LJ baseball 1, Point Loma 16

The Vikings' Sola Hope leads off first after reaching

board on a walk in the bottom of the second

inning Monday. (Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

The scoreboard at Ronnie Spelman Field encountered something it hasn't faced too many times before on Mon., April 10. The fourth inning box for the visiting team, Point Loma, only had space to show a "3", while the Pointers actually scored 13 runs in the inning.

La Jolla, hosting the Lions Baseball Tournament game on the first day of the annual tourney, used four pitchers in the disastrous fourth on the way to a 16-1 thumping at the hands of the squad of Coach David Wells, the former New York Yankee.

This was shades of Steele Canyon, where three weeks ago the Vikings went through a similar nightmare: three pitchers giving up six walks in an inning. Coach Gary Frank knew he had a choice to make when he slated his top hurlers, the two Nicks, for Tuesday's and Wednesday's games in the tournament. Nick Ferenczy goes at Otay Ranch in day two, Nick Hammel back at home Wednesday against Rocklin.

So that meant starting with right-hander Alex Monell against the Pointers, with another "pitching by committee" effort in the works. It didn't work out, as the tall junior threw 56 pitchers in only three innings.

His successors loaded the bases in the fourth, then gave up four runs on a walk, a hit batsman, and three hits sandwiched around a force at the plate the runner was called safe on.

Before the final unlucky 13 number was only partially able to be dialed in on the left field display, three relievers had made their appearances on the Muirlands mound and several more hits had ensued--at least they weren't walks, as in the debacle at Steele Canyon last month.

Garrett Brown drove in La Jolla's only run, driving in Zach Sehgal with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the third. Brown, the starting catcher, had given way the first three innings to junior varsity backstop Arman Sanchez-Mohit, because of a college trip he and his father made to see UCSB and Cal Poly, missing practice.

Monell, through the first three innings against Point Loma, only gave up one run. That came in the top of the first, when Anthony Hall singled home Matt Amberg, who had reached base on a walk, with one out.

Alex, standing 6'5" or so, induced Hall to hit into a double play in the third. That was fortunate from a La Jolla standpoint, because then the Pointers advanced runners to second and third, on a bunt by opposing starter Santiago Gomez for a base hit, then a walk to Justin DaLuz. A wild pitch moved them to third and second, respectively.

The right-hander was able to end the inning when Hunter Otjen hit a fly to Sola Hope in right field.

The game was called after six innings, with the visiting club leading by 15, under the mercy rule.

Hopeful for the Vikings is that in the other game within the four-team pool Monday in the 6A Division of the tourney, Rocklin overcame Otay Ranch, 8-7. That means that in the Point Loma-Rocklin matchup, one team will end up with at least one loss.

If the winner of the Rocklin-Otay Ranch game suffers a loss, the Vikings would still have a chance. The whole goal of pool play is to get out of the pool. It could take a playoff Thursday morning if two teams are tied.

Prior to Monday's game, La Jolla had already faced the Pointers twice, in a doubleheader at home April 1. Monell, in a close 2-1 win in the morning game, allowed no hits and gave up only an unearned run in six innings of work. He walked only two batters, while striking out two.

Sam Stewart finished the game, allowing no runs, striking out two as he gave up one hit.

Thus, starting Monell against Point Loma in the tournament made a lot of sense. He just couldn't duplicate his effectiveness Monday.