HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Pointers Knock Mira Mesa Out of Championship Race

Mira Mesa went but didn’t go quietly. Instead, the county’s seventh-ranked baseball team went home screaming, its City Eastern League hopes dashed by upstart Point Loma.

A knot was taken out of the tangled league race Thursday when Mira Mesa lost to the unranked Pointers, 5-4. Point Loma (14-11, 8-3) thus took over first from Patrick Henry (8-4 in league) and now needs only to defeat Serra in next week’s regular-season finale to stay there.

Mira Mesa (17-7, 6-5) chipped away Thursday, scoring runs in the first, second, fourth and fifth innings to take a 4-1 lead going into the bottom of the sixth.

The sixth. That’s when Mira Mesa started to make noise. Point Loma’s John Gabrian (three for three, including a double) led off with a single--the Pointers’ only hit. After a close call at second, one error, three walks and four runs--two unearned--Mira Mesa wore a look of frustration. Point Loma had scored on Mike Williams’ grounder to third, two walks and a sacrifice fly to center by Bob Simoneau to take a 5-4 lead.

But it was the call at second that proved to be Mira Mesa’s undoing. With Tobin Gault batting and Gabrian at first, pitcher Brendon Hause fielded Gault’s grounder and threw high to second. Base umpire Frank Rushtich called both Gabrian and Gault safe, ruling that second baseman Drew Arnold’s foot was off the base.

“It was definitely close,” Point Loma Coach Bill Hall said. “It could have gone either way. (Arnold) had to go up and make the catch, and (the umpire) had to make a call.”

Point Loma’s outburst made up for what it had failed to do early on when it left runners stranded on third in the first, second and fourth innings and on first and second in the third.

“We always seem to have to do things the hard way,” Hall said.

In another City Eastern League game:

Serra 5, Patrick Henry 4--Patrick Henry out-hit Serra (4-6-1, 10-17-1), 15-4, but nevertheless dropped out of first place.

Western League

Kearny 3, La Jolla 0--Scott Goligoski pitched a four-hitter for Kearny (4-8, 11-14).

USDHS 16, University City 4--Gavin Millay went three for four with a homer and five RBIs for USDHS (22-5, 10-1), which clinched a share of the title.

City Harbor League

Marian 15, Christian 9--Marian (7-15, 3-9) hit five doubles in an 11-run fourth inning.

Clairemont 4, Coronado 2--Jeff Langford’s two-run double in the top of the seventh broke a 2-2 tie for Clairemont (14-12, 7-4).

City Central League

San Diego 9, Madison 8--The Cavers (16-7, 8-3) came back from an eight-run deficit behind Jacque Jones, who drove in five runs with three hits, including the game-winner with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Crawford 4, Hoover 2--Chris Townsend (7-2) struck out 10 and didn’t allow a hit for 4 2/3 innings for the Colts (17-6, 9-3).

Metro Conference

Southwest 2, Sweetwater 1--Ernie Negrete’s single and Carlos Sanchez’s double were the only hits for Southwest (11-12, 9-3), but they followed a two-out, three-base error and provided pitcher Tony De la Torre (3-1) with the needed runs. Sweetwater is 17-9, 5-7.

Bonita Vista 4, Chula Vista 2--In relief, Mike Wazal (6-5) won his second game of the week for Bonita Vista (12-12, 6-6). Chula Vista is 9-14, 4-8.

Castle Park 13, Mar Vista 0--Starting pitcher Benji Gil struck out eight in five innings and was three for four with two RBIs to lead Castle Park (16-11, 7-5).

Montgomery 9, Hilltop 2--Montgomery (17-8, 9-3) scored eight runs on eight hits, two by Danny Barrigan, in the second.