The Eastlake High School baseball team entered this season as San Diego Section Open Division champions. The Titans finished with a slew of elite state and national rankings, so it wasn’t too surprising when the team received the No. 1 section ranking to start this season.
There’s no question that head coach Dave Gallegos has another juggernaut in the making this season.
In fact, Eastlake appeared to breeze through Open Division pool play in last week’s 68th annual Lions Tournament with a 3-0 record and sizable victories against Arizona’s Vista Grande (16-0), Madison (5-1) and La Costa Canyon (8-1).
However, the Titans dropped a 4-0 decision to eighth-ranked San Marcos in the semifinals to come to a sudden halt.
San Marcos went on to top Rancho Bernardo, 10-2, in the championship game played at Cathedral Catholic High School.
Pitching often sets the tone in high school baseball. Eastlake has among the best pitching staffs in the section.
But San Marcos appears to have a couple of ringers to call their own. Kyle Carr struck out 10 batters in the semifinal game while teammate Zack Prajzner fanned 11 Broncos in the championship game.
The Knights ran the table at the Lions tournament, dealing former No. 1 Eastlake, No. 2 Cathedral Catholic and No. 3 Rancho Bernardo all setbacks to climb to the top of this week’s section top 10 rankings.
San Marcos is the new No. 1, followed by Eastlake at No. 2, Rancho Bernardo at No. 3, Torrey Pines at No. 4, Cathedral Catholic at No. 5, Helix at No. 6, Poway at No. 7, Mission Hills at No. 8, Grossmont at No. 9 and Francis Parker at No. 10.
“Being ranked No. 1 to start the season was likely due to what we did last year because we are so young in some areas (this year),” Gallegos said. “But the way the kids are playing, I can see why they voted us that high. I’m not sure if we’re the top team in the county but we’re among the best.”
Three experienced returners off last year’s Open Division championship squad continue to drive the Titans: pitchers Grant Holman and Brian Leonhardt and outfielder/infielder Micah Pietila-Wiggs.
Holman improved to 22-0 in his varsity career after dealing La Costa Canyon an 8-1 loss in Eastlake’s final pool game in the Lions Tournament. He struck out 10 batters and allowed two hits.
The Titans actually carry four pitchers in their rotation: Holman and Leonhardt, both seniors, along with junior Ricky Tibbett and senior Octavio Sanchez.
“We rely on these four pitchers in our rotation for tournaments,” Gallegos said.
Eastlake is also deep in relief pitching with senior Rob Vaugh and juniors Jalen Fejeran and Jack Hay on hand to call on whenever an emergency arises.
“We have good experience in our starting rotation with three seniors and one junior,” Gallegos noted.
Joining Holman, Leonhardt and Pietila-Wiggs as impact players this season are Sanchez, Fejeran, senior outfielder Zaine Mendoza, freshman infielder Marcelo Mayer and senior outfielder Jake Espinoza.
Seven players have already charted pathways to college: Mayer (USC), Keoni Cavaco (SDSU), Fejeran (UC San Diego), Tibbett (SDSU), Mendoza (CSU San Bernardino), Holman (Cal Berkeley) and Leonhardt (SDSU).
Pietila-Wiggs remains undecided.
“They are all amazing,” Gallegos said.
The path to SDSU is well trodden by ex-Titans: Casey Schmitt (2017), Julian Escobedo (2016), Gregory Brown (2016), Dean Nevarez (2015) and Dylan McDonald (2012).
Little League World Series
Sophomore pitcher Dante Schmid, among the heroes on the Sweetwater Valley All-Stars run to the 2015 Little League World Series, is listed on the EHS roster.
The Titans, it seems, are chock full of Little League World Series experience. Pietila-Wiggs, Holman, Espinoza and Tibbett join outfielder Michael Gaines and catcher Nick Mora from Eastlake Little League’s amazing run to the 2013 U.S. Division championship.
Mora hit three home runs in the Little League World Series while Holman slammed two home runs. Holman also tossed a no-hitter in Eastlake’s 3-0 opening win over Grosse Point, Mich.
New horizons
Eastlake defeated Santana, 7-4, in a GMC Tournament game on Tuesday to improve to 10-2-1 on the season.
The Titans open Mesa League play by hosting San Ysidro, the 6A Division champions in this year’s Lions Tournament, on Monday, April 9. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.
“Our goals are to improve each week and win our last game of the season,” Gallegos said.
The latter would likely deliver the Titans another CIF championship.
As for the recent Lions Tournament, Gallegos said his team delivered a strong showing despite falling short in the playoffs.
“We did very well,” the EHS coach said. “That last game we played (against San Marcos), we played against a very good team that day.”
Season preview
Metro Conference teams are still wrapping up non-league play. Top records include San Ysidro (12-4), Eastlake (10-2-1), Otay Ranch (8-4), Chula Vista (7-7) and Bonita Vista (6-7) in the Mesa League and Mar Vista (11-3), Castle Park (8-5), Southwest (8-8) and Mater Dei Catholic (7-9) in the South Bay League.
