They’re tied again! Granite nips Santana

By Nick Pellegrino
Updated: April 29, 2022

2022 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Nick Pellegrino
ECS staff writer

GRANITE HILLS — As quickly as third-ranked Granite Hills High fell out of first place in one of prep baseball services, the Eagles jumped hack to join the mix for the top spot in a variation of reverse role-playing.

Earlier in the week, the Eagles scored five times in the seventh inning, only to fall in extra innings.

On Thursday (Apr. 28), this time it was Granite Hills which nearly blew a 5-0 lead after top-rated Santana tallied four times in the fifth inning. However, the hosts finally posted the “no more” sign at the front door, as the third-rated Eagles registered a 5-4 triumph over top-rated Santana in the CIF-San Diego Section;s game of the week.

Both sides were coming off Classic Division championships in their respective flights in the Lions Tournament. Both squads also captured their pools in the top division of the Aztec-Foothiller Tournament in the season’s first month.

Thus, game was sort of, a mid-season tie-breaker which has now created a new deadlock at the top of the Grossmont Hills League standings at 6-1 with six contests remaining, including two head-to-head meetins, Friday at Santana, then to cap the regular season on May 12 at Granite Hills.

Trailing by five, Santana took advantage of a hit batter and a basehit to score all of its runs after two were down.

Ethan Wright, Elijah Reber and Jayden Agramont followed by each stroking consecutive RBI singles, moving the Sultans to within 5-3. Granite Hills was then charged with a balk for the fourth run.

However, Eagles releiver Brenden Lewis retired the final six batter s following a double to saved the victory for starting pitcher Nico Tomasello.

Granite Hills registered all of its runs in the fourth inning, starting with consecutive leadoff home runs by Grant Mac Arthur and Jacob Embleton. Both went to left field.

Santana then ht two of the next four batters, so with two down, Cody Macias lined at RBI single, Hudson Beamon walked to load the bases, then Lewis singled up the middle for two additional runs.

Granite Hills (16-4 overall) saw Macias finish with two hits.

Santana (1-54) recorded just five hits, including a double by Caleb Harris. Koda Alto took the pitching setback in his poorest inning/outing of the season.

In the poll posted by MaxPreps, Santana and Granite Hills was sandwiched around No. 2 San Marcos, the team that balked at playing the Lions finale against Granite Hills and instead played offensively-challenged Poway in a 2-0 win.

Previous No. 1 St. Augistine slipped to fourth.

Among East County schools, Patrick Henry, which holds a half-game lead over Christian in the Eastern Leaggue, is spot above the Patriots at 16th and 17th, respectively.

Next is Helix (18), idle Steele Canyon (20), and Grossmont (24th).