ROUNDUP: Helix, Granite get sweeps; Sultans, Knights win

By Bill Dickens
Updated: April 17, 2016

Valhalla bats against host Helix on Saturday in La Mesa

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Bill Dickens
© East County Sports.com

LA MESA (4-17-16) – Helix, which hadn’t played a game for 15 days, awakened to knock off the Valhalla Norsemen to sweep the Grossmont Hills League doubleheader on Saturday (Apr. 16) in La Mesa.

The Highlanders counted on their one-two pitching punch of CONNER KONISHI and JACK STRONACH to hurl the Highlanders into a three-way tie for the Grossmont Hills League lead.

In game one the Highlanders claimed a 13-2 victory, handing Konishi his 5^th win and gained a 5-1 win in the nightcap to hoist Stronach’s record to 3-1.

In the opener the Highlanders hammered out 11 hits to provide a cushion for ace Konishi.

“It’s hard to get into the mode of things again after we’ve had 15 days off,” said Konishi, who showed no signs of rust as he allowed only 3 hits and 2 earned runs while striking out 9.

Stronach pitched 5 innings of the second game, allowed 2 hits and no earned runs, striking out 8.

The power-hitting third baseman Stronach agreed with Konishi. “It’s really tough to get back in the groove when we’re used to playing two games a week,” he said. “But our coaches are so good they put together and intra-squad game with umpires for us last week. It really paid off.”

“It was an 0-2 fastball,” Stronach said of his second inning solo home run in the nightcap.

“Not having played for two weeks made it really difficult, but we did everything we could do to generate energy for our first game after playing nine games in seven days,” noted Helix coach COLE HOLLAND.

G1: GRANITE HILLS 1, STEELE CANYON 0
G2: GRANITE HILLS 10, STEELE CANYON 6 – Granite Hills’ ANDREW BROWN handcuffed visiting Steele Canyon with a 3-hit shutout, 2 walks and 3 strikeouts in Saturday’s (Apr. 16) first game of a Grossmont Hills League doubleheader.

Steele Canyon countered with solid pitching from TREVOR ROW and TYLER LUBAN. Row and Luban pitched well enough to win, but the Cougars could muster only 3 hits.

Granite Hills scored their only run in the first game on a throwing error in the sixth inning.

In the second game the Eagles banged out 10 hits to score 10 runs to complete the sweep over Steele Canyon. Nine of those markers came in the first two innings.

BLAKE ST. CLAIR drove in 5 runs to pace the Eagles.

On the pitching side DILLAN SHRUM struck out 7 batters en route to his 4^th win in six decisions. He allowed only 2 earned runs on 4 hits, and 2 walks over 5 2/3 innings.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

SANTANA 20, OTAY RANCH 7 – JACOB ODENKIRK erupted for 3 hits including a double and a triple in 6 at-bats. He scored 3 runs and drove in 4 to launch Santana to a season-high scoring victory in Saturday’s (Apr. 16) non-league outing.

The Sultans produced 7 runs in the fourth and 9 in the fifth to turn the game into a rout.

In the 7 run fourth BROCK ELLIS slashed an RBI single, Odenkirk doubled in 2 more and NOAH NUNEZ doubled in another. For good measure NIK MORA tripled in a run. EMORY ALLEN-FOX plated a final run in the frame by hitting into a fielder’s choice.

Santana also scored in that frame on a double steal as MITCHELL MILLER stole home and Odenkirk stole second.

Santana capitalized on 12 walks to go along with 15 hits.

In the fifth inning Santana erupted for 9 runs. Nunez slapped a 2-run triple, Miller mashed a 2-run double, Odenkirk tripled in 2 more, NIK MORA doubled in a run, REECE HERNANDEZ chipped in with an RBI single and BLAKE PRYOR plated a tally with a sacrifice fly.

But the Sultans weren’t through, scoring 3 more runs in the seventh. Odenkirk doubled and advanced to third on a ground ball error hit by Hernandez. BRANDON MOSBURG hoisted a sacrifice fly and AIDAN RASMUSSON slugged a 2-run homer that was the second home run hit by the Sultans this year.

Nunez, the winning pitcher, allowed only 2 hits in five innings to earn his 5^th win without a loss. He struck out 8. At the plate he was 3-for-3 with a double and a triple, scored twice and drove in 3. He also stole 3 bases.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 6, CALVIN CHRISTIAN 3 – The Knights of Foothills Christian rode the strong arm pitching of TREVOR SMALLWOOD, who scattered 6 hits and allowed only one earned run while striking out 9 as he posted his second win in three decisions in Saturday’s (Apr. 16) non-league conquest of Calvin Christian.

JUSTIN EICHER finished the job with a shutout inning in the seventh.

Foothills Christian snapped a 1-1 tie in the third inning. Eicher slashed a one-out single and BRADLEY BROWN followed with a base hit. After MARK PROFETA was hit to load the bases, Smallwood singled in Eicher to give the Knights a 2-1 lead they wouldn’t lose in the third inning.

The Knights extended their advantage in the fourth inning as BAILEY LINK singled and Eicher drew a two-out walk. Bradley Brown ripped a single to score Link and extend the Knights’ lead to 3-1. Later in the frame Eicher scored on a passed ball to make it 4-1.

CHRIS STALLARD rifled a one-out home run over the center field fence to pad the Knights lead to 5-1.

In the seventh Smallwood singled and JACOB GUCCIONE ran for him, promptly stealing second. He eventually scored on an error to complete Foothills Christian’s offensive onslaught.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

BONITA VISTA 8, MONTE VISTA 0 – Five errors and paltry hitting spoiled Monte Vista’s afternoon non-league outing at Bonita Vista Saturday (Apr. 16) in South Bay.

All the Monarchs had to show for their efforts were 3 hits – singles by DAVID GARCIA, BRENDAN COLLIS and BRYAN HARMAN.

By Bill Dickens, © EastCountySports.com

G1: EAGLES 1, COUGARS 0
Steele Canyon  ab r h bi Granite Hills  ab r h bi
Bagdasar        3 0 1 0  JoVerdon        3 0 2 0
Brinkmeir       2 0 0 0  Shrum           2 0 0 0
Tuck            3 0 0 0  Cossio          3 0 2 0
Esquibel        2 0 0 0  ABrown p        3 0 0 0
Alcaraz         3 0 0 0  Ross            3 0 0 0
Row p           3 0 0 0  BSt. Clair      1 1 0 0
Arias c         1 0 0 0  Hazelhurst      1 0 0 0
Logan           2 0 2 0  Fenn c          2 0 0 0
Fiedler         1 0 0 0  Omahen          2 0 0 0
TOTALS         20 0 3 0  TOTALS         20 1 4 0

  Steele Canyon 000 000 0 – 0 3 2
  Granite Hills 000 001 x – 1 4 0

GWRBI-None.
E-Arias, Logan. DP-SC 1, GH 1. LOB-SC 5, GH 11. 
2B-JoVerdon. SB-Omahen, St. Clair 2, Hazelhurst. S-Fiedler.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Steele Canyon   ip  h  r er bb so
 Row L(0-3)    5.1  4  1  1  7  6
 Luban         0.2  0  0  0  1  0
Granite Hills
 CBrown W(3-2) 7.0  3  0  0  2  3
HBP-by Row (CBrown).

G2: EAGLES 10, COUGARS 6
Steele Canyon  ab r h bi Granite Hills  ab r h bi
Bagdasar        4 1 1 0  JoVerdon        3 1 1 0
Brinkmeir       1 0 0 0  Strickland      1 0 0 0
Smith           2 2 1 0  Shrum p         3 1 1 0
Tuck            3 2 1 2  King            0 0 0 0
Esquibel        4 0 2 1  Cossio          4 2 1 0
Alcarez         3 0 0 0  ABrown          3 3 2 1
Clark           1 0 0 0  Ross            4 1 2 1
Row             4 0 1 2  BSt. Clair      2 2 2 5
Arias c         4 0 0 0  Joslyn          1 0 0 0
Blethen c       0 0 0 0  Hazelhurst      2 0 1 2
Logan           3 0 0 0  Fenn c          1 0 0 0
Fiedler         1 0 0 0  JaVerdon        1 0 0 0
Russell         0 1 0 0  Omahen          3 0 0 0
TOTALS         30 6 6 5  TOTALS       28 10 10 9

  Steele Canyon (7-9-1, 0-2) 000 002 4 –  6  6 3
  Granite Hills  (11-6, 2-0) 540 100 x – 10 10 4

GWRBI-Ross (1).
E-Esquibel, Schirer, Logan, Cassio 3, Fenn. 
DP-SC 1. LOB-SC 7, GH 8. 
2B-Esquibel, Row, Tuck, Ross, St. Clair, ABrown, Hazelhurst. 
SB-Esquibel, Tuck, ABrown, Hazelhurst. SF-BSt. Clair.

PITCHING SUMMARY
Steele Canyon      ip  h  r er bb so
 Schirer L(3-1)   1.1  5  8  4  2  2
 Fitch            0.2  2  1  1  1  1
 Nadeau           2.0  1  1  1  2  1
 Newberry         1.0  2  0  0  0  1
 Garmo            1.0  0  0  0  1  0
Granite Hills 
 Shrum W(4-2)     5.2  4  2  2  2  7
 JoVerdon         1.1  2  4  0  0  0
HBP-by N/A (Shrum). WP-Schirer.

G1: HIGHLANDERS 13, NORSEMEN 2
Valhalla        ab r h bi Helix           ab r h bi
Dirkes ss        3 1 0 0  Richardson ss    4 2 2 1
CBrown dh        2 0 0 0  Smelko lf        4 2 1 0
Kister 2b        0 0 0 0  Stronach 3b      4 1 3 2
Henderson 3b     3 0 0 0  Peterson pr      0 2 0 0
Mosier cf        3 0 2 2  Konishi p        3 2 2 1
St. Clair 1b     3 0 0 0  Kovalcheck pr    0 0 0 0
RO’Sullivan rf   3 0 0 0  Jackson p        0 0 0 0
Heider c         1 0 0 0  Isbell c         2 0 0 0
Hageman c        1 0 1 0  Johnson ph       1 0 1 1
CO’Sullivan p-2b 3 0 0 0  Brogan 1b        3 0 0 1
Dunnham ph       0 0 0 0  Padilla dh       4 1 2 2
Howard lf        3 1 1 0  Friend rf        0 0 0 0
                          Kretzschmar 2b   3 0 0 0
                          Chase cf         1 2 0 0
                          Jacobo ph        1 1 0 0
TOTALS          25 2 4 2  TOTALS        30 13 11 8

  Valhalla 000 002 0 –  2  4 6
  Helix    021 352 x – 13 11 0

GWRBI-Richardson (1).
E-Heider, Henderson, Kister, Mosier, RO’Sullivan, St. Clair. 
DP-Hel 1. LOB-Val 5, Hel 11. 
2B-Mosier, Richardson, Stronach, Padilla. 
SB-Chase 2, Stronach. S-Kretzschmar. SF-Brogan. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Valhalla             ip  h  r er bb so
 CO’Sullivan L(0-4) 2.2  4  3  2  3  3
 Tardiff            3.0  7 10  3  5  0
 Wilkinson          0.1  0  0  0  0  0
Helix
 Konishi W(5-0)     6.0  3  2  2  2  9
 Jackson            1.0  1  0  0  1  0
HBP-By CO’Sullivan (Isbell), by Konishi (CBrown). 
WP-CO’Sullivan, Tardiff. PB-Heider.

G2: HIGHLANDERS 5, NORSEMEN 1
Valhalla         ab r h bi Helix             ab r h bi
Dirkes ss         3 0 0 0  Richardson ss      3 1 2 0
CBrown dh         3 1 2 0  Smelko lf          3 0 0 0
Kister 3b         0 0 0 0  Stronach p-3b      3 1 1 1
Henderson p-1b    3 0 0 0  Konishi cf         2 1 0 1
Mosier cf         3 0 0 0  Isbell c           2 1 0 0
St. Clair 1b-rf   3 0 1 0  Padilla dh         3 0 2 1
RO’Sullivan rf-p  3 0 1 0  Kretzschmar 2b     0 0 0 0
Heider c          2 0 0 0  Friend rf          0 0 0 0
Hageman pr        0 0 0 0  Brogan 1b          2 0 1 0
CO’Sullivan 2b    2 0 0 0  Peterson 2b        2 0 0 1
Howard lf         3 0 0 0  Chase rf-p         3 0 1 0
                           Kovalcheck pr      0 1 0 0
TOTALS           25 1 4 0  TOTALS            23 5 7 4

  Valhalla (1-14, 0-2) 100 000 0 – 1 4 0
  Helix    (10-5, 2-0) 310 100 x – 5 7 3

GWRBI-None.
E-Richardson, Chase, Isbell. DP-Val 1. LOB-Val 5, Hel 9. 
HR-Stronach (2) 2^nd, solo. SB-CBrown. S-Smelko. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Valhalla           ip  h  r er bb so
 Henderson L(1-3) 5.0  6  5  4  4  5
 RO’Sullivan      1.0  1  0  0  0  1
Helix
 Stronach W(2-1)  5.0  2  1  0  1  8
 Chase            2.0  2  0  0  0  1
HBP-By Henderson (Isbell, Brogan, Peterson), by Chase (Heider). 
WP-Henderson, Stronach.

Non-League
SULTANS 20, MUSTANGS 7
Santana   (13-2) 010 790 3 – 20 15 0
Otay Ranch (7-6) 000 003 4 -  7  9 3
Nunez, Mosburg (6), Ellis (7) and Mora. 
Abshier, Saenz (4), Artalejo (?) and Brumbaugh. 
WP-Nunez (5-0). LP-Abshier (0-1). 
HR-Rasmusson (Sant-1) 7^th, one on. 

KNIGHTS 6, CRUSADERS 3
Foothills Christian (5-7) 101 210 1 – 6 8 5
Calvin Christian    (3-9) 100 011 0 – 3 6 3
Smallwood, Eicher (7) and Link. 
Trupa, Casas (4), Parker (7) and Luisas. 
WP-Smallwood (2-1). LP-Trupa. 
HR-Stallard (FC-1) 5^th, solo. 

BARONS 8, MONARCHS 0 
Bonita Vista (11-5) 011 132 0 - 8 12 0
Monte Vista  (5-11) 000 000 0 – 0  3 5
Bloom, Casady (6) and Duran. 
Collis, Schweizer (5), JGutierrez (6) and Elia (7)
 and DSandoval. WP-Bloom. LP-Collis (0-1).