San Diego Lions AAA Baseball : Home Runs Help Boost El Capitan

The El Capitan, Morse, Mira Mesa and Santana high school baseball teams advanced Tuesday to today’s AAA Division semifinal playoffs of the 36th Annual Lions/Mike Morrow Invitational Tournament.

El Capitan faces Morse at 10:30 a.m. today at Granite Hills High. Santana plays host to Mira Mesa at 10:30 a.m. The winners of the two games will meet at Granite Hills High for the championship of the AAA Division at 2:30 p.m.

El Capitan, 2-1 in tournament play, defeated Granite Hills, 6-3, Tuesday to advance to the playoff. El Capitan scored three runs in the fifth behind Carlos Guiterrez’s two-run homer and a solo shot by Scott Murray. Vaquero pitcher Steve Nowlan (1-0) went the distance and was 2 for 3 with a double at the plate.

Morse (3-0) took advantage of four Sweetwater errors to beat the Red Devils, 5-3, to advance to today’s game. Morse’s Duane Lager was 2 for 4 with an RBI. Pitcher Norman Vance (2-0) struck out five.

Terry Humphery’s three-run homer in the fourth inning broke a 3-3 tie, giving Mira Mesa the lead, as it went on to down Point Loma, 9-6, to advance to the playoffs. Jimmy Souza sealed the win for the Marauders with a solo homer in the sixth. Mira Mesa pitcher Mike Eicher went the distance, striking out six.

Tom Kolinek’s RBI single in the sixth inning broke a 3-3 tie to lift Santana (3-0) to a 4-3 win over Helix. Kolinek was 2 for 3 and scored twice.

In Tuesday’s other AAA Division games:

Montgomery 11, Poway 2--Robert Soliz’s second-inning leadoff triple sparked a five-run inning for the Aztecs. Jacob Saaib followed with a double, and Clement Alsip capped the inning with a two-run single. Alsip was 4 for 4 with 5 RBIs, Soliz 3 for 5 and Paris Jones 2 for 4 with 3 RBIs.

Tim Hayward (1-0) pitched the first four innings for the win.

Mount Miguel 13, Grossmont 9--The Matadors erupted for five hits and six runs, including Brian McClendon’s two-run home run, in the fourth inning to seal the victory. Don Young had a solo homer in the third for Mount Miguel.

Grossmont rallied for six runs in the fifth inning, taking advantage of four of the Matadors’ seven errors.

Starter Ron Raecks (2-0) pitched four innings to earn the win.

Patrick Henry 11, Monte Vista 5--Steve Plein had three hits, including a home run, and two RBIs to lead the Patriots to victory at Sweetwater.

Patrick Henry trailed, 3-1, after three innings, but took the lead for good by scoring seven runs in the bottom of the fourth. Marty Hoffman hit a two-run single and Plein, Charlie Evans and Bret Regan each drove in one run to lead the rally.

Madison 7, Chula Vista 1--Warhawk pitcher Jim Frazier went the distance, striking out 12 and walking none to earn the win. Chula Vista walked the first three Madison batters in the first inning before Steve McKinney hit a two-run single.