LIONS: Hillers, Cougars, Eagles win

Steele Canyon 3, Scripps Ranch 0

RANCHO SAN DIEGO – The Scripps Ranch Falcons may be the most difficult team to figure out in the CIF San Diego Section this season.

When the Falcons are on, they dominate, with pitchers yielding just one run per outing. But when they are off…

Let’s just say Steele Canyon took advantage.

Behind a stellar, shutout performance by senior  Sebastian Granados, Steele Canyon handed Scrips Ranch its second shutout setback of the season in a 3-0 verdict in Lions Tournament action Tuesday (Mar. 30).

“It was a great game today and I couldn’t have done it without my defense especially my catcher Jake Entrekin calling the game for me,” Granados said. “The boys were just out there righting with every inning, every out, and every pitch.”

Granados, a right-hander, dominated with 13 strikeouts. But when he reached 99 pitchers yet was still an out way, he was forced to retire the final batter to finish off his impressive complete-game effort or be forced from the ballgame. Fortunately, he ended it with his final ‘K’ to cap his 5-hitter. He walked none.

Mission Bay pitcher Tyler Markell carried his own shutout into the sixth, but before a call to be made to the bullpen, the Cougars tallied all three of their runs.

Following consecutive singles by Granados, Alfredo Flores, and Owen McClees to load the bases, Isaac Vargas also collected a base hit which produced two runs to break the scoreless duel.

“Shout out to Isaac Vargas for coming in clutch with that two-run hit to break the tie,” Granados said.

A fifth consecutive single by Taylor Corella re-loaded the bags to finally force Markell from the mound, but the bullpen walked pinch-hitter  Owen McClees to force home another run.

Earlier, Vargas also doubled to join Granados and Weston Clark with two hits each.

“I think we are putting ourselves in a good spot to make a playoff run,” Steele Canyon’s Will James said. “Our defense is improving and our pitching has been on point, which makes us all the more competitive.”

Granite Hills 6, Chaparral (Temecula) 2

EL CAJON – Strike another star for the CIF San Diego Section in baseball.

Chaparral High of Temecula in Riverside County, which entered the week with a 3-1 record as one of the better ballclubs in the Southern Section, dropped its second straight Lions Tournament contest.

Granite Hills pitcher Chandler Henry carried a shutout into the sixth inning, as the Eagles built a 5-0 lead to punk the Pumas, 6-2, on Tuesday (Mar. 30).

Henry, struck out five Pumas, with the only run earned in his complete-game triumph. He never came close to approaching the pitch count limit.

“I felt great to get my first win as a varsity player,” Henry said. “My curveball off my fastball was working all day, and I felt great and comfortable on the mound. The offense helped a bunch keeping me in rhythm and getting runs on the board.

Granite Hills (3-1) only recorded eight singles, including two each from Grant Mac Arthur and Hudson Beamon, yet pieced them together to claim the wire-to-wire decision.

In the second inning, two singled and a walk loaded the bases, following by an RBI single to left by Beamon. The next hitter, leadoff batter Alex Gibaud, then lifted a sacrifice fly to left field.

Two innings later, a walk and two singles would load the bases, but an error allowed a run to score. Another walk did load the bags, followed by RBI to Mac Arthur (walk) and Spencer Davis (single) pushed the advantage to 5-0.

Chaparral’s first rally came in the fifth, but Davis snagged a line drive at second base to start an inning-ending double play.

“It was a really solid team win,” Davis said. “Chandler threw an outstanding game against a pretty good team and was able to come out on top.”

For the Pumas, right fielder Jack Pavlosky, the left-handed No. 8 hitter, slashed a pair of doubles.

Madison 3, Santana 2

SANTEE – In a pairing of 3-1 ballclubs seeking a championship round berth in the Lions Tournament, the Madison Warhawks staved a late Sultans rally to down the Sultans 3-2, on Tuesday (Mar. 30).

Trailing 3-0, Santana center fielder Tyler Glowacki blasted a leadoff home run in the sixth. inning. The senior took the first pitch out to right field to cap a 3-for-3 outing at the plate.

“We competed well,” Glowacki said. “I believe that if a few balls get through, that might have changed the result. We hit it well, just right at people

“I believe all of our young talent will help assist in trying to capture a CIF championship this season. Working together will get us to where we want to be.”

An error would score a second run, but Warhawks relief pitchers Maddox Haley and Victor Arreola combined to retire the final five Sultans batters to save the ballgame for Madison starter Lawson Minshew.

La Costa Canyon 12, Helix 2

LA MESA – On Tuesday (Mar. 20), it was unbeaten La Costa Canyon which came fully prepared, as Brennen Davis opened the contest with a home run and the La Costa Canyo Mavericks rolled up six runs in the first to quickly pummel Helix in Lions Tournament play.

The rally included a 2-run double by Cooper Dulich, then when the lineup turned over, Davis also added a double to score two more. Both are seniors. Three walks and a hit batter contributed to Helix’s downfall.

The Mavs (5-0) can clinch a berth to Thursday’s championship round by defeating La Jolla Country Day. The Torreys sent Poway to the bottom of the pool by whipping the Titans, 14-7.

Meanwhile, Helix needs to down Poway on Wednesday, then hope for an LJCDS upset to forge a 3-way tie and initiate a tie-breaker to advance.

Mark Prince, the No. 3 hitter for LCC, added four RBI, batting 3-for-4 and scoring three times.

For the Scotties (2-2), their only scoring in the form of a 2-run homer by Aidan Perez in the fourth to avoid the shutout.  James Whitman led=off with a single, then Perez went deep to right field — the only Helix hits on the afternoon.