielder Joshua Priestget two hits, including a double.

Scripps Ranch 2, Christian 1

SCRIPPS RANCH – A stirring pitchers’ duel saw Scripps Ranch starter Jake Sakurauchi failed to gain a decision after getting lifted after five innings. Instead, the senior lifted a game-winning, walk-off sacrifice fly to gibe the Falcons a 3-2 verdict over visiting Christian.

In lieu of Sakurauchi, the victory went to Cooper Sitton, who fired two frames of no-hit ball, despite walking three Patriots.

Christian pitcher Logan Major yielded just two hits through six innings, but consecutive lead singles and an intentional walk set the stage for the Falcons win.

The first run allowed by Major was unearned in the fifth, countering a Christian run in the fourth.

Major opened the rally with a ground sngle past the third baseman, running into the corner for a lead double.

An error moved Major to third, then freshman catcher Walker Kane lifted a sacrfice fly to center field.

Christian (10-4) placed runners in scoring possition all contest thanls to five stolen bases, including three by Xander Molina. However, the Patriots never registered the key hit, instead hitting into a pair of double plays,

Montgomery 6, Monte Vista 3

SPRING VALLEY – Montgomery’s first trip to Mont Vista resulted in an easy 7-0 blanking.

On Thursday (Apr. 10), the Aztecs were involved in a fog fight with the Monarchs.

Although Montgomery took an early 3-0 lead, Monte Vista battled back to get even and had a couple of chances to move out front.

However, the Aztecs scored three times in the seventh inning to survive in a 6-3 verdict.

The Monarchs (2-13 overall) suffered their seventh straight setback, yet many have been by one run or came down to the final turn at the plate.

Such was the case when Montgomery went hitless for 3,2 innings after taking a 3-run lead.

Monte Vista pitcher Tristan Walker, a left-handed senior, settled in after a slow start, dominating the Aztecs.

However in the seventh, a tiring Walker aloowed three consecutive one-out singles snapped the deadlock. Although Walker managed a complete game, a wild pitch and a run on the ground out would doom him for Montgomery’s insurance runs.

The Monte Vista comeback was center around Antonio Mccomb in the fourth, The designated hitter blasted an RBI double to center, scoring second baseman Reuben Cabugwas (lead single),

McComb moved to third on a deep fly ball by first baseman Damian Ordaz, then came home on a sacrifice fly to left by catcher David Vega,

Still trailing 3-2, Monte Vista gained te game-tying run in the sixth.

Orlando Rupley reached first on an infield single to shortstop to lead off. He moved to second on a one-out walk to McComb, then pulled the monarchs even on a line double to left b y Ordaz.

However, relief pitcher Erick Ramos enter to take full control. Not only did th senior strand the go-ahead runner in scoring position with a pair of strikeouts, he also struck the side in the seventh to gain all five of his outson K’s to earn the victory for Montgomery (7-8).