Foothillers need OT again to extend season

By ECS Staff
Updated: June 1, 2016

2016 EAST COUNTY PREP BASEBALL

By Chris Davis
© East County Sports.com

EASTLAKE (6-1-16) — When it comes to playing extra innings baseball, fewer teams in the San Diego Section have worked overtime more than the Grossmont Foothillers. Overall the Foothillers are 23-11, which means that nearly one-third of their season has gone for extra frames.

The Foothillers were extended to their longest outing of the season in the fourth round of the Open Division playoffs, claiming a 3-2 victory over Eastlake in 10 innings on Tuesday (May 31). This was the second straight overtime game between the two squads, with Eastlake tipping the Foothillers previously 6-5 in eight innings.

Adam Lopez gets another hit for Grossmont on Tuesday against Eastlake.

Eastlake (28-4) dropped to 1-2 in games in extra frames – two of those, a win and a loss – coming against Grossmont.

Eastlake used a pair of hits, a walk and a sacrifice fly to plate two runs in the bottom of the first inning. That would be the last time they would score on Tuesday (May 31).

Grossmont (23-11) was silenced by Eastlake ace Julian Escobedo until the fifth inning. With two outs, Escobedo issued the only walk of his outing. Opposing him for the Hillers was JAYDEN LOMBARDO, who launched his fifth East County best home run of the year to tie the game.

The Titans had a chance at the end of the game in regulation. With two outs, a hot shot from Grossmont’s ADAM LOPEZ would have been a tough play regardless of which level you are watching. But the Hillers would get out of the jam to get the game into extras.

In the top of the tenth, KALEB TEDOKON walked to get the winning rally going. A diving grab by Zaine Mendoza was the first out. STEVE OUELLETTE singled to right center moving Tedokon to third. Lopez redeemed himself by getting what would become the game winning RBI on a single to left center, scoring Tedokon. Ouellette tried to go to third on the play, but was gunned down. CALVIN FARRIS walked to move Lopez to second. A fly out to deep center field would wrap up the top of the tenth.

Grossmont players celebrate after scoring a run on Tuesday in the San Diego CIF Playoffs.

The Foothillers brought in JACKSON HULETT to close out the game and get the save. He did that, but it was an adventure as the Titans had runners on second and third with one out. After an intentional walk to load the bases and create a force out at any base, Hulett induced a game-ending 4-6-3 double play.

The same two teams will face off in the “if necessary” game on Thursday (June 2) at 3:30 p.m. in the South Bay. The winner of that bout will qualify for a berth in the Open Division championship game on Saturday (June 4) at 7 p.m. at USD’s Fowler Park.

Tue., May 31, SDCIF Fourth Round 
Open Division
FOOTHILLERS 3, TITANS 2 (10 INN.)
Grossmont      ab r h bi Eastlake       ab r h bi
Pineda 2b       5 0 1 0  Escobedo p-cf   5 1 3 0
Ouellette ss    5 0 3 0  Wiggs lf-2b     4 1 1 0
ALopez 3b       5 0 1 1  Ramirez ss      4 0 1 1
Farris rf-p     4 0 0 0  Schmidt 3b-p    4 0 1 0
Hulett lf-p     5 0 0 0  Jones rf        3 0 0 1
Garcia 1b       2 1 1 0  Rivera 2b-3b    4 0 0 0
Van Every pr    0 0 0 0  Lionheart 1b    4 0 1 0
Lombardo p-rf   4 1 1 2  Reyes c         3 0 1 0
Arreola dh      4 0 0 0  Holman dh-p     4 0 2 0
Tedokon c       3 1 1 0  Mendoza pr      0 0 0 0
Olson pr        0 0 0 0
TOTALS         36 5 8 3  TOTALS         35 2 8 2

  Grossmont (23-11) 000 200 000 1 – 3 8 1
  Eastlake   (28-4) 200 000 000 0 – 2 8 0

GWRBI-ALopez (6).
E-ALopez. DP-Gro 2, East 1. LOB-Gro 7, East 7. 
HR-Lombardo (5) 4^th, one on. SB-Schmidt, Van Every. 

PITCHING SUMMARY
Grossmont         ip  h  r er bb so
 Lombardo        5.0  5  2  2  2  0
 Farris  W(6-0)  4.0  3  0  0  0  1
 Hulett Sv (1)   1.0  2  0  0  1  0
Eastlake
 Escobedo        4.2  4  2  2  2  2
 Hernandez L     5.0  4  1  1  2  0
 Schmidt         0.1  0  0  0  1  0