Mt. Carmel Keeps Its Streak Alive By Beating Vista, 4-3

After a slow start, Mount Carmel High School’s third-ranked baseball team is beginning to put it all together.

The Sundevils, last year’s San Diego Section 3-A runners-up, won for the eighth straight time Tuesday, 4-3, over Vista in nine innings.

The victory boosted Mt. Carmel’s (8-1 and 16-6) lead to 1 1/2 games over second-place Vista (7-3 and 14-6) in the Palomar League.

The Sundevils opened a 3-0 lead after 4 1/2 innings Tuesday behind their ace Dave Schiesser and appeared to be on their way to an easy win. But the Panthers rallied to tie with two runs in the fifth and one in the seventh when Roger Price scored with two outs on a passed ball.

But, in the ninth, Schiesser hit a leadoff homer to provide the winning margin and put Mt. Carmel on the verge of clinching a playoff spot.

Elsewhere in the Palomar League:

Fallbrook 13, Torrey Pines 11--Keith Jester hit a pair of home runs and Joe Comer added a two-run homer to lead the Warriors (4-5, 13-10) past the Falcons (5-5, 10-12) at Fallbrook.

Orange Glen 4, San Dieguito 0--Bill Painter pitched a six-hitter, striking out eight, and Marc Anthony drove in two runs to lead the Patriots (4-5, 11-10-1) past the Mustangs (1-9, 4-17) at San Dieguito.

In the Metro Leagues:

Southwest 5, Hilltop 1--In his first start of the season, Alex Sanchez pitched a complete-game four-hitter against the eighth-ranked Lancers (7-3, 15-6). The Raiders (3-7, 5-13-1) scored three runs in the first inning.

Castle Park 11, Coronado 2--Eddie Moreno, Kip Korzup, Louis Vizcarraga and Henry Monreal each drove in two runs to lead the Trojans (2-8, 3-18) past the Islander (1-8-1, 5-11-1) at Coronado.

Montgomery 9, Sweetwater 3--The Aztecs (5-3-2, 12-6-2) moved into third place in the Mesa League by defeating the Red Devils (5-5, 7-13) at Sweetwater.

Chula Vista 5, Marian 2--The Spartans (7-2-1, 10-10-1) got all of their offense--five runs on four hits--in the first inning to move into first place in the South-Bay League. Darren Pudgil drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single. The Crusaders are 3-7, 5-11.

Mar Vista 13, Bonita Vista 1--The sixth-ranked Mariners (8-2, 16-5) routed the Barons (7-3, 12-9) at Bonita Vista to move into sole possession of first place in the Mesa League.

In the Avocado League:

Escondido 10, Oceanside 3--Tim Saffell worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fifth and pitched the final three innings to save it for Arnie Spiker (5-4) as the Cougars (5-4, 9-12) beat the Pirates (3-7, 3-16) at Escondido.