Sultans, Eagles: contrasts to victory

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

 

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

EL CAJON — Two completely different styles. Two contrasting ways to winning.

The Grossmont Hills League demonstrates that both can work after Santana and Granite Hills high school both capped the opening week of league play with 2-0 marks via different routes.

Santana utilized its solid pitching staff to complete a two-game sweep fo Steele Canyon. Meanwhile, Granite Hills dusted off a pair from defending GHL champion Grossmont, while Helix took a week-long bye and the circuit has increased from four best programs in East County to five among the public schools.

Santana 7, Steele Canyon 0

SANTEE — It doesn’t seem to matter whether he;s pitching out of the bullpen or stay in his traditional starters role,Santana pitcher Koda Alto is hard to beat.

After facing just one batter to get two outs for a save on Tuesday’s series opener, Alto took the ball for his regular spot in the starting rotation on Friday to again repel Steele Canyon, 7-0, competing a sweep of the teams’ GHL series.

Alto pitched six solid innings, allowing just three hits and striking out one Cougars batter.

In the seventh, David Rodrigues, anther senior, pitched a 1-2-3 frame to complete the shutout

The Sultans offense was led by Elijah Reber’s three hits, while Jayden Agramont added a pair of knocks to increase the ballclub’s winning streak ti six games.

Three runs in the second inning stood up for most of the afternoon, then Santana )10-2 overall, 2-0 GHL) erupted for four additional markers in the sixth to cap the triumph.

An error followed a pair of leadoff  walks,  setting the table for Reber’s two-run double to open the scoring.

Later, Ethan Wright walked with the bases loaded to make it 4-0. followed  by an RBI single by Jason Gonzalez, then a sacrifice fly off the bat of Destin Allen-Fox.

For Steele Canyon (7-5, 0-2 GHL), the lone basehits were by ,=senior Weston Clark, and juniors Tommy Molina and Isaias Plascencia..

Nxt week, Santana meets Helix, whichhad the bye this week, then it’s on to the annual Lions Tournament.

 

Granite Hills 6, Grossmont 2
FLETCHER HILLS — The Granite Hills Eagles, despite a season-low seven basehits, made them count early, recorded three runs in thir first trip to the plate for a gate-to-wire 6-3 verdict over the Grossmont Foothillers, Froday (Mar. 25) at Gizoni Field.

Consecutive home runs by Jacob Embleton and Grant Mac Arthur in the second inning extended a 2-1 lead into a 5-1 margin,

Grossmont thought they had an early chance.Down 2-0, River Diaz e Leon smacked a solo homer n the first, when Granite’s double-dingers did in the Hillers.

Eagles starting pitcher Nico Tomasello went 5.1 innings for his longest varsity stint ever, then closer Brenden Lewis closed out Grossmont with 1.2 frames of no-hit ball, registered three of his five outs n strikes.

.Embleton, Mac Arthur and Hudson Beamon all had two hits for Granite Hills (9-2 overall, 2-0 GHL).

Grossmont (5-7-1, 0-2 GHL), now winless in seven straight (0-6-1), also received a run-scoring hit from 2021 all-East County honoree Noah Barnes.