Eagles, Vaqueros, Knights get victories

By Ramon Scott
Updated: February 28, 2020

Mount Miguel catcher Thomas Ringer makes a stop against Imperial on Thursday. / photo by Dave Dickens

2020 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

CHULA VISTA – The Granite Hills Eagles didn’t need any motivation despite coming off a heartwrenching loss to fourth-ranked Cathedral Catholic.

Granite Hills’ Clay Fordham went six innings, striking out eight, as the 12th-ranked Eagles won against the Hilltop Lancers on the road, 8-1, to improve to 1-1.

The Eagles were determined, as they were coming in off their heartbreaking loss to Cathedral Catholic.

“It was a great game for our team,” Fordham said. “(Head coach James Davis spoke to us regarding Cathedral but we didn’t need any motivation from him in order to come out and compete today.

“It left a sour taste in our mouth and we think highly of ourselves as a team. We just wanted to come out and prove it.

Fordham worked through a few struggles but limited the Lancers in his stint.

“It was a weird day on the mound,” Fordham said. “Five walks are never good in any situation but I’ll take whatever it takes to get a win. A large part of that effort was some great defense behind me. No disrespect to Hilltop, but it’s not the easiest field to field on.

“My defense played tremendous in the infield and made huge plays for me when I needed them.

“I was just working with a fastball-slider combo. When you’re having trouble with your command, you just got to dig deep and make big pitches when needed and I thought I did that well today.

In the top of the second, the Eagles’ Austin Smith singled to left field, scoring Tanner Vielguth and Alex Gibaud for a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Granite Hills senior Ryan Fenn Fenn drove in Ethan McNish-Heider and Fordham with a hit.

In the top of the seventh, Gibaud had an RBI double to drive home McNish-Heider.

“Fenn and Gibaud came through for us today,” Fordham said “Fenn had a big hit to break it open along with getting on base three other times and wreaking havoc on the base paths. Gibaud put together some good swings that resulted in three hits, which is always huge in a winning effort.

“We’ve got a long season ahead of us. We’re ready to go out there and compete with anyone and prove what we think of ourselves.”

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 6, ORANGE GLEN 1 – Foothills Christian senior Cade Cabral smacked a pair of solo home runs in the Knights’ win over the host Patriots in a Sweetwater Invitational game on Thursday.

“We had a tough loss versus imperial but we came together as a team and had a great win today,” Cabral said. “It was the same pitcher both at-bats and I was just hunting a fastball that I could barrel up. I put in a lot of work during the off-season to get stronger – with my workout partner Kip Famolaro – and I definitely feel like it has translated onto the field.

“Famolaro did an amazing job on the mound today with only one earned run and nine punch outs. It was a great team win and we look forward to having a great season.”

The homers made a winner of Famolaro, a junior who pitched a complete game. He scattered five hits.

“I felt very comfortable with the command of all my pitches today,” Famolaro said. “Everything was working and I got more dialed in as the game went on. This was a great start and I am very excited about what this season has in store for my teammates and me.”

Famolaro also had two hits, stole a base, and scored a run.

“We started off not so hot with the bats,” Famolaro said. “But after getting our timing down a couple of times through we went to work at the plate. Cade went absolutely off today and our catcher Colby (Johnson) had a great day behind the dish.”

Johnson, a freshman, had a hit and scored two runs for FCHS. He circled the bases on a shot to right field which the Patriots misplayed and allowed him to circle the bases.

“Our defense was outstanding,” Foothills Christian head coach Dave Lewis said.

Jack Wurtz had a double and a walk for the Knights. He also made some good defensive plays at first base.

“It was a good win for us today,” Wurtz said. “At the start of the game, we were playing aggressive and forcing Orange Glen to make plays. They responded well and played us tough. But we continued to put pressure on them all game.

“Kip was locating his pitches and keeping their batters off balance. Kip just kept getting stronger and stronger as the game went on and that was one of our key factors in the win. Our defense was strong too. Guys were making their plays. Our glove work was solid and we made our throws.

The Knights improved to 1-1.

“Our coaches constantly emphasize to us that the teams who catch and throw the best win ball games,” Wurtz said. “Well, that’s what we did today. Finally, I need a shout out to Cade Cabral. He hit two bombs today and that fired us all up.”

EL CAPITAN 3, MISSION VISTA 2 – Junior Zach Mayhew pitched a complete game, striking out six and walking none for the Vaqueros against visiting Mission Vista on Thursday.

The Vaqueros scored single markers in the second, third and fourth innings.

Seniors Cody Griggs and Jake Pfitzner, along with sophomore Cole Winsor each drove in a run for El Capitan.

Junior Connor Christ had two hits and scored a run for El Cap.

Senior Dominick Baker doubled and scored a run for the Vaqueros.

Mayhew scattered seven hits.

Senior Carlos Sanchez, of Mount Miguel, takes a short lead against Imperial on Thursday. / photo by Dave Dickens

IMPERIAL 12, MOUNT MIGUEL 7 (5 inn.) – The Tigers outslugged the Matadors in a Sweetwater Invitational game at Mount Miguel High.

Matador Erik Kelly had two doubles and a triple, driving in three runs, and scoring twice.

“I think we were caught off guard in the first inning and we let them score too many runs,” Kelly said. “I think we played well but, of course, we need a few things to work on but they are minor things such as tracking pop files and fielding ground balls but nothing a little practice can’t fix.

“It was great seeing how in today’s game we didn’t give up as we would have in the past,” Kelly said. “We are definitely a changed Mount Miguel and I can’t wait to see what this season holds for us. This is going to be a great year.”

Senior Carlos Sanchez kept up his hot hitting for Mount Miguel with two hits and two runs scored.

Imperial scored five runs in the top of the first and led 10-2 after three innings.

Freshman Daniel Landry doubled and scored a run for the Matadors.

Mount Miguel’s JoJo Castillo rounds the bases on Thursday against Imperial. / photo by Dave Dickens

Jay Harris walked and scored for Mount Miguel.

“I need to stay within myself whenever I fail because baseball is a game of failure and it is minor tweaks in order for me to get back on track,” Harris said. “I believe I have found that tweak with the help of coach Frank (Coit).”

Junior Jonathan Frivaldo had a sacrifice fly for Mount Miguel.

“We are getting back into it, learning how to play as a team,” said Matador senior Thomas Ringer, who had a hit. “This team is strong and getting ready to go forward together.

Ringer is a one-man battery, serving as a pitching ace, and a catcher, as well.

“Being versatile is a necessity to be a leader on the team,” Ringer said. “My hitting is getting better. I’m really trying to get where I need to be mentally in the box.”

OLYMPIAN 4, CHRISTIAN 3 – The Eagles edged the Patriots by scoring in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single.

Senior Matthew Souza had a hit and drove in two runs for Christian High.

Senior Garrett Nasif had two hits and an RBI for the Pats.

Junior Carson Stroman had a double and scored a run for CHS.

Freshman Vaughn Major struck out seven over six frames for Christian.

BONITA VISTA 7, SANTANA 2 – The Sultans managed a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning in a loss to the eighth-ranked Barons.

The Sultans’ Aidan Donovan doubled in Randy Smith and Elijah Reber followed with an RBI double.

Both Donovan and Reber had two hits in the game.

Davin Burroughs went 2-for-3 for Santana.

“I was seeing the ball well today,” Burroughs said. “Our team has been working very hard every day to compete for this season. Elijah Reber had a very good game with two doubles and we turned another double play up the middle. We are gonna keep working hard this week and be ready for our game this Saturday and just come out and compete as we can.”

The Barons led 5-0 after three.

“I’d say we definitely shot ourselves in the foot a few times today,” Burroughs said. “We left some runners on base a few different times and just couldn’t really compete at the plate. We are a much better team than what we showed tonight.

Koda Alto came in as a pinch hitter in the seventh and hit a leadoff double to start off the inning, but the Sultans fell to 1-1.

“Everybody contributes to our team even if you don’t get to play in the game that day,” Burrough added.

BISHOP’S 29, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 – The Braves were no-hit by the Knights.

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