LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

  It is Torrey Pines v La Costa Canyon in an unusal Saturday Double Header at 10:30 am and 2:00 pm at La Costa Canyon High School.

                                                                 W   -   L   -   T         W   -   L   -   T

POWAY                                                     5    -   1   -    0         18   -   4   -   0

TORREY PINES                                         4    -   2   -   0         15   -   6   -   0

LA COSTA CANYON                                  3    -   2   -   1         15    -   5   -   1

RANCHO BERNARDO                                 2    -   3    -   1        12    -   8   -   1

WESTVIEW                                               2    -   4    -   0        11     -   9   -   0

MT  CARMEL                                              1   -    5    -   0        10    -   10  -   0

  The old Yogi Berra phrase is especially true in baseball.  La Costa Canyon with the help of home runs from Phillip Evans and Danny Bethea was cruising through the top of the 7th inning at home against Westview, with an 11-5 lead, two outs and two strikes on the batter when the wheels fell off.  Westview scored 9 times with 2 outs to take a 14-11 lead.

  In the bottom of the 7th inning the Mavericks also rallied with two outs as with the bases loaded Danny Bethea singled in one run and Brandon Delgado singled in the game tying and game winning runs to bring the Mavericks all the way back to a 15-14 Palomar League win.

  The two teams finish their three game series on Friday afternoon at 3:15pm at Westview.

By Bill Dickens (Special to the Union-Tribune)

  "Four high school baseball teams paraded into Petco Park yesterday, emotion virtually dripping from the faces of the wide-eyed young ballplayers.  "Just getting a chance to sort of walk in the shoes where the big leaguers play is awesome,"said Granite Hills center fielder Brian Humphries, who helped the Eagles edge Grossmont 4-2. "It's always been a dream of mine to play pro ball."  Humphries is regarded by many as the region's top high school prospect heading into the June draft.  "Obviously, this is the first time I've played on or even stepped onto a pro stadium field like this," Humphries said. "I hope to someday do it every night."

  In the opening game, Palomar League rivals La Costa Canyon and Rancho Bernardo battled to a 3-3 tie in a game suspended after eight innings because of a three-hour time limit.  Pitchers from both teams praised the condition of the mound.  "The shape of it, how hard it is...everything is perfect about it," said La Costa Canyon's Garrett Hughes, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound left hander who worked 5 2/3 innings.  LCC reliever Tyler Korn wasn't afraid to say he was in awe.  "The first couple of pitches I was pretty nervous," Korn said. "Standing out there on top of the mound looking in and seeing how high the stands go up, that was a little intimidating."

  Playing under the lights was no problem for Grossmont and Granite Hills.  Neither had played after dark since each won a San Diego Section Championship last year at Tony Gwynn Stadium.  "It took some adjustment, but you could see the ball fine," Granite Hills right fielder Josh Queriones said. Grossmont center fielder Kyle Secciani went 2for4 and scored a run.  "Definitely not going to hit one out of here," he said. "Just try to shoot the gaps."

  Inviting the high school teams to play at Petco was an idea initiated by the Padres.  Revenue from the games - three more are scheduled today - will help pay costs associated with the section playoffs.  Yesterday's crowd was estimated at just under 2,000.  Most agreed that playing at the home of the Padres was a night they'll never forget "It's an opportunity of a lifetime," Grossmont senior catcher Derek Baum said.

  It was a memorable evening for the coaches, too.  The LCC parents rewarded their coaches with a dinner and a night at a nearby luxury hotel following the game.  "YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT," said Mavericks coach Justin Machado. "

North County Times, By Scott Bair, Staff Writer

  "SAN DIEGO -- The first high school baseball game played at Petco Park was set to be a classic.  La Costa Canyon High and Rancho Bernardo were tied 3-3 in extra innings, leaving dramatics  to decide this well played Palomar League affair.

  A Padres-imposed time limit, however, robbed the game of its rightfull conclusion Friday evening.  The Padres mandated that any of the five prep contests played at Petco Park on Friday and Saturday left undecided after three hours be stopped without a victor and decided at a later date somewhere else.

 "It stinks that we couldn't finish it right here," said RB right fielder David Ring, whose RBI single in the sixth created the deadlock. "It was a great experience playing in this environment, but it would've been even better if we could've seen it through."

  This game will have an ending, but on a much smaller stage.  The teams will conclude the contest at Rancho Bernardo High -- where it was originally scheduled -- on a date to be determined.  Palomar League teams play three times per week, meaning a conclusion may not happen soon, partly because this was the final meeting between the teams.  The stalemate was reached thanks to a late charge by the Broncos.  They struggled early against Mavericks ace Garrett Hughes, but battled back with an rbi single from B.K. Santy in the fifth. Wynton Bernard drove in another run in the sixth, just before Ring's big two-out single.

  La Costa Canyon squeaked an equal number across, with a run in the first, fourth and sixth innings.  Each team had opportunities to up the run total, but left a combined 20 runners on base, creating an awkward end to an otherwise positive experience for the players involved.  "The end is what counts, and it's a bummer we didn't get to see this one out," said Mavericks first baseman Brandyn Delgado, who reached base four times, twice with base hits. "That said, we're all grateful for the chance to play here. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

  Petco Park played to its reputation for the most part.  Outfielders were rewarded for playing shallow, as precisous few metal-bat swinging hitters reached the deepest parts of the field.  RB first baseman James Dykstra was an exception, as he smacked a hard liner that rattled off the left-field wall.  No amount of effor, however, could break the tie -- at least within the allotted time limit.

  "II'S AN HONOR TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST TWO HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO EVER PLAY ON THIS FIELD,"  Mavericks coach Justin Machado said.  "We played good baseball, but we ended up kissing our sister."