Henry’s Gardini blanks Clairemont

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 22, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

ECS staff report

DEL CERRO — Patrick Henry sophoore Talin Gardini fired his second complete-game shiutout of the season on Friday (Apr. 22), spinning a 2-hitter to lead the Patriots past Clairemont, 4-0, in Eastern League action.

Gardini struck out 11 Chieftains batters against just a single walk, running his record to 6-2.

Earlie rin the season, Gardini went the first five innings in a shutout of Canyon Crest, then has his first complete-game banking against Valhalla in a 1-hitter.

Depending on you do the math, the Patriots are either in first place or second place in league play.

Patrick Henry (15-6 overall) is 5-1 in Eastern play, placing them a half-game ahead of idle Christian. However, Christian (13-4 overall) is unbeaten in league play at 3-0, thus hold a higher wnning percentage.

All of the math will sort out on the final week of the regular season, when both Patriots ballclubs collide in a three-game series.

In the meantime, Christian completes is bye week on Saturday with a non-league affair in the Imperial Valley against Brawley, starting at 11 a.m.

Patrick Henry’s offense saw four platers — senior Bryce Andersen, juniors Colin Miller and Brady Hull (sacrifice fly), sophomore Eddy Gomez (double) — all drive in single runs.

Meanwhile, pitching ace Ryan Ellis again led the Pats with two basehits, including a double. Ellis now holds a .364 batting average, moving to within four points of club leader Hull (.368).

Foothills Christian 11, Coastal 4

SPRING VALLEY — Jon Popka belted a pair of triples, falling one short of both the school, East County and CIF-San Diego Section record, leading Foothills Christian to an easy 11-4 decsion over visiting Coastal Academy of Oceanside, 11-4,in Friday’s game held at Mount Miguel.

Popka also had two RBI, matching Billy Temple on the day, as the Knights destroyed the pitching of the Stingrays early on, scoring all of their runs in the first two innings, including eight times in their first trip to the plate.

Temple collected both of his RBI on a single in the first, with a third run scoring on the same play due to an error.

Popka then brought Temple home with his ensuing triple. Popka also drilled another RBI triple in the second.

He fell one three-bagger short of the mark set by Daniel Luckett, against Lincoln on May 18, 2015.

The East County mark was also shared by Josh Barber f Mountain Empire, plus players from Oceanside, San Pasqual, Mt. Carmel and Holtville.

The winning pitcher was Seth Gilbody, who allowed just one run despite seven hits over the first four innings. Gilbody struck out six Stingrays batters.

Foothills Christian (9-11 overall), leaders of the Pacific League, also received a triple fromDustin “Dusty” Baker.

Coastal (9-5), the second place team in the Ocean League, saw freshman Jake Clepper collect two hits and a pair of RBI.

Ramona 11, Mt. Carmel 10

RAMONA —.The Ramona Bulldogs scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull off a shocking 11-10 walk-off triumph over league-leading Mt. Carmel in Friday’s (Apr. 22) Avocado East thriller.

The Sundevils, down 7-5, scored once in the fifth and four ties in the sixth to seize the lead.

Ramona (6-15 overall, 3-5 AWL) movedinto fourth place. Meanwhile, Mt. Carmel (15-7, 7-2 league) stayed in first place after second-standing Del Norte was also upset by Rancho Buena Vista, 2-1, in yet another walk-off winner.