High School Baseball Roundup : Buccaneers’ Miranda Steals Show : His Hitting, Homer Lead Mission Bay Past USDHS, 10-4

Anytime Sean Rees is pitching for Mission Bay High School, it’s tough for teammates to get much recognition.

But Brian Miranda made sure his presence was felt Friday afternoon.

Miranda, a junior center fielder, hit a three-run homer and went 3 for 4 to help the visiting Buccaneers defeat University of San Diego High School, 10-4, in a City Western League game.

“At the beginning of the season, I wasn’t hitting,” Miranda said. “But Coach (Dennis Pugh) worked with my stance, and today was the first time I’ve hit well.”

The first inning was no indication of how he would perform. With one run in and the bases loaded, Miranda let a called third strike go by for the third out.

He made up for that in the third with a single, and in the fourth hit his homer--with a little help from a friend. Mission Bay was already leading, 5-1, when Miranda stepped up with two on and two out. Miranda, a left-handed hitter, drove a Brian Boyd pitch deep to the right-field corner. USDHS outfielder Tony Moeder, battling a fierce sun, made a long run for the ball, only to have it glance off his glove and over the fence.

“The funny thing is, I’ve known Moeder a long time. We’ve played against each other,” said Miranda, who transferred to Mission Bay this year from Mt. Carmel.

After Miranda’s homer put Mission Bay in front, 8-1, USDHS rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Moeder drove in two with a single.

But Mission Bay (7-0-1, 2-0) put the game out of reach in the fifth with two more runs. Tony Lennan accounted for one with an infield single and Colin Davis the other with a double.

Lennan went 2 for 3 with 2 runs batted in. Davis, who sat out a couple of innings with an injured left wrist, drove in two runs.

Rees, a senior left-hander who is considered one of the top pitchers in the county, wasn’t as sharp as usual in going the distance for his fourth victory without a defeat. He gave up five hits, struck out eight, walked four and hit a batter.

“Sean went through a little bit of a dead-arm period this week,” said Pugh. “He’s OK, though. I thought he got stronger as the game went on.”

Despite the loss, USDHS (3-4, 1-1) could take comfort in the fact that senior Duke Gonzalez pitched the seventh, striking out three and walking one. It was his first appearance this season after arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder nine weeks ago.

GROSSMONT LEAGUE

Grossmont 7, Mt. Miguel 3--Kent Smith doubled in three runs, finished with three doubles and gained the victory in relief. Devin Rainer hit a two-run homer for Mt. Miguel, and freshman Todd Cady did likewise for Grossmont (5-4, 2-0).

Granite Hills 6, El Cajon Valley 3--John Fenn and Jeff Waymire turned a double play with two runners on in the sixth to stop a rally, and Granite Hills added two runs in the bottom of the inning against visiting El Cajon Valley (4-4, 0-2). Granite Hills is 5-3 and 2-2.

Monte Vista 3, Valhalla 2--Eric Wilson scored the game-winner on Halifu Johnson’s grounder to shortstop with the bases loaded and none out in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore pitcher Vern Mullis (2-0) allowed only two hits and had two hits to raise his average to .450. Both teams are 1-1 in league.

NONLEAGUE

Benson Tech (Ore.) 10, Oceanside 5--With Benson Tech of Portland leading, 3-1, in the fifth, Tim Thielen tripled with the bases loaded to break the game open. Thielen went 3 for 4 with 4 RBIs. Benson is 5-2, Oceanside is 2-4.

Hood River (Ore.) 4, San Dieguito 1--Tim Kundinger had two hits and a run for host San Dieguito (2-7).