ROUNDUP: Tourney time for East teams

By Bill Dickens
Updated: April 11, 2017

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

FRESNO (4-11-17) — Not many high school teams play games under the lights. However, the Santana Sultans traveled to Central California on Monday (Apr. 10) to take on Clovis High in the first round of the Fresno Easter Classic for a late night showing.

It was a strange affair for Santana and Clovis, who battled for six scoreless innings. The visitors from Santee eventually erupted for 7 runs in the 7^th inning to claim a 7-0 victory.

That was more than enough runs for NOAH NUNEZ, who spun a complete game 5-hitter for his fourth win in six decisions.

The Santana senior right-hander allowed only one walk, 5 hits and 5 strikeouts.

The Sultans (7-6) exploded for a 3-run triple by TRISTEN SALINAS.

Shortstop AIDAN RASMUSSON was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while ANDERS TOLHURST was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

TC SIMMONS had 2 hits, and catcher EMORY ALLEN-FOX drove in 2 runs.

Santana will play a doubleheader Tuesday as the tournament resumes.

EL CAPITAN 8, BRAWLEY 5 – El Capitan broke out of a lengthy losing streak by outslugging visiting Brawley Monday (Apr. 10) in the first round of the Division 5A of the Lions Tournament.

Brawley scored 4 runs in the 3^rd before HUNTER MARKLE reached on a fielder’s choice, TYLER LINDSAY moved him over with a single, and TREVOR SHENEFIELD scored Markle with a base hit, making the score 4-1.

JUSTIN ZAMORA in the 4^th inning ripped a single, setting the stage for designated hitter TANNER DONAHUE’s 2-run home run to close the gap to 5-3 in favor of the Wildcats (11-4).

In the 6^th inning, SHAYNE CUNNINGHAM singled and Shenefield slapped a single to score him.

An inning later ANTHONY BENEDETTO reached on an error, AUSTIN BELL stroked a single and Cunningham singled to fill the bases. Markle, one of El Capitan’s power hitters, slugged a triple to clear the bases and give the Vaqueros an 8-5 lead they would not relinquish.

BAILEY ROBERSON pitched six innings to earn his second win in seven decisions. Shenefield earned the save.

STEELE CANYON 5, CORONADO 2 – The Steele Canyon Cougars (8-4) continue their charge led by power-hitting JOSH ESQUIBEL.

They have gained steps toward post-season play with their latest victory over Coronado in a Division 6A Lions Tournament game.

In the 1^st inning Steele Canyon wasted no time jumping in front as Esquibel blasted a home run with a man aboard. He also clubbed a double later in the contest to score a run as the Cougars clipped Coronado.

TREVOR NEWBERRY pitched 2 1/3 innings to earn his second win. He allowed 6 hits, 2 runs, 2 earned, 2 walks and one strikeout.

HELIX 9, WESTLAKE 0 – Helix handled the visitors from Westlake on Monday (Apr. 10) in the Classic Division of the Lions Tournament with comparative ease.

In the 1^st inning, the Highlanders got on the board early as MATTHEW RICHARDSON singled on a hard ground ball to center, and CONNOR KONISHI reached on an error. CARLOS OQUITA grounded out to score Richardson.

Konishi would crush his third home run in two games in the 6^th inning.

In the 4^th Oquita singled, eventually scoring on a wild pitch. ROMAN PADILLA ripped a single on a line drive to right. JORDAN JACKSON followed with another line drive to right, scoring Padilla.

Helix would go on to score 5 more runs in the 5^th and 6^th innings to earn the victory.

KEATON CHASE pitched five scoreless innings for the win, striking out four.

CHRISTIAN 9, PALISADES 4 – Christian enjoyed a ride at Palisades Park that didn’t stop until the final bell of Monday’s (Apr. 10) Premier Division game of the 67^th annual Lions Tournament.

BRAD JEREMIAH slugged a 2-run homer to left field in the 4^th inning, scoring JESSE MATTHEWS.

JUSTIN LEDGERWOOD lined a 2-run homer to right center in the 5^th inning, scoring pinch runner GARRETT MAZZA.

ALONZO RICHARDSON singled to left and one out later JAKOB BECK smashed a single to right that the right fielder sailed into the dugout, allowing Richardson to score.

VALHALLA 4, SAN YSIDRO 2 – The Valhalla Norsemen (5-8) began the 67th Annual Lions Tournament 6A division with a 4-2 victory over San Ysidro at Eric Turgeon Field.

The Norsemen began the scoring in the bottom of the 1st with the help of a Cougars error. LEWIS DIRKES walked. He moved to 3rd on a KYLE CASPER single prior to the error.

San Ysidro tied the game in the 2nd on a single, a hit-by-pitch and a double steal.

The Norsemen took the lead for good in the third inning. With two outs Casper walked and JOSH HEIDER homered to left field, his first of the year.

In the 4th Valhalla tacked on an insurance run. A single by JONAH ST. CLAIR and walks to CALEB ST. CLAIR and CASEY O’SULLIVAN loaded the bases. A 6-4-3 double play scored Jonah St. Clair.

Left-handed pitcher COLE HOWARD pitched out of a jam in the 6th after the Cougars plated their final run.

TANNER SMITH earned his second win of the year, tossing five strong innings, giving up one run, four hits, striking out six, and issuing no free passes.

LA COSTA CANYON 6, GRANITE HILLS 3 – In a battle of Top 10 teams, Granite Hills’ offense fizzled as the visiting Mavericks (12-2) capitalized on the victory in Monday’s (Apr. 10) Lions Tournament Classic Division game.

The Mavericks scored 5 runs in the 3^rd inning to take control of the contest.

A bright spot for Granite Hills (8-5) was SEAN ROSS’s solo home run in the 3^rd inning.

WILLIAM BURTON took the loss for the Eagles, pitching 2 2/3 innings, allowing 5 runs, 4 hits and striking out 3.

Trevor Noble slammed the door on the Eagles with 10 strikeouts in a complete game performance for La Costa Canyon.

GREEN VALLEY 3, GROSSMONT 0 – The Grossmont Foothillers continue to struggle on the offensive side as they succumbed to the Green Valley Gators in Monday’s (Apr. 10) Classic Division of the Lions Tournament.

JAYDEN LOMBARDO had 2 of Grossmont’s six hits. He was the only Foothiller with multiple hits, including a double.

Lombardo also worked on the hill in a complete game effort.

MONTE VISTA 3, EC-SOUTHWEST 2 (10 inn.) – It took Monte Vista extra innings to upend El Centro Southwest in Monday’s (Apr. 10) Division 2A of Lions Tournament action.

JUSTIN SCHWEIZER pitched nine innings for the Monarchs but the issue was not decided until the 10^thinning when the Monarchs used a walkoff base hit by CAM SCHULER to cement the victory.

EL CAJON VALLEY 5, GOMPERS PREP 2 – Sophomore ROBERT VERDUGO pitched a complete-game four-hitter, striking out 11 and walking one as the Braves won their Lions Tournament game in Division 1A Plus on Monday (Apr. 10).

Junior MAX BOVEE drove in a pair of runs for the Braves (3-6) in the four-run fourth, which snapped a 1-1 tie. He had two hits in the game.

Senior ANTHONY MORENO also drove in a run for ECV.

Verdugo also contributed at the plate with a couple of hits and a run scored.

The runnin’ Braves, coached by East County single-season stolen base record holder CLIFTON THOMAS (50 in 2006), stole 10 bases on the afternoon, including five by senior HECTOR CARREON and three by junior JESUS FAVILA.

IMPERIAL 3, MOUNT MIGUEL 2 (6 inn.) – The Mount Miguel Matadors came close to upsetting the Imperial Valley Tigers (9-3) in Monday’s (Apr. 10) first round of the Division 2A Lions Tournament, but close wasn’t good enough as the Matadors (3-9) could not overcome a 3-2 deficit in a six-inning encounter.

ANDREW MONTIJO and CONNOR WHITE each doubled for the Matadors and White had a stolen base.

EMILIO SOLIS pitched 2 2/3 innings for Mount Miguel and CAMERON BEAUZEC finished the final 4 1/3 for the Matadors.

The Matadors rallied in the final inning but it wasn’t enough.

THOUSAND OAKS 14, WEST HILLS 1 – The Wolf Pack got the meaning of what the number “1000” means.

That is, the Lancers scored 5 runs in the 3^rd and 5 in the 6^th to overwhelm the Pack in Monday’s (Apr. 10) Lions Tournament Division 5A game.

Fueled by eight extra-base hits including six triples, Thousand Oaks High allowed an early run, answering back with 14 unanswered runs.

Thousand Oaks (12-4) is ranked 6th in California by CalHiSports and 8th in the state by another service. West Hills, the co-leaders of the Grossmont Valley League, fell to 6-7 overall.

West Hills registered its lone run in the 2nd inning, but the Lancers answered with 5-spots in both the 3rd and 6th frames en route to a 15-hit attack.

Wolf Pack third baseman TREVOR COMMERFORD accepted a one-out walk, advanced to second base on an infield single by left fielder Sam Hughes, then scored when first baseman Gavin Kondrya singled down the left-field line.

Otherwise, the hosts only managed three other base hits, including a single by second baseman BRADEN SANFORD.

Tournament action continues Tuesday at noon against Foothill (Las Vegas), then Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Del Norte.

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 12, SOUTH LAKE TAHOE 9 – Senior JUSTIN EICHER had three hits and four RBI for the Knights, while freshman JACK WURTZ had two hits and two RBI and junior BAILEY LEWIS also drove in a pair of runs.

Sophomore JELANI BROWN and senior BAILEY LINK both had three hits and scored three runs for FCHS.

No further information was provided for this Division 2A Lions Tournament contest.

Mon., Apr. 10, 2017 
Lions Tournament
Classic Division
MAVERICKS 6, EAGLES 3
La Costa Canyon (12-2) 005 000 1 – 6 7 0
Granite Hills    (8-5) 002 100 0 – 3 7 1
Noble and N/A. Burton, King (3) and N/A. 
WP-Burton. LP-Noble. HR-Ross (GH) 3^rd, solo.

GATORS 3, FOOTHILLERS 0
Green Valley 3, Grossmont 0
Fitzgerald, Digiacomo (6) and N/A. 
Lombardo and Tedokon. 
WP-Fitzgerald. Sv-Digiacomo. LP-Lombardo. 
HR-Gehlken (GV) 1^st, solo; Maningo (GV) 1^st, solo.

HIGHLANDERS 9, WARRIORS 0
Westlake (6-11) 000 000 0 – 0 5 7
Helix    (10-4) 100 323 x – 9 9 0
Knutt, Appleby (6) and N/A. 
Chase, Zamora (6), Estrada (7) and  Isbell. 
WP-Chase. LP-Knutt. 
HR-Konishi (Hel-3) 6^th, two on.

Premier Division
PATRIOTS 9, DOLPHINS 4
Palisades (11-7) 000 210 1 – 4 8 2
Christian (13-2) 000 540 x - 9 9 2
Hirschberg, Conquillard (5), Dietsch (5), 
Meteigner (6) and Stewart. 
Richardson, Beck (6), Matthews (7) 
and Josephson, Ohton (7). 
WP-Richardson (2-0). LP-Hirschberg. 
HR-Ledgerwood (Chr-3) 5^th, one on; 
Jeremiah (Chr-2) 4^th, one on. 

Division 6A
COUGARS 5, ISLANDERS 2
Coronado     (5-10) 010 100 0 – 2 8 0
Steele Canyon (8-4) 202 100 x – 5 8 0
Herman, Miley (5), McGarey (6) and Pratt. 
Newberry, Back (5) and Arias. 
HR - Equibel, 1st, one on.
WP-Newberry (2-0). LP-Herman. 

NORSEMEN 4, COUGARS 2
San Ysidro (7-8) 010 001 0 – 2 6 1
Valhalla   (4-8) 102 100 x – 4 5 0
Garcia, Vela (4), Garcia and N/A. 
TSmith, Howard (6) and Heider. 
WP-TSmith. LP-Garcia. HR-Heider (Val) 3^rd, one on.

Division 5A
LANCERS 14, WOLF PACK 1
Thousand Oaks (12-3) 005 015 3 – 14 15 0
West Hills    (6-7)  010 000 0 -  1  5 3
Wilson, Clarke (3), Martz (6), Sheehan (7) 
and Sheehan, Martz (7). 
Quintana, Maat (5), Sherwin (6) and Wittmeier. 
WP-Clarke. LP-Quintana (5-3).

VAQUEROS 8, WILDCATS 5
Brawley    (11-4) 004 100 0 – 5  9 1
El Capitan (3-10) 001 201 4 – 8 12 1
Reina, Brodell and N/A. 
Shenefield, Roberson (2) and N/A. 
WP-Roberson. LP-N/A.

Division 2A
MONARCHS 3, EAGLES 2 (10 inn.)
EC-Southwest (8-5) 200 000 000 0 – 2 9 1
Monte Vista  (8-6) 101 000 000 1 – 3 7 2 
Ross, Carillo (9) and N/A. 
Schweizer, Gonzales (10), Savoy (10) and N/A.

TIGERS 3, MATADORS 2 (6 inn.)
Imperial     (9-3) 000 210 – 3 9 3
Mount Miguel (3-9) 000 002 – 2 5 3
Imperial batteries N/A. 
Solis, Beauzec (3) and N/A. 
WP-N/A. LP-Beauzec.

KNIGHTS 12, VIKINGS 9
So. Lake Tahoe       (7-6) 030 330 0 –  9  7 2
Foothills Christian (10-3) 003 303 3 - 12 18 6
Link, Stallard (2), Eicher (5) and N/A. 
SLT batteries N/A. WP-Eicher. LP-N/A.

Division 1A Plus
BRAVES 5, EAGLES 2
Gompers Prep  (5-4-1) 001 001 0 – 2 4 4
El Cajon Valley (3-6) 100 400 x – 5 5 3
Batteries N/A. WP-Verdugo (2-1).
LP-N/A.

Fresno Easter Classic
SULTANS 7, COUGARS 0
Santana   (7-6) 000 000 7 – 7 10 0
Clovis (16-3-1) 000 000 0 – 0  5 3
Nunez and Allen-Fox. 
Sodersten, Allison, Krops and Miller. 
WP-Nunez (4-2). LP-Sodersten. Sv-Salinas.