High school baseball roundup
Five local squads to compete in SD Lions tourney
Last week in Southeastern Conference baseball, two Imperial Valley League teams met at Petco Park, one Desert League team took over first place, and five Valley teams were gearing up for the prestigious
San Diego Lions Baseball Tournament, which starts Monday.
Southwest High’s Eagles and Holtville High’s Vikings were in San Diego’s Petco Park Wednesday for the rare opportunity to play in a Major League Baseball stadium. Representing the Southeastern Conference for a CIFSan Diego Section annual event, the Eagles and Vikings engaged in classic pitching duel headlined by Southwest junior hurler Hugo Tafoyo and his Holtville counterpart, senior J.R. Garewal.
The Tafoyo and the Eagles prevailed after junior catcher Fernando Soria clubbed a bases-loaded double in the fifth, driving in the game’s only two runs.
After completing the first of three trips through the Desert League, coach Ricky Guzman’s Calexico Bulldogs scored 26 runs last week to take sole possession of first place.
After opening the Desert League with a 6-3 win over visiting Calipatria, Calexico traveled across town Tuesday defeating Vincent Memorial Catholic 3-0 at Rodriguez Park. Pitcher Andre Valdez picked up the win against the Scot, striking out six and delivering at the plate with two hits and three runs. Leo Veliz was 2-4 and scored twice while Angel Cano doubled and picked up two RBI.
On Thursday, Calexico traveled to Blythe and defeated Palo Verde 13-2. Veliz went four-for-four for the Bulldogs with a double, two triples and seven RBI. Ayiden Reyes had two hits and scored twice, while pitcher Angel Hernandez struck out six Yellow Jackets to pick up the win.
This week five Valley teams will be playing in the The San Diego Downtown Lions High School Baseball Tournament, the oldest and largest tourney in the United States.
Founded in 1951 and traditionally held in the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, games are played for four days in eight divisions that includes divisional play for the first three games played on Monday through Wednesday with an inter-divisional fourth game on Thursday.
On Monday, the Brawley Union (114, 3-0 IVL) and the Southwest (7-10 , 1-0 IVL) will be the two highest seeded Valley teams competing in the Premier Division at the Lions’ Tournament.
Coach Pedro Carranza’s Wildcats open Premier Division A action on Monday taking on McClatchy High (Sacramento) at Poway High School, travel to Ramona High on Tuesday and finish divisional play on Wednesday at Otay Ranch in Chula Vista.
The Southwest Eagles (7-10, 1-0) of coach Matt Redden will play in the Premier Division B and open Monday and Tuesday at Mater Dei Catholic High in Chula Vista, first playing the Crusaders then Vista High before finishing up at Francis Parker on Wednesday.
Coach Benny Carter’s Vikings (8-7-2, 2-1 IVL) will play in the Lions’ Tournament’s Division 3A traveling to Mission Bay on Monday, Mount Miguel of Spring Valley on Tuesday, then face Alpha Charter (Elverta) Wednesday at Grossmont High.
Calexico (10-6, DL 3-0) will be competing in Division 2B. The Bulldogs open the tournament on Monday against San Diego High, Tuesday at Chula Vista High and Wednesday the Bulldogs meet Pacific Ridge (Carlsbad) at El Capitan High in Lakeside.
Imperial High’s Tigers (6-9-1, 0-2 IVL) find themselves seeded in the Lions’ Tournament’s Division 4B. Coach Javier Ramos’ squad will travel to Mt. Carmel on Monday, to La Jolla to take on the Bishop’s School on Tuesday and conclude divisional play Wednesday at Olympian High in Chula Vista.
All divisional games Monday through Wednesday are slated to begin at 4 p.m. with Thursday’s games opponents and venues to be announced.
This week two of the Valley’s Desert League teams, Calipatria Calipatria (3-5, 0-1 DL) and Vincent Memorial Catholic (1-2, 0-1 DL), are not involved in tournaments with the Hornets traveling to play Mt. Empire on Thursday.