Madison strategy goes awry to Granite

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: March 8, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

GRANITE HILLS — A strategy usually resevred for late-inning play was applied without hesitation by the Madison Warhawks because they remember what happened in their last meeting with Granite Hills slugger Grant Mac Arthur.

Mac Arthut posted her first career two home run outing at the plate, driving four runs in a 3-for-3 outing, scoring each time.

So when the Warhawks decided to intentionally walk Mac Arthur — remmeber, it was only the fourth inning — following a lead double by Jacob Embleton, Big Mac was handed a free trip to first base, not giving the senior any opportunity to break a 3-3 deadlock.

The move was fine for the Eagles, which found the ensuing batters taking the spotlight. Six batters later, the host completed a 4-run rally en route to an 8-3 triumph over the Warhawks.

“Our team did really good offensively, which is why we are averaging above seven runs a game,” said Branden Lewis, who an RBI single in the decisive inning. “Props to Madison who had a great pitching staff and executed pitches, but I just thought our hitters didn’t miss their pitches.”

The inning continued with a one-out basehit by Camden Sos ti load the bases, then the fireworks Madison was hoping to avoid began to light the sky.

Ethan McNish-Heider followed with a go-ahead ground single through the left side for a 5-3 lead, brining home Embleton and Mac Arthur.

Lewis found left field with a line single to make it 6-3.

Shaken, the Madison pitching yielded another walk to Tanner Vielguth to re-load the bases, then Cody Macias was hit by a pitch for another run.

“My swing just felt great,” added Lewis. “Each pitch by pitch, I was focused every single time and got the one I liked.”

Unlike other outings, the Granite Hills bullpen shut the door after Vielguth fired 2.2 innings of sshutout ball. Although he did not claim an official save, his three strikeouts put the back-end of the stagg back in order.

Starting pitcher Chandler Henry was tagged for three early runs, yet gained the victory by closing his stint with his own stint by also blanking the Warhawks for 2.2 innings, striking out five Madison batters.

Granite Hills (4-1) received two hits from both Spencer Davis and McNish-Heider.

“Overall, we played really well and I believe that is what led us to the win,” Davis noted.”

“I knew I wasn’t going to get a good pitch to hit unless it was a mistake, and the one time he did make the mistake, I didn’t miss.”.

Madison (4-2), which opened its campaign on a 4-game win streak, has now dropped two straight, including the championship final of the Aztec-Foothiuller Tournament to Grossmont,9-8 in 8 innings.

Senior third baseman Maddox Haley, the best Warhawks player against Grossmont, again paced Madison with two hits.