The Chula Vista Spartans were staring at a 1-10 start following an 0-4 showing at March’s 66th Lions baseball tournament. But the Spartans since regrouped and found South County competition more to their liking by reeling off five consecutive victories to earn a berth in last Saturday’s John Baumgarten/Metro Conference tournament championship game at Mater Dei Catholic High School.
The Spartans dropped a 3-0 decision to the Eastlake Titans, but it’s been a rapid rise back up the competitive ladder for head coach Jim Westlund’s crew.
And last Saturday’s tournament title game was very much in doubt until the Titans pushed across three runs in the sixth inning to snap a scoreless tie.
Eastlake finished the game with nine hits, holding Chula Vista to two, to claim the victory and improve to 12-3 on the season.
Casey Schmitt hit a solo home run to lead off the sixth inning and struck out two batters in the seventh inning to pick up the win. The victory was the Titans’ 10th in 11 games since dropping a 13-2 decision to Rancho Bernardo at the Lions tournament.
Schmitt is normally the team’s third baseman but came into relieve starter Julian Escobedo in the sixth inning with two Spartans on base and two outs.
Schmitt got the final out of the inning to quell Chula Vista’s scoring opportunity.
Ricky Yoquigua scattered four singles through the first five innings for the Spartans (6-11).
Eastlake looks to perform well in coming seasons with just one senior starter on the squad this season.
Both teams won key games last Friday to advance to the tournament final.
Chula Vista turned back visiting Bonita Vista by a score of 3-1 while Eastlake defeated visiting Castle Park, 2-0, on the strength of a two-run home run by Schmitt.
Eastlake finished the tournament 6-0. Besides topping Chula Vista and Castle Park, the Titans also defeated Southwest (16-2 on March 29), Sweetwater (4-2 on March 31), Montgomery (5-1 on April 2) and Mar Vista (10-1 on April 5).
Chula Vista started tourney play with victories against Olympian (3-1 on March 29), San Ysidro (3-0 on March 31), High Tech High Chula Vista (8-3 on April 2) and Mater Dei Catholic (5-0 on April 5).
Bonita Vista advanced to the semifinals in the Lions tournament (Premier Division) while Sweetwater (4A Division) and Castle Park (1A Division) both won titles at the Lions tournament.
Eastlake and Bonita Vista open Metro-Mesa League play with a two-game series April 19 and April 21; Chula Vista starts Metro-Pacific League play against Castle Park on May 3.
Lions tournament
•The Red Devils defeated Calexico, 5-1, in the 4A Division championship game. Isaac Piche scored on an error in the bottom of the third inning to put Sweetwater ahead, 2-1, and Red Devil pitcher Salvador Rosales followed with an RBI single to score teammate Josh Garcia.
The Red Devils, who improved to 9-4 on the season, defeated Grass Valley Nevada Union, 3-1, in the semifinals.
•Emilio Luna scored three runs and Kevin Netemeyer scored twice as Castle Park outlasted Sherman Oaks Buckley, 6-5, in a 10-inning thriller on March 24 to capture the 1A Division title. The Trojans finished 4-0 in tournament play.
Metro Conference Baseball Standings
(Through April 14)
Metro-Mesa League
League/Overall
Eastlake Titans 0-0, 13-3
Bonita Vista Barons 0-0, 9-5
Olympian Eagles 0-0, 9-7
Otay Ranch Mustangs 7-6
Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders 0-0, 7-12
Metro-Pacific League
League/Overall
Sweetwater Red Devils 0-0, 10-8
Castle Park Trojans 0-0, 8-8-1
Hilltop Lancers 0-0, 7-9
Chula Vista 0-0, 6-11
Metro-South Bay League
League/Overall
Montgomery Aztecs 0-0, 8-9
San Ysidro Cougars 0-0, 6-9
Southwest Raiders 0-0, 3-15
Mar Vista Mariners 0-0, 1-13
