El Capitan re-build showing progress

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 12, 2025

2025 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

East County Sports.com

ssmont Hills League

El Capitan 7, at Valhalla 4

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – Since the creation of the Grossmont Hills League for the 2009-10 season, you can count the number of times El Capitan has rested in first place for baseball.

A hint: the Vaqueros are usually in the Grossmont Valley League/

For those f you guessing “never,” you are correct — until Friday’s GHL victory at Valhalla.

The “Vaq Attack” tallied five times in the second inning to mount a 6-0 advantage, cruising past host Valhalla, 7-4.

Top-ranked and unbeaten Granite Hills (10-0-2, 2-0 GHL) may be in first place, but the Vaqueros (7-7) share the top spot following their series sweep of the Norsemen.

First-year head coach Alan Strong, who won a CIF-San Diego Section crown as an assistant at Point Loma last season,. However, he has transformed the ballclub in short order.

Strong brought in some known commodities to the program, including former All-East County outfielder Brandon Rauch, who was the Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Thrn in 3004, Rauch and the Vaqs defeated Valhalla, 8-2, to take the CIFSDS Division 2A championship.

The other assistant coaches are Jason Gonzalez and Rob Walford. Plus, former head coach Steve Vickery, who captured several CIF crowns with the Vaqueros, has been sighted hanging around Hostetler Field.

Game stuff

Landon Harbach (left)

Landon Harbach paced El Capitan with two RBI, while four others drove in runs, with the ballclub receiving productionfrom all segments of the batting order.

Harbach, the third baseman, also led both sides withthree hits, as the four-year varsity infielder-pitcher raised his average to an even .400 for the season.

The second inning rally started with one out by the bottom third of the batting order.

First baseman Nate Brzezinski singled and center fielder Brandon Hakwins was hit by a pitch, then right fielder Kane Brtley singled to load the base.

The run production followed with a string of RBI singles from the top third of the line-up card,

Shortstop Kasen Baker and designated hitter Matthew Eckis line a pair of RBI basehits, then Harbach drilled a two-run single for two runs and a 5-0 cushion.

The pitching victory went to Emilio Fearn-Flores, wh moved to with an out of a complete game. The senior struck out eight Norsemen batters.

For Valhalla (4-11, 0-2 GHL), senior catcher Mace Wheeler slugged a 3-run homer in the sevemnth. Wheeler tops all Grossmont Conference batterds with a 583 batting averahge.

El Capitan will be tested next week, meeting Granite Hills for the leadership in the GHL.

Nick Pellegrino, ECS Senior writer

Pacific League

Escondido Charter 2, at Foothills Christian 1

LAKESIDE – While most league are just getting underway this week or next week, Foothills Christian may have already been eliminated from the Pacific League race.

Front-running Escondido Charter (10-1 overall) ran its league record to 7-0 by completing a series sweep fo the Knights, 2-1, at Matt LaChappa Field.

Foothuills Christian fell to 8-11 (3-3 Pacific).

The Knights held a 1-0 lead, but the White Tigers tallied twice in the fifth, then utilized slightly superior pitching in tossing a 4-hitter.

Johannes Jansen Granillo, who had two of the team’s four hits, scored in the third on an RBI signle by pitcher Jr Merino.

Merino took an unluck loss as the winning run came unearned due to an error. Merino struck out five White Tigers batters over four innings in relief of starter Jansen Granillo, who fired three shutout innings.

Non-League

Patrick Henry 7, San Pasqual 2

SAN CARLOS – The visiting San Pasqual Golden Eagles hunt close to Patrick Hnery for five innings, but the Patriots broke a 2-all deadlock with three runs in the fifth and two more markers in the sixth to take the non-league triumph.

Tyson Bob lifted a sacrifice fly for the game-winning RBI, followed by consecutive RBI doubles by Cody Cappelletti andf Kayden Henson.

Nect for Patrick Hnery (9-5-1) will be a home-and-home series with defending CIFSDS FDivision 2 champion Point Loma to open Western League competition.

The Golden Eagles (10-4) have dropped two of their last three contests.

Ramona 21, at Castle Park 1

CHULA VISTA – After five innings, Ramona mounted a 16-1 lead, but since sport regulators got rid of the “mercy” rule, “C-Park” elected to keep playing.

Really?

The Bulldogs (8-5) received three RBI by Zack Nightingale, as the ballclub collected a season-best 19 basehits.

The Dawgs (8-5) have climbed over the .500 plateau with their fourth straight victory. The Trojans drop to 6-9.

Eastlake 10, West Hills 6

CHULA VISTA – The Eastlake Titans packed away this victory early, scoring five times on their first trip to the plate to stop visiting West Hills, 10-6.

The Titans (8-6-1) built a 10-2 margin entering the sixth inning thanks to a 2-run double by Kalani Jaurequi, as all nine starters registered at least one basehit.

For Wesr Hills (5-9), which has dropped 5-of-6, sawJoey Monetti post a rwo-run double in the sixth.

Borrego Springs 14, St. Joseph

BORREGO SPRINGS – The Rams (7-2) are off to their best start in a decade, yet did not report this victory over the St. Joseph Crusaders (1-11) of San Marcos.