Paloma Valley won three straight games after losing its tournament opener to win the championship of the San Diego Lions Baseball Tournament this week.
The Wildcats, who are now 9-7 overall, have won five of their last seven games. After losing the tournament opener on Monday (13-2) to Santa Fe Christian, Paloma Valley beat San Ysidro (7-5) on Tuesday, Del Norte (5-4) on Wednesday, and Grossmont (12-3) on Thursday to win the Classic Division title.
Against San Ysidro, the Wildcats had a 6-0 lead after two innings and held on for the win. Landon Bowker had a 3-run double and Brendon Harper went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Clinton Glass pitched 3 hitless innings. Against Del Notre, Paloma scored 2 runs in the seventh inning for a come-from-behind win. Josh Bruan, Christian Stephens, and Ryan Christman had 2 hits each.
Against Grossmont, Paloma pounded out 13 hits. Brendon Harper hit a 3-run home run, A’Lyric Sepulveda had a home run, double, and 3 RBIs. Bolt Smearer went 3 for 4, and Clinton Glass went 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs. Holden Pettit allowed 3 runs on 6 hits and struck out 11.
“They are growing up right before my eyes,” coach Jason Berni said about the Wildcats. “Clinton Glass is doing a tremendous job with his leadership. It was a total team effort this week.”
The Wildcats return to Ivy League play next week with two games against Heritage.
Also in the San Diego Lions Tournament, Liberty went 2-2. In the Bison’s 9-2 win over Chula Vista on Thursday, Xzavian Mazariegos, Caleb Lozano, Brandon Ansell, and Nate Wellen each had 2 hits. Martin Naranjo allowed 2 runs on 6 hits in 6.2 innings on the mound.
In South Valley League baseball play this week, Santa Rosa Academy won two games by scores of 11-1 and 12-2 against St. Jeanne de Lestonnac Catholic School. In the first game on Tuesday, Dominic Zagone had a huge game, going 3 for 3 with a home run, double, 6 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Elijah Brewer and Jesse Alday had 2 hits each. Pitcher Maxwell Dupree gave up a run on 5 hits in 5 innings.
In the second game on Thursday, Brewer had 3 RBIs while Alday and Dupree had 2 hits each. The Rangers are 9-4 overall and 5-1 in league play.
In track and field, Santa Rosa Academy broke eight school records and won 23 medals at the Small Schools Invite at Linfield Christian on Saturday. Highlights:
— Orlando Landa-Wells walked away with gold medals in the long jump, triple jump, 100m, and 200m.
— Blakely Chatman walked away with medals in the 100m, 4x100m relay, 200m, and hurdles.
— LaNijah Burris won medals in the long jump, triple jump, and high jump.
