LAKE ELSINORE – It’s that time of the year as The Diamond, aka “Storm Stadium,” welcomes high school baseball teams from many of the local leagues to play where the semi-pros from the Single-A affiliate of the Padres play. This past week included the six squads from the Southwestern League as they took the field in a triple-header Wednesday, April 12. When a game takes place in any professional stadium, it’s always an exciting time for the players, their families, friends, fans, coaches, and of course, school admin.
As with any sport, you never know what can happen on any given day. Last place teams can give anyone a run for their money when energy is high, a first-place team can find themselves getting shutout and teams fighting for a playoff spot, well, they will always keep things interesting. For the SWL teams, that’s exactly how their night in Lake Elsinore went.
With two weeks left in the regular season, and eight games left on the schedule for most of these teams, the top three spots in the standings are only separated by one win after the Wednesday games. Going into Friday action, Vista Murrieta (7-2), Great Oak (6-3) and Temecula Valley (5-5) were in a tight race while Chaparral (5-6) and Murrieta Valley (4-7) were just a couple wins back from making things very exciting. Murrieta Mesa (3-7), who was four games back and on a two-game win streak, were looking to continue to shock teams if they keep playing the way they have been.
Murrieta Mesa – 4, Chaparral – 2
In the early game of the triple-header at Storm Stadium, the Rams were coming off a surprising 10-7 win over Great Oak earlier in the week, and with the lineup cards entered, it was going to be a showdown between two aces, Daniel Gonzalez from Murrieta Mesa (*2.01 ERA, 32 Ks) and Braylon Doughty from Chaparral (*5 wins, .071 ERA, 62 Ks). Doughty also went in the game with a .490 batting average, leading the league with 24 hits, 7 doubles, 2 triples and 2 home runs.
The Pumas got on the board in the first inning when Jonas Ballesteros grounded out, scoring Cooper Rasmussen, and scored again in the top of the fourth when Chase Blackwell took home on an error on the mound from Gonzalez.
Both pitchers kept the game close through the sixth inning, with Doughty keeping the Rams hitless until Michael Israel broke the no-hitter open with a single, which was followed by a CJ Moran triple, plating Israel. Gonzalez would help his own cause with the next at-bat, knocking an RBI base hit to tie the game. With the game tied at two runs apiece and the Rams batting in the bottom of the sixth, freshman Tanner Blackmon singled on a 2-2 count, scoring a run, and igniting the Rams offense. After snatching the lead late in the game, Murrieta Mesa would hang on for a 4-2 victory over the Pumas.
Gonzalez lasted six and a third innings, allowing six hits and two runs while striking out four and walking one, picking up the win for the Rams. Moran led Murrieta Mesa with two hits in three at bats while Rasmussen went 2-for-4 at the plate to lead Chaparral.
Great Oak – 4, Murrieta Valley – 1
Game two of the day saw the Wolfpack rebound from that stunning Monday loss to the Rams as they dealt Murrieta Valley a heartbreaking loss at The Diamond. The game was tied at 1-1 with Great Oak batting in the bottom of the fifth when sophomore Reagan Ricken singled on a 1-1 count, scoring one run. That single would spark a 3-run inning for the Wolfpack, a lead that the Nighthawks could not bounce back from.
Reagan’s older brother, Riley Ricken, a senior left-handed pitcher, picked up the victory, allowing four hits and one run over five innings, striking out nine. Reagan Ricken would also pitch in relief, along with Braden Wauschek, who entered the game out of the bullpen to help close out the game. Great Oak was led at the plate by Ryan Lee who had a hit with two RBIs.
Ian Mowad took the loss for Murrieta Valley. The hurler surrendered four runs on five hits over five innings, striking out two. Tegan Melanson, Rainn McMillan, Rafael Piceno and Jacob Loving each collected one hit on offense for Murrieta Valley.
Temecula Valley – 8, Vista Murrieta – 0
The final game of the triple header took place under the lights, which was a battle between the defending Southwestern League champion Broncos, and the third place Golden Bears. In a stunning upset, Temecula Valley defeated Vista Murrieta 8-0 as two pitchers combined to throw a shutout. The Golden Bears secured the victory thanks to six runs in the first inning.
Grant Yzermans, Cody Liscio, Reece Klippel, Mason Burkhardt and Noah Barba each had RBIs in the inning that ultimately took the wind out of the Broncos’ sails. Barba, Liscio and Yzermans all had multiple hits for the Golden Bears as Adler Cecil got the win on the mound. The lefty (who has 4 wins, 50 Ks and boasts a .019 ERA*) allowed two hits and zero runs over six and two-thirds innings, striking out seven. Logan Long threw one-third of an inning in relief out of the bullpen.
Jorge Rodriguez took the loss, allowing nine hits and eight runs while striking out one and walking one. Vaughn Neckar and David Ruth had the only hits for the Broncos with one apiece.
Southwestern League play continued Friday, April 14, with a double header at Chaparral against the Rams while Vista Murrieta hosted Temecula Valley and Murrieta Valley welcomed Great Oak. The final scores of those games were Murrieta Mesa – 9, Chaparral – 2 (Game 1); Chaparral – 5, Murrieta Mesa – 4 (Game 2); Vista Murrieta – 5, Temecula Valley – 2; Great Oak – 9, Murrieta Valley – 1.
Article contributions made by Valley News Sports intern Myles Crasterly, G.C. Narrative and Valley News Sports Editor JP Raineri.
*Overall season stats
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