San Diego Lions AAA Baseball : Hook Tires but Holds Ground for Santana

Mike Hook could have called it an afternoon on Wednesday when Santana High School Coach Jim Saska came to the mound.

Hook, who had pitched six innings Monday, had held El Capitan scoreless through 4 innings Wednesday, allowing one hit and striking out six.

But it was hot at Granite Hills, and Hook was tiring. He had walked two batters with the top of the order due up.

Hook decided to continue.

The result: He struck out six of the last eight batters to seal a two-hit shutout as the Sultans beat El Capitan, 1-0, to win the 36th Annual Lions/Mike Morrow Invitational baseball tournament AAA title.

“When the coach came out, I told him I was tired,” Hook said as he packed his swollen left arm with ice.

“But then I thought about it and I said, ‘I want to get this over with.’ Then I struck that next guy out and I thought, ‘Now I’m going.’ It felt good after that.”

Hook (2-1) had to be good. El Capitan’s Rob Arnold and Steve Nowlan combined to allow the Sultans only one hit, and that came in the first inning. First baseman Tom Kolinek singled to drive in Scott Papillon, who had walked, stolen second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

El Capitan also had threatened in the fourth. After Jim Tixier walked, Nowlan singled to move Tixier to second. But Hook struck out Ron Peeler to quiet the rally.

Hook had one more big strikeout in the seventh. The Vaqueros put in pinch-hitter Carlos Gutierrez, who had hit game-winning homers on Monday and Tuesday. Hook struck him out on three pitches.

“I didn’t know (he had hit the homers),” Hook said. “He was standing right on top of the plate, so I just threw it by him.”

The Sultans and Vaqueros used their bats to win their semifinal games. El Capitan took a 10-3 lead over Morse, before Arnold came in to get the final out and preserve a 10-9 victory.

Santana’s Dale Henson hit a grand slam in the fifth, and Jeff Cabral hit a three-run homer in the fourth to help the Sultans beat Mira Mesa, 7-2. Papillon was 3 for 3 with two doubles in the first game.