San Diego Prep Baseball : Vonderlieth Pitches, Bats Mission Bay to 1-0 Win

Clairemont High School was playing baseball for more than first place in the City Western League when it traveled to Mission Bay Wednesday. Amid rumors that it had lost its contender status with the graduation of several key players, Clairemont was trying to get some respect.

The Chiefs (2-1, 5-5-1) did not get first place. Mission Bay pitcher Scott Vonderlieth (4-1) shut them out and beat them with an RBI double in the bottom of the seventh that gave the Buccaneers (3-0, 10-3) a 1-0 win.

But Clairemont did gain the respect of its rival, as sophomore pitcher Andy Williams dueled Vonderlieth for six shutout innings, yielding only a bunt single before he gave up the hit that cost him the game.

“The thing I really liked about Clairemont is that they were excited and ready to play,” Mission Bay Coach Dennis Pugh said. “They played a good game today.”

With the ocean breeze blowing in from left field, the game was destined to be low-scoring, and Vonderleith kept Clairemont from executing its offensive game plan. Vonderlieth, a 6-foot 1-inch left-hander, struck out 12, walked two and did not permit a runner to reach second base.

“Our whole idea was to get the ball on the ground and bunt people along, but we didn’t make any contact,” Clairemont Coach Hugh McMillan said. “He (Vonderlieth) had a lot of strikeouts, and that was an equalizer.”

That wind helped Williams conceal a few early mistakes, such as a first-inning shot by Mission Bay slugger Sean Rees that seemed headed over the fence but landed in the glove of center fielder Robert Cummings. As the game wore on, Williams became more effective.

After retiring his first two hitters in the seventh on a strikeout and a ground out, Williams walked Mission Bay’s Rusty Filter, who scored two pitches later on Vonderlieth’s double.

CITY WESTERN LEAGUE Kearny 5, La Jolla 4--Lupe Ford was 2 for 3, drove in the first run and scored the winning run. He also struck out five in seven innings to improve his record to 2-1. The Komets’ Eric Takeshita and Robbie Trice were 2 for 3. Takeshita also had two RBIs. David Jennings had two singles for the Vikings (0-3, 3-9). The Komets are 1-2, 3-7.

AVOCADO LEAGUE Ramona 8, Oceanside 2--The Bulldogs’ Tim Ellis threw a one-hitter and struck out 11, and Ramona hit five home runs to beat the visiting Pirates (0-1, 5-6). Jeff Small had a single in the sixth for Oceanside’s only hit. Dave Rowe and Oscar Bravo hit two-run hoemrs, and Sean McConaughey, Nick Dillon and George Cobian each had solo homers.

San Marcos 6, Escondido 1--Tino Lazano was 2 for 3, including a two-run homer in the first inning, to pace San Marcos past the Cougars. Robert Griffin (3-0) was the winning pitcher.

PALOMAR LEAGUE Fallbrook 6, San Dieguito 5--Fallbrook (13-1, 1-0) scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to beat San Dieguito (4-6-2, 0-1). Bill Dunckel (5-0) got the win in relief.

Mt. Carmel 12, Torrey Pines 3--Ron Kelly was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and a two-run homer as the Sundevils (1-0, 10-4) beat the host Falcons (0-1, 2-9). Senior catcher Miah Bradbury went 3 for 5 with an RBI for Mt. Carmel. Pitcher Ed Vanaelstyn (3-0) gave up three hits in five innings.

Poway 12, Vista 4--Poway’s Mike Scaggs went 2 for 4 with four RBIs, three of which came on a triple he hit in the second to give the Chieftans the lead. Pitcher Dominick Johnson allowed six hits and struck out seven en route to the win.

CITY EASTERN LEAGUE TOURNAMENT Serra 10, Patrick Henry 2--Pitcher Tim Finn (5-0) went 3 for 4 with two RBIs to help himself get the win. Serra’s Jason Arzaga also went 3 for 4, scoring one run. Henry’s Charlie Evans went 2 for 3 and batted in one of Henry’s two runs.

Morse 6, Point Loma 4--Paul Anderson hit a two-run triple in the first inning to give the host Tigers (7-8) a lead that they never relinquished. Anderson also struck out four and gave up nine hits in seven innings for the win.

CITY CENTRAL LEAGUE

Hoover 8, Lincoln 4--Hoover pitcher Sal Ceballos (2-2) and teammate Gus Garcia each went 2 for 3 with two RBIs to lead the Cardninals (2-1, 5-6) over Lincoln (1-2, 9-5). Lincoln’s Keith Mitchell was 2 for 3 and hit a three-run home run. Losing pitcher Anthony Johnson went 2 for 4 with an RBI.

San Diego 10, Crawford 3--San Diego scored six runs on no hits in the fifth inning to take the lead in a game that featured 10 errors and 11 unearned runs.

Briefly: City Eastern League Tournament: Serra 10, Patrick Henry 2; Morse 6, Pt. Loma 4. Non-league: Orange Glen 17, El Camino 2.