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San Juan Hills Baseball Extends Shutout Streak into League
The arms of the San Juan Hills baseball team have been mighty and the defense has been stingy, as the Stallions continued their hot streak into Sea View League play.
San Juan Hills (12-1, 3-0) has posted five consecutive shutouts and has allowed just one run during its 10-game win streak. The Stallions have allowed just seven runs all season, as they have risen to No. 1 in the CIF-SS Division 4 rankings. San Juan Hills’ only loss was a 1-0 decision at Foothill on Feb. 15.
San Juan Hills opened Sea View League play with a pair of 1-0 shutouts over Aliso Niguel.
At home on March 12, the Stallions were paced by five innings of one-hit ball by Austin Plisinski, who collected three strikeouts and allowed two walks. Jack Morrissey and Addy Gravdal each allowed one walk in their respective single innings to keep Aliso Niguel off the board.
San Juan Hills scored its lone run when Jeremiah Lindsay reached on a walk and scored on a Ethan Meeker single in the fifth inning.
At Aliso Niguel on March 13, Dane Grant allowed five hits with no runs in five innings with five strikeouts, and Drew Nelson earned the save and preserved the shutout with one hit allowed in two innings with two strikeouts.
The Stallions scratched out their one run in the fourth inning with a leadoff double by Jake Vuoso and a two-out single by Sorrell Rubin.
San Juan Hills continued its shutout streak at El Toro on Wednesday, March 20, on the back of a six-inning, two-hit effort by Plisinski. Plisinski recorded five strikeouts, and Gavin Giese did not allow a hit in his one inning of relief.
The Stallions scored one run in the fourth, and it was Vuoso who gave San Juan Hills breathing room late. Vuoso hit a two-out, two-run single in the sixth inning to score Tanner Kessler and Zach Doyle and another two-out, two-run single in the seventh to score Ryan Pimentel and Doyle.
San Juan Hills continues against El Toro at home on Friday, March 22. The Stallions then play two against San Clemente next week, with San Juan Hills hosting on Wednesday, March 27, and the Tritons hosting on Friday, March 29.
JSerra Baseball Bounces Back in Mater Dei Series
The start of Trinity League play was the toughest challenge the JSerra baseball team would face in its league schedule, as Orange Lutheran won the first two games of the three-game set last week.
Orange Lutheran shot up to No. 1 in CIF-SS Division 1 with the series win, and reigning back-to-back Division 1 champion JSerra dropped to No. 7.
However, the Lions are no strangers to rough league starts in each of their last two championship campaigns, and that heart of a champion shined through as JSerra followed up against No. 9 Mater Dei this week.
JSerra (7-5-1, 3-2) won, 5-1, at Mater Dei on Tuesday, March 19, and at home against the Monarchs on Wednesday, March 20, to stay close in a now closely contested Trinity League race. JSerra, Orange Lutheran, Division 1 No. 4 Santa Margarita and Division 3 No. 2 St. John Bosco are all 3-2 in league play heading into their second-series finales on Friday, March 22. Mater Dei is 2-3 in league play.
On Tuesday, JSerra scored a run in each of the first four innings and senior Matt Champion allowed one run in 6⅓ innings to secure the victory. Champion allowed six hits and two walks with six strikeouts. Jordan Marian, Takashi Rutherford, Noah Meza and Dmitri Susidko each collected an RBI.
The Lions then pulled a win out of the fire at home on Wednesday. Mater Dei grabbed the lead with two runs in the top of the seventh, but JSerra came right back with two runs in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off win.
Charlie Caruso was hit by a pitch with one out, and Tyler Dunning followed with a double. Caruso scored on a sacrifice fly, and after coming in as a pinch runner, Meza scored on an error at second base for the game-winning run.
JSerra is at Mater Dei on Friday, March 22, and then doesn’t return to Trinity League play until April 9, when the Lions host Santa Margarita.
San Juan Hills, JSerra, St. Margaret’s Boys Volleyball Earn CIF-SS Rankings
Where San Juan Capistrano was a focal point for girls volleyball in the fall, the city’s boys volleyball teams are rising up to the challenge as well.
The CIF-SS Division 3 championship looks as if it will go through South Orange County, as St. Margaret’s and JSerra sit at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively, after No. 1 San Clemente.
St. Margaret’s (13-3, 6-0) has won six in a row and 11 of its past 12 games, including a two-set tournament win over JSerra, to sit on top of the Orange Coast League. The Tartans hosted Calvary Chapel in a first-place fight on Thursday, March 21, but results were not available at press time.
JSerra (13-6, 1-2) has had to battle in Trinity League play with a five-set win over Orange Lutheran, a sweep loss to Mater Dei and a five-set loss to Santa Margarita. In the combined Division 1 and 2 rankings, Mater Dei is No. 8, Orange Lutheran is No. 17, and Santa Margarita is No. 18.
San Juan Hills (18-4-1, 0-3) has stayed at No. 1 in the CIF-SS Division 4 rankings despite only winning one set in its first three South Coast League matches. The Stallions were swept by San Clemente (No. 1 in Division 3) and Tesoro (No. 5 in Division 1) and lost in four sets to Trabuco Hills, which received votes in Division 3’s poll.
The Stallions looked to pick up their first win in league play at home against Aliso Niguel (2-7, 0-2) on Thursday, March 21. Results were not available at press time.