Mt. Carmel Prepares for Trip With a 7-1 Win Over USDHS

Moments after Mt. Carmel High School disposed of the University of San Diego High, 7-1, in the championship game of the Hilltop-Moose baseball tournament, Coach Sam Blalock was talking about how an upcoming trip to Las Vegas for a tournament would bring the SunDevils together and starting pitcher Byron Klemaske was saying how he didn’t really throw all that well against USDHS.

This is not good news for other San Diego area teams.

Mt. Carmel is playing pretty well as it is, winning its sixth consecutive game after opening the season with a loss to St. Augustine, and all Klemaske did was hold previously undefeated USDHS (5-1) to one hit.

“The kids wanted to travel and it helps our team come together, although we’re together pretty good right now,” said Blalock, whose team opens play in the Chaparell tournament Thursday.

Few are going to argue Blalock’s strategy. Mt. Carmel has been one of the consistent challengers for the San Diego Section 3-A title over the last seven years. The Sundevils have won three titles since 1981 and have reached the final five times. Last season, they were eliminated by the eventual champion, Helix, in the semifinals.

On Saturday, Mt. Carmel showed it is again ready to contend for the section title as it powered its way to six runs in the fifth on four singles and two USDHS errors. The scoring and inning finally ended when the umpire called Marcus Lee out for missing third base on his way to what would have been the seventh run.

Klemaske allowed just a single by Sean Nugent in the top of the fifth.

“I didn’t feel like I had anything,” said Klemaske, who struck out four. “I didn’t have the knuckle ball. I was mostly throwing fast balls.”

In other Hilltop-Moose tournament games:

Poway 9, Granite Hills 8--The Titans managed only three hits, yet scored three runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh to overtake the host Eagles in the consolation game.

Poway’s offense was built on its ability to draw walks. Granite Hills pitchers issued 17 walks, five of which forced in runs.

Three other Titan runs came as a result of errors or wild pitches.

The only Poway RBI which was not gift-wrapped came with one out in the seventh, when Mike Beam’s sacrifice scored pinch-runner Chris McDermott with the winning run.

Poway’s three hits came were collected by Kevin Magruder, Greg Sorrell and Doug Shwenke.

Hilltop 6, San Marcos 2--Gordon Sanchez hit a solo home run to lead host Hilltop in the 11th-place game. The Lancers (1-5) trailed, 1-0, after the top half of the first but scored three runs in each of the first two innings. San Marcos is 0-6.

Helix 8, St. Augustine 7--Rob Ippolito went four for four and singled in the winning run in the seventh for host Helix (4-2). St. Augustine (2-4) had tied the score with two runs in its half of the seventh.

Mission Bay 7, Escondido 4--Sean Darrock’s first-inning two-run homer helped lead host Mission Bay. Crawford Tournament:

Clairemont 7, University City 6--Antoinne Henry went three for four, including a triple, scored two runs and drove in another for visiting Clairemont.

Nonconference:

San Pasqual 24, Laguna Beach 4--Kevin Herde went three for five, including two home runs, and collected six RBIs for visiting San Pasqual.

Herde (6-0) also got the pitching victory.

He was supported offensively by Dave Goss, who collected six RBIs and a home run on three-for-five hitting.