ROUNDUP: Eagles, Highlanders win

By Ramon Scott
Updated: May 12, 2018

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

SANTEE – Granite Hills senior TREVOR HAZELHURST hit two home runs and had five RBI and senior JAKE FENN also homered and earned the pitching win as the Eagles defeated host Santana, 11-5, in a key Grossmont Hills League game on Friday afternoon.

The win moved the Eagles (6-4) into a tie for second place with Grossmont (6-4), just a half-game behind league-leading Helix (6-3-1), which also won on Friday.

The Eagles and Foothillers both face Helix next week. Granite Hills also a game with El Capitan, while Grossmont has a meeting with Santana.

Hazelhurst hit a solo home run in the first, then Fenn led off with a solo blast in the second.

The Eagles scored five in all in the the second inning as Hazelhurst capped the rally with a two-run line double to right.

The Sultans answered with three runs in the bottom of the second inning as DAVIN BURROUGHS singled for an RBI, then two batters later, freshman TYLER GLOWACKI doubled to center, scoring Burroughs and BEN HART (single).

Granite Hills senior BRAYDEN ANDERSON continued his strong return from a preseason leg injury, driving in three runs in the game.

“Very solid performance by our seniors,” Davis said. “It’s coming down to the last week.”

Santana senior JOSH OEDEWALDT had an RBI double in the fourth to slice the Eagles’ lead to 8-4.

In the sixth, Hazelhurst hit his second homer of the game – a two-run line shot over center field, giving the Eagles a 10-4 lead.

Fenn got the win for Granite Hills, going 5 1/3 innings, while striking out seven.

Granite Hills sophomore CLAY FORDHAM threw 1 2/3 innings hitless innings, striking out three.

The Eagles host El Capitan on Tuesday.

HELIX 19, EL CAPITAN 0 – Helix had 26 hits on the afternoon at El Capitan and five pitchers combined on the Grossmont Hills League shutout against the Vaqueros in Lakeside.

The Highlanders connected for three home runs in the bombardment, as ALONZO RICHARDSON, ZACK OWENS and CARLOS OQUITA connected for round-trippers.

Helix got a run in the first inning when Richardson’s hit a sac fly, then added another in the second on an RBI triple by senior ERIC SMELKO.

A nine-run third inning sent the Highlanders off to victory.

Richardson hit a line home run to left for a solo shot to make it 4-0.

Two batters later, Owens lifted a home run over the right field fence for a two-run shot.

Seniors AUSTIN KRETSCHMAR had BRANDON PETERSON both had two-run extra-base hits in the frame.

Junior GRIFFIN ZAMORA was credited with the win, as he went three innings, allowing no runs on two hits, striking out two and walking none.

Highlander relievers CARLOS MICHEL, JOSIAH ESTRADA, JUSTIN CERVANTES and LUIS RIOS all threw one hitless inning of relief.

Junior ADAM MARTINEZ went 4-for-6 with four runs scored for the Highlanders.

Helix, which holds a half-game lead over second-place teams Grossmont and Granite Hills, will host the Foothillers on Tuesday.

STEELE CANYON 27, MOUNT MIGUEL 5 – Sophomore ANTHONY MATA had three hits and four RBI while freshman SEBASTIAN GRANADOS hit his third home run of the year and second in two days and finished with six RBI.

The Cougars scored 11 runs in the second inning for their second double-digit inning of the week. Steele finished with 19 hits on the day and also drew 13 walks and had seven hit batsmen.

Mata drove in runs on a single in the second, a walk in the third, and a single in the fourth.

Mount Miguel scored three runs in the fifth inning. as RUBEN PRECIADO-TEJEDA drove in a run.

Steele Canyon (10-3 GVL, 15-11) got on the board in the second inning when Granados’ sac fly scored a run.

“I am very fortunate to have a very deep, talented, and athletic roster,” Steele Canyon coach JESSE EVANS said. “My bench guys are hungry. We’ve had a few games now like today where I empty the bench and we just keep hitting.

“We have some young players that are going to be fun to watch the next couple of years. Senior IVAN CANALES has been great for us this year. He gave us another great start on the mound today, and our bullpen took care of the rest.”

Canales was the starter and winning pitcher for Steele Canyon. He allowed four hits and two runs over four innings, striking out two.

“My choice pitch is my fastball because I can dominate batters with it,” Canales said.

Steele Canyon is still fighting for a playoff berth and technically can still tie for the league title, but the schedule favors Valhalla, which has already clinched at least a share of the banner.

“It sucks being out of the playoff bubble and being in second,” Canales said. “But we still have the remainder of the games we have to win and if the baseball gods make it our destiny then we will see if our wish will come true by making playoffs and making a run for CIF.”

AUSTIN ORTIZ went 2-4 with a triple for Mount Miguel, while freshman JOHNATHAN FRIVALDO was 2-for-3, with two RBI in the DH role.

Preciado was 2-for-4 with two RBI.

MONTE VISTA 8, EL CAJON VALLEY 1 – Freshman ERNIE ARAMBULA earned the win with four innings of no-hit ball and the Monarchs won their ninth Grossmont Valley League game of the season.

The Monarchs (18-9) scored six runs in the fourth inning to break away from the Braves.

Sophomore ABRAHAM SANCHEZ drove in three runs for the Monarchs, including a two-run double in the fourth.

Monarch junior JON GULLEY doubled home the game’s first run with a double in the top of the first scoring leadoff man ISAAC GONZALEZ, who singled.

WILL HARRIS had a sac fly for the Monarchs in the first inning.

ZACH MANUEL pitched three innings of relief for Monte Vista.

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 7, LA JOLLA COUNTRY DAY 3 – Foothills Christian junior PRESTON SACCONE hit a grand slam in the fourth inning Friday evening as Foothills Christian upset host La Jolla Country Day in a non-league game.

It was Saccone’s first home run of the season.

“It was a low and inside pitch with good speed and I just had a good swing on it,” Saccone said. “I’m glad that the team stepped up and we got a really big win against La Jolla (Country Day) today.”

Senior BAILEY LEWIS gutted out four tough innings innings, allowing three unearned runs for the Knights.

“I felt really good in my pregame warm up with my fastball moving well and my curveball on point,” Lewis said. “I kept my curveball down in the zone. Our offense came through strong with Preston hitting the grand slam.”

Senior TREVOR SMALLWOOD pitched three no-hit innings to earn the save.

Foothills added two more in the fifth as LJCD led 3-0 after scoring three runs in the third inning.

MADISON 5, CHRISTIAN 1 – Christian sophomore ISAIAH OWENS hit a solo home run in the fourth inning, but the Patriots dropped their eighth-straight decision.

Christian (11-16) got two hits from starting pitcher BRAD JEREMIAH, as the Pats outhit the Warhawks, 7-5.

HIGH TECH CHULA VISTA 10, LIBERTY CHARTER 6 – High Tech’s BEN WILLIAMS homered drove in five runs, while teammate KAI SATERSTROM tripled and drove in a pair.

JACOB ROBINETTE pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Bruins, striking out four.

Liberty Charter (7-10, 1-4 Frontier) tied the game at 6-all in the fourth during a four-run rally which included an RBI single from JOSHUA GASTELUM.

High Tech Chula Vista and High Tech San Diego meet on Saturday with the league championship practically on the line.