- Stars win opener at NBC World Series
- ROUND UP: Wolf Pack Take Down Eastlake
- Woodland’s Gem Propels Helix
- Patriots out-slug Vaqs to claim opener
- Rain Doesn’t Stop Wolf Pack
- Gallery: Boys Hoops – Week 10
- Vaqs continue qinning ways In tight contest
- VALLEY: Sultans finish undefeated season
- It takes the Pack to sweep Scotties
- Mujica & Co. keep rolling, win convincingly
- Singer retires again from coaching
- DIII: Southwest Eagles soar to championship
- 2018 EAST COUNTY SOFTBALL Schedule / Scores / Standings
- DV: LIONS ROAR TO CHAMPIONSHIP
- Williams, Vaqueros sweep into D3 final
- D2: After walk-off thrill, Sultans slump
- DII: SULTANS HAVE MADDY, MADDY, MAD POWER IN PLAYOFF WIN
- DIII: Vaqueros end Scotties’ upset run
- CIF OPEN DIVISION: SCRIPPS RANCH ROLLS EAGLES
- OPEN DIVISION: EAGLES RALLY TO STUN COUGARS
ROUNDUP: Scotties finish second in Lions
- Updated: April 14, 2017
2017 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL
By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com
SAN DIEGO (4-14-17) — In the nightcap Helix had to scramble to handle Torrey Pines in a 3-2 showdown in the Lions Tournament Classic Division championship game as the Falcons came out on top.
Both teams were short of pitching on this, the final day of the tournament.
“But you have to expect it in situations like this,” said Helix coach COLE HOLLAND. “At this point, you have to pitch maybe as many as 8 to 9 JV pitchers because the depth is gone.”
“However, our staff has been definitely strong throughout,” he added. “The idea here is to put yourself in a position to win the championship.”
Helix has a motive to win the Grossmont Hills League championship.
“We were picked to be fourth, so that obviously gives us something to prove,” Holland commented. “The thing we’ve done in (the Lions Tournament) is swing the bats.”
In the finale, Helix could not muster more than three hits against the Falcons, who won the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 7th.
Helix’s meager offense produced a double by MATTHEW RICHARDSON, singles by ERICK SMELKO and BRANDON PETERSON.
HELIX 8, AGOURA 2 – The Helix Highlanders (12-6) had their eyes set on winning the championship of the Classic Division of the Lions Tournament, which is quite a feat considering there are more than 60 teams involved in the race for the laurels.
Helix turned up the steam on the Agoura Chargers to capture a semifinal berth with an 8-2 victory over Agoura on Thursday (Apr. 13) in an attempt to win the big one. The victory allowed the Highlanders to advance to the championship round against Torrey Pines later in the afternoon.
Helix pounded out 10 hits in the semifinal game and rode the solid pitching of KEATON CHASE and JOSIAH ESTRADA to hit the advance track. Chase recorded the win, pitching five innings, surrendering 2 runs, 3 hits, 3 strikeouts and walked one.
ZACK OWENS led the offense by going 3-for-3 with 2 RBI. MATTHEW RICHARDSON was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and his effort along with those of his teammates propelled the Highlanders into the championship game.
PATRICK HENRY 4, STEELE CANYON 1 – The Cougars of Steele Canyon had plenty of chances to advance beyond last year’s championship of the 6A Division of the Lions Tournament, but they couldn’t get off the block.
Patrick Henry walked 13 Cougars and Steele Canyon was able to score only one of those runners as they finished 3-1 in this year’s 6A Division semifinal of the tournament.
“We had a small village on the bases all day,” said Cougars assistant coach MARK BRUDER.
Steele Canyon finally struck gold in the 3rd inning to tie the game 1-1. AARON TAYLOR walked and LUKE ARIAS singled. The runners advanced on a wild pitch. Patrick Henry countered by intentionally walking BILLY TELLOUS to load the bases. DANNY YANEZ then walked to force in a run, tying the game at 1-apiece.
After that Steele Canyon got base runners but failed to score despite a dozen walks. Although disappointed, Steele Canyon was not bitter as it finished 3-1 in the tournament. The Cougars collected only 4 hits, including 2 by YUSUF SMITH.
GROSSMONT 10, PALISADES 4 – The Foothillers (6-10) got a major boost from pitcher JACKSON HULETT who pitched five strong innings, allowing 2 hits, no runs, struck out 3 and walked one in Thursday’s (Apr. 13) Lions Tournament Classic Division consolation game. He was the winner (3-2).
CHARLES VISKAS came on in the 6th, and JOE WILLIAMS came on to finish the game. Williams got his second save.
Steady leadoff hitter MAX FORD was 1-for-3 with an RBI and 2 runs scored.
Ford reached on an error to launch Grossmont’s first inning. CHRIS GIOVENGO walked and Ford advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a balk. JAYDEN LOMBARDO singled to score Giovengo. JESSE GARCIA doubled on a line drive to center field. Hulett singled to left to score Lombardo. AUSTIN ODOM then hit a sacrifice fly to left to score Garcia to make it 4-0.
Grossmont scored 4 more in the 3rd and 2 more in the 6th to win it.
CHRISTIAN 6, DESERT OASIS 2 – Although no official records are kept it’s hard to deny that ZACH HOGUEISSON is a premier home run hitter as he proved once again in Thursday’s (Apr. 13) Lions Tournament Premier Division consolation contest against Desert Oasis.
Hogueisson dug in to blast his 8th home run with a solo shot in the 5th inning as Christian ditched Desert Oasis 6-2.
No wonder Hogueisson is going to ride a scholarship to Arizona State University . . . if the pro coaches look past him. If they do, that would be a mistake.
Hogueisson is not the only home run hitter in the lineup. Other Patriots in the lineup rarely miss the chance to blast the ball out of the park on numerous occasions.
Christian punched out the victory behind four Patriot power hitters. The pitching wasn’t too bad either against the Diamondbacks of Desert Oasis. The Patriots allowed only 3 hits and 2 runs in their consolation contest on the final day of the Lions Tournament.
Five Patriots pounded out 2 hits apiece, including CHASE WEHSENER, JAKOB BECK, Hogueisson, GARRETT NIELSEN and JUSTIN LEDGERWOOD against the Diamondbacks (15-4).
WESTLAKE 9, GRANITE HILLS 6 (9 inn.) – The struggling Granite Hills Eagles continued to struggle in the Lions Tournament Classic Division consolation game on Thursday (Apr. 13), but they battled through nine innings.
Granite Hills finally found their offense at a point where you could say it was too little, too late. They scored in the 1st inning on a walk by TREVOR HAZELHURST and a double by DARIEN CASSIO, which gave them a 1-0 score after the Westlake Warriors took a 2-0 lead.
In the 3rd inning Granite Hills took the lead on a double by SEAN ROSS. But the budding rally stymied early.
In the 5th inning with one out Ross tripled, Hazelhurst doubled to score Ross. JOSH VERDON singled to score Hazelhurst. Then JAKE FENN singled to score Verdon. TREVOR OMAHEN singled to score Fenn.
Cossio was 3-for-4 with 2 RBI in the loss.
CLASSICAL ACADEMY 2, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 0 – Junior TREVOR SMALLWOOD was a hard-luck loser for the second time in a week.
Smallwood allowed a pair of unearned runs in the sixth inning as the Caimans won the Lions Tournament Division 2A championship semifinal.
Ironically, Smallwood lost a 2-0 decision the previous weekend to High Tech SD.
Junior BAILEY LEWIS had the only two hits for the Knights in the pitcher’s duel.
No further information was provided for this Lions Tournament Division 2A championship semifinal game.
Foothills Christian fell to 13-6.
El Centro won the other 2A semi, 4-2, over Maranatha Christian, while thCaimansns went on to beat El Centro, 8-2, in the championship game.
