San Diego High School Baseball : Patrick Henry Beats Mira Mesa

Patrick Henry Coach Bob Imlay said his team’s 8-5 City Eastern League victory over Mira Mesa Wednesday was the Patriots’ biggest of the season.

For Mira Mesa Coach Larry Elliot, the loss couldn’t have come at a worse time.

Elliot said before the game that Mira Mesa was forced to forfeit its victory over Madison last Friday because it used an ineligible player. So Mira Mesa went from 5-2 in league to 4-4. Mira Mesa (10-8 overall) has lost six straight.

Patrick Henry (6-2, 11-4-1) took over sole possession of first place in the league with the victory. Mira Mesa was tied with Patrick Henry before the loss and the forfeit.

“This was our first really big win of the year,” Imlay said. “We got off to a good start and were able to hang on. Our pitching always seems to make things interesting.”

Trailing 8-0, Mira Mesa rallied for three runs in the fifth on Ed Salanga’s three-run inside-the-park homer and two in the sixth on a home run by Mike Eicher. However, David Schiff got the last four outs to save the victory for Fabian Lleranes (2-2).

Tony McVicar had a pair of two-run doubles and Mike Miller hit a two-run home run for Patrick Henry.

Patrick Henry leads Madison by one game in the league standings with seven games to play. Mira Mesa is two games back, tied with Point Loma.

“I guess it would be an understatement to say we’re having our problems right now,” Elliot said.

Madison 6, Point Loma 4--Matt McKinney hit a two-run double at Madison to help the Warhawks (5-3, 11-8) take an early 5-1 lead and move into sole possession of second place. Chuck Frazier pitched a complete game. Point Loma is 4-4, 10-6.

Briefly--Morse 10, Serra 4.

CITY CENTRAL LEAGUE

San Diego 6, St. Augustine 4--Brian Baird’s bases-loaded double capped a six-run sixth inning for San Diego (5-2-1, 13-5-1) at home. St. Augustine (3-5, 5-11) led, 2-0, going to the bottom of the sixth. But Tony Farrell hit a two-run double to tie the score and Joe Dino followed with an RBI single to give San Diego the lead.

Hoover 7, Lincoln 6--John Roots hit a grand slam in the sixth inning to erase a 5-3 deficit and give Hoover (3-5, 5-13) the victory at home over Lincoln (3-4-1, 9-6-1). Marcus Hemstead added three hits for Hoover. Roots also pitched a nine-hitter for the victory.

CITY WESTERN LEAGUE

La Jolla 7, Mission Bay 4--Brad Raulston hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give La Jolla a 5-4 lead as the Vikings (5-2, 12-6-1) beat No. 4-ranked Mission Bay (5-3, 12-6) at La Jolla. David Jennings had two hits and drove in two runs to help La Jolla. Doug Powell (5-2) pitched a complete game for the victory.

Briefly--Clairemont 9, University City 6.

AVOCADO LEAGUE

San Pasqual 23, El Camino 0--Kelly Simpson hit a grand slam and added another RBI during a 10-run third-inning for San Pasqual (3-3, 10-8) at El Camino. Keith Nichols also homered for the Eagles, who took advantage of eight El Camino errors. Darren Dunn (4-4) went four innings for the victory. El Camino is 0-6 in league.

Briefly--Carlsbad 3, Oceanside 1.

PALOMAR LEAGUE

Mt. Carmel 15, Fallbrook 0--The second-ranked Sundevils (6-0, 16-3) scored five runs in the third inning to take a 10-0 lead. Ed VanAelstyn pitched a two-hitter and struck out eight. John Tejcek had three hits and four RBIs and Rich Hooper had a home run and two RBIs for Mt. Carmel, which scored in every inning at home. Fallbrook is 3-3, 13-6.

Orange Glen 14, Poway 9--Ray Chatton hit a grand slam during a nine-run sixth-inning to lead No. 3 Orange Glen (5-1, 15-5) past Poway (0-6, 2-12) at home. Ray Plantier hit his second home run of the game to give Poway a 7-5 lead in the sixth. Frank Escalante also homered for Orange Glen, which lost a 5-2 lead its big sixth inning.