HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Hilltop’s Munoz Wins a Duel

Only a sophomore, Castle Park’s Vico Moreno is learning early some of the merciless aspects of baseball and pitching.

Despite tossing a three-hitter Friday, Moreno lost 2-1 to Hilltop High in a Metro Conference game at Hilltop.

That’s because Jorge Munoz of Hilltop threw a two-hitter.

Moreno, a left-hander, had allowed only one earned run all season and led the county with a 0.21 ERA. Munoz, normally a catcher and the Lancers’ quarterback in football, had thrown only 1 1/3 innings in his career before Friday.

Moreno won his first five decisions but dropped a 2-0 decision to Montgomery on two unearned runs last week. Hilltop had gone 0-3-1 in its last four games.

No. 6 Castle Park (14-6, 5-3) has lost two in a row. Hilltop improved to 8-6-2, 3-5-1.

Castle Park got its hits and its only run in the third inning. Jose Yescas doubled, and Jose Guerrero drove him in with a single. Hilltop got its two runs on one hit in the sixth.

After Johnny Garibay walked, Lancer shortstop Sergio Guzman homered to left.

In other Metro games:

Montgomery 2, Sweetwater 1--No team in the Metro Conference has found a way to beat the No. 1 Aztecs, who improved to 17-1-1, 9-0. The opponents are running out of options. With the score tied, 1-1, the Red Devils had the bases loaded in the top of the seventh and couldn’t cash in. Junior left-hander Julio Saldana, who faced only one batter and got the victory, got Fernando Rodriguez to pop to third.

Montgomery loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh and got a single up the middle by sophomore catcher Carlos Acuna to win it. Gilbert Benitez hit a solo home run in the third for Sweetwater’s only run, and losing pitcher Eric Gallardo pitched a three-hitter.

Mar Vista 7, Bonita Vista 6--Mar Vista’s Carlos Quinones had a base hit in the bottom of the sixth to drive in two runs and tie the score, 6-6. Shaun Simmons then drove in Jim Gruber on a sacrifice fly, giving Mar Vista (8-8-1, 3-6) the victory. Gruber’s two-run homer in the fourth put Mariners on the board. Bonita Vista is 2-11-1, 2-6-1.

Southwest 5, Chula Vista 2--The Raiders, who entered the week 1-6 in the Metro, picked up their second victory of the week when they defeated the Spartans (6-2, 11-8). Adrian Garcia went the distance for the victory, striking out 11, walking one and scattering seven hits. Southwest was aided by six Chula Vista errors. The Raiders are 5-9 overall.

City Central League

Crawford 18, Lincoln 5--Larry Haley had seven RBIs off a double, single and a home run for Crawford (8-11, 4-2). Lincoln is 7-12, 2-4.

Madison 9, Hoover 4--Roger Blake hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give Hoover a 4-3 lead, but Madison (7-8, 4-1) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fifth and three more in the sixth. Right-hander Scott Meyers (3-1) won in relief, blanking Hoover (1-16, 0-6) over the final two innings.

City Eastern League

Mira Mesa 2, Serra 1--The fourth-ranked Marauders needed a combined one-hitter by Brendan Haas and Mike Bovee to hold off the Conquistadors, who scored in the top of the first after a leadoff double. Haas pitched the first six innings, striking out seven. Bovee, who doubled and was squeezed home with the winning run in Mira Mesa’s two-run fourth, retired the side in the seventh. Mira Mesa is 17-4-1, 4-1; Serra is 14-8-1, 2-4.

Patrick Henry 13, Morse 11--Patrick Henry’s Tony Bedikinan, who went four for five, drove in two runs in the seventh to send the game into extra innings. The Patriots scored two unearned runs for the victory.

City Harbor League

St. Augustine 3, Marian 2--Roger Alvarez, who had three hits and two RBIs, drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh for the Saints (12-8, 4-2). Paul Hernandez went two for three with two triples and an RBI for St. Augustine. Marian is 6-9-1, 0-6.

Clairemont 7, Christian 4--David Salonius hit a three-run homer in the fifth inning to put Clairemont ahead, 6-4. Danny Langford went three for three with a double, a triple, an RBI and two runs scored for Clairemont (9-7-1, 3-2).

City Western League

University City 10, Kearny 5--Three UC players combined for seven RBIs. Brady Bishop went two for three with two doubles, two RBIs and three runs scored; Ben Mohr went two for three with a triple and two RBIs and Mike Saipe went two for three with three RBIs. Also for UC (12-5, 4-2), Jeremy Albers hit two doubles and scored three runs. Kearny is 3-13, 0-6.

La Jolla 5, Mission Bay 2--Craig Woodall (4-3) picked up his second victory of the week, and La Jolla dealt the Buccaneers (14-5, 3-1) their first league loss. Wyatt Spencer (3-2) took the loss. The Vikings, who entered the week 0-3, are 2-3 in league, 11-5 overall.

Coastal League

Santa Fe Christian 4, Bishop’s 3--With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Keith Galloway hit the game-winning RBI for Santa Fe Christian (6-7, 3-3). Galloway went four for four with a double, a home run and three RBIs. Bishop’s is 4-8, 2-4.

Nonleague

San Marcos 9, Point Loma 4--Eric Morton and Kurt Gallego each hit homers to power No. 8 San Marcos (14-3). Mel Shanley went three for four with an RBI for Point Loma (10-10).

Midway Baptist 8, Army-Navy 6--Matt Fiezer’s three-run homer in the third inning gave Midway (11-3) a 5-3 lead, and the Patriots never looked back. Todd Foster (3-0) pitched five innings.

SOFTBALL

Metro Conference

Chula Vista 5, Southwest 0--Monica Medina pitched a one-hitter to win her fourth league game without a loss. She is 6-2 overall. First-place Chula Vista improved to 15-4, 9-0. Medina’s sister Armida was two for three.

Sweetwater 11, Montgomery 2--Lynn Otey powered the Red Devils with two home runs, including a grand slam, and five RBIs.