LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Ethan Abrams pitched 7 innings, 3 hits, 0 ERs, striking out 5.  I don't believe a batter reached 2b in the game.  

Offensively, it was the Micky Moniak show.  Micky went 3-3 with a double, stole 2 bases and scored all 3 runs.  Ryan McClure drove in 2 runs.

Ryan Orr threw out another runner at 2b and went 3-3.

U/T  SAN DIEGO

By kirk kenney -U/T

  "Ethan Abrams didn't have his curveball the last time he took the mound. This time it was his fastball that was missing.    No matter.

  A pitcher headed to Columbia in the fall has the gray matter to figure a way out of such predicaments. Abrams did what he had to do with what he had at hand, pitching  La Costa Canyon to a 4-3 victory over Cathedral Catholic on Saturday in the Championship game of the Hilltop-Lolita's Tournament at Hilltop High.

  "I threw 85 percent curveballs," said Abrams. "They're probably not too happy about that."   The Dons were quite pleased with themselves in the first inning when they bunched three hits for a 2-1 lead off Abrams, who didn't look like he was going to be around long.

  But La Costa Canyon coach Justin Machado said Abrams is able "to handle the emotions of a big game." After all, Abrams pitched LCC to last season's Open Division Championship game by beating Rancho Bernardo, and he beat defending Open champion Granite Hills in his first start this year.  And so, the 6-foot senior settled in, allowing just two hits over the next five innings.  LCC (5-1) rallied in the meantime, taking a 3-2 lead in the third on RBI singles by Ryan Casper and Ryan Orr. A bases loaded walk to Shane Potter provided the crucial fourth run in the fourth inning. 

  Cathedral (4-2) made things interesting when Griffen Case led off the seventh with a home run to make it a one-run game.  "Fastball", said Abrams, who thought he could sneak one past the pinch hitter.    When Cathedral's jacob Mullin followed with a singe, Machado came to the mound to visit.  But he didn't ask Abrams for the ball.  "Weve been together so long that I left it up him," said Machado. "He said to leave him in."

   Two bunts moved the tying run to third base before Abrams got a strikeout to end the game.  "This gives us confidence," said Abrams (2-0), who allowed seven hits and struck out four over seven innings. "We're ready for anyone".

   No. 3 ranked LCC defeated top ranked RB, No. 2 Cathedral and No. 4 Granite hills in the Hilltop-Lolita's Tournament on the way to the championship. " 

  La Costa Canyon High School Mavericks beat the No. 1 ranked Rancho Bernardo Broncos by a score of 5-1 on Saturday at LCC, in the third game of  the Hill Top tournament.

  Last week the Mavericks (3-0) beat the 4th ranked Granite Hills squad 3-0 and next Tuesday they host the 6th ranked Ramona team, which lost to RB in their season opener.

  Junior  Brenden kawaja pitched six strong innings to earn his first victory for the Mavericks with Nick Scheidler finishing up in the 7th.

  Ryan Orr knocked in the Maverick's first run to tie the score at 1-1 in the 4th inning with pinch runner Jose Palomo scoring from second on the hit to left field.  The next inning Ryan McClure added a go ahead run batted in on a blast back to the pitcher's mound that knocked the pitcher down but he recovered to throw Ryan out at first.

  Protecting a one run lead in the top of the 6th inning, Brenden kawaja was facing the bases loaded with one out. A fly ball to   Mickey Moniac in center field registered the second out but then Moniac unleashed a laser throw to catcher Ryan Orr at home plate to nail the Bronco runner trying to score from third base and ended the inning.

  In the bottom of the 6th inning Ryan Casper added a couple of insurance runs with a bases loaded double.