Matadors defeat “visiting” Knights

By Ramon Scott
Updated: March 1, 2020

2020 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

EastCountySports.com staff report

SPRING VALLEY – Two teams that share the same home field played an entertaining offensive game on Saturday.

The host Mount Miguel Matadors defeated the “visiting” Foothills Christian Knights, 9-7, on Saturday.

The Knights have reportedly relocated to the Spring Valley campus for home games this season.

Foothills Christian previously played its home games at Barona Field.

The Matadors rallied from an early 5-0 deficit, as the Knights took advantage of a two-out error.

Foothills Christian led 7-2 after 3 1/2 innings.

The Matadors scored four times in the sixth inning for the win.

“Our kids are showing great resilience through some very tough moments in these early games,” Mount Miguel head coach Frank Coit said. “That’s very encouraging to the coaching staff.

“These tournaments in the beginning of the season are a great experience for the kids and for their development, hopefully getting them ready for mid-season when our actual Grossmont Valley League starts.”

Senior Erik Kelly drove in four runs despite not recording a hit.

Kelly hit a ground ball to the pitcher and reached on an error. Three runners scored on the play and Kelly was credited with the runs batted in. The play turned a 7-6 deficit into a 9-7 lead.

Junior JoJo Castillo had two hits, including a triple, for the Matadors. He also had three runs scored and two RBI.

“Today was one of those stressful games,” Castillo said. “We answered adversity. I felt the pressure on me when we were down a run, 7-6, but I see pressure as fun so I came through with the triple and had to do it for the team.”

Senior Carlos Sanchez had a pair of hits, scored three runs, and drove in a run. He also had two of the Matadors’ five stolen bases.

“We didn’t let the score get to us, yet when we were down, we came back and fought to the end,” Sanchez said. Our pitchers were great and also our defense. We just have little things to work on and we will be a strong team.”

Junior Thomas Ringer recorded the victory, going six innings while striking out 10.

“We learned from the takeaways of the last game,” Ringer said. “Even though we saw some of the problems today, as we did the other day, we persevered through adversity and with our strong and durable lineup, we were able to come out on top.

“When pitching and things aren’t going your teams way, it is hard to believe, but you have to keep persevering, knowing that there is a lot of baseball left to play and I was ready to see our lineup do some damage and get us back into the game.”

The Knights were led by junior Jake Baptista’s two RBI. Baptista had a hit and scored a run.

“The count was full so I was thinking fastball middle or away,” Baptista said. “That’s where (Ringer) was most consistent during the game. He ended up throwing a fastball high and inside which is usually my best pitch to hit so I jumped on it.

“It definitely changed the momentum of the game in the sense that Cade (Cabral) scored and then I eventually scored on a passed ball. Just not enough support from the defense including myself during the last few innings. A game we should have won but it’s early in the season. Coach Dave (Lewis) told us and we need to have short term memory and forget about what happened today and move on. I feel like we have a really good team and potential to be successful in our division (IV) this year.”

Cabral had a hit, scored twice and drove in a run.

Foothills’ Kip Famolaro had a hit and drove in a pair of runs.

“We swung the bats pretty well in the first few innings with Eli (Moor) coming back from soccer with a nice knock to keep it rolling,” Famolaro said. “It’s painful to lose after starting with a lead like that, you expect to win the games when you score seven runs.

“We beat ourselves today. We have to get rid of the errors defensively. That’s not to take anything away from Ringer. That man knows how to pitch and keep guys off-balance. Always tough facing him. Nothing we can do but keep grinding. This one hurts but we just gotta learn from our mistakes and put it behind us.”

CHRISTIAN 9, BRAWLEY 8 – The host Patriots won in walk-off fashion on Clay Wehsener’s sacrifice fly with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to cap a comeback from an early 8-1 deficit at the Sweetwater Tournament.

“It feels great to be able to produce for my team in critical situations,” Wehsener said. “The pitcher threw me a fastball away and I got under it a little but was still able to get enough of it to score the winning run.

“In the middle of the fourth inning Coach (Mike) Mitchell brought us all together and told us we could either give up now or fight for it and I think that really set the energy for the rest of the game.”

Hunter Kaul, who drew a one-out walk, scored the winning run.

“I was extremely pleased with the way we battled back,” Mitchell said. “We were dead in the water in the fourth inning and playing incredibly flat down 8-1. We brought everybody up and challenged them to step it up. Not try to get it all back at once, but just chip away and just win the inning they are in and let things fall where they may.”

Senior Garrett Nasif had a hit, drove in a run, scored a run, and walked twice for CHS. He also picked up the pitching win with 3 2.3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out seven.

“Garret Nasif was fantastic in relief,” Mitchell said. “He gave up a scratch single to the first hitter he faced then retired the next 11 batters with six Ks.”

Senior Isaiah Owens had a double and drove in a pair of runs for the Patriots. He also stole a pair of bases.

“When someone speedy gets on we are allowed to capitalize on what the pitcher gives us,” Owens said. “He got behind in the count and was forced to throw some cheeseburger pitches and I jumped on it.”

Christian High junior Braedon Ross had a hit, drove in a pair of runs, and scored a run.

Wehsener also had a hit in the contest and scored three times.

“Clay Wehsener does all the little things that make a team go,” Mitchell said. “He’s not a power guy but does all the situational things well. Bunt, hit and run, slash, advance runners, etc.”

Christian High improved to 2-1, while the Wildcats suffered their first loss in four starts.

SANTANA 2, POWAY 1 – Santana got the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh when Elijah Reber doubled on a 1-1 pitch, to score the run.

In the top of the fourth inning, Santana’s Dean Landers hit a solo homer.

Landers earned the win, going three innings, allowing one hit and no runs while striking out two and walking none.

Davin Burroughs had two hits for Santana (2-1).

Poway fell to 0-3.

EL CAPITAN 15, ESCONDIDO CHARTER 3 – The Vaqueros trailed 2-0 after a half-inning but scored multiple runs in each of the next five frames to rout the White Tigers at the Pirate Classic game in Lakeside on Saturday.

Senior Dominick Baker homered and drove in three runs for the Vaqueros. He long ball was a solo shot in the third.

Vaquero senior Hunter Lambkin had a pair of doubles, drove in a pair of runs, and scored three times.

Senior Nick Winsor had a pair of hits, walked once, scored three runs, and had an RBI for El Cap

Senior Jake Pfitzner had a double, scored three runs, and drove in a run for the Vaqueros.

Sophomore Cole Winsor had three hits, stole two bases, scored twice, and drove in a run for El Cap.

Sophomore Aiden McFarlane got the pitching win, going four innings, striking out three.

Senior Jacob Mackin pitched two scoreless frames for El Cap, striking out two.

Senior Carson Powers struck out two in one scoreless inning for ECHS.

BONITA VISTA 8, GRANITE HILLS 5 – The Barons, ranked eighth in the preseason media poll, knocked off the 12th-ranked Eagles in a Hilltop-Lolita’s Tournament game on Saturday at Hilltop High.

The Eagles led 5-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning.

Grant Mac Arthur, a sophomore, drove in two runs for Granite Hills in the fifth inning with a single. He also walked.

T.K. Parker had a pair of doubles, scored a run, and had an RBI for the Eagles.

Dillion Goins was 3-for-3 with a walk for Granite.

MARANATHA CHRISTIAN 18, EL CAJON VALLEY 0 – The Braves fell to the Eagles at the Sweetwater Invitational, as Maranatha had an 11-run first.

Mario Jacobs had one of the Braves’ two hits on the day.

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