HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Frank Gives Escondido Some Relief

Relief pitcher Mike Frank saved the day for Escondido in a wild nine-inning Avocado League victory Thursday over Rancho Bernardo. The Cougars won, 3-2, but they committed seven errors in a game that saw a total of 11 miscues. But it was two errors by the Broncos in the bottom of the ninth that proved to be the difference.

Frank, a sophomore left-hander, pitched 3 2/3 hitless innings in relief, striking out seven and walking only one in relief of Kevin Clement. Frank also scored the winning run on a wild pitch by Mike Walter. With two outs in the ninth, Frank singled to right and went all the way to third when the ball got through the right fielder’s legs.

Then Frank scampered home with the game-winner when the next batter, Brian Harper, took a 1-1 curveball in the dirt and it got away from the catcher. Frank was two for four and Escondido improved to 7-10, 5-3 in the Avocado League. Rancho Bernardo fell to 4-14, 2-6.

Other Avocado League games:

San Marcos 17, Oceanside 0--Jeff Huberts (5-0), who pitched a perfect game against Oceanside his previous outing, allowed a leadoff double but surrendered only one more hit through five innings. Chris Young pitched two innings of hitless relief for eighth-ranked San Marcos (13-3, 8-0). Justin Woodard had a two-run double and two-run triple for the Knights, and Matt Lentz went two for four with a two-run homer. Oceanside is 7-10, 5-3.

San Pasqual 1, Ramona 0--Dave Riffle doubled and took third on a throwing error to lead off the bottom of the seventh, and Chris Hancock hit a run-scoring single three batters later to give San Pasqual (7-10, 4-4) the victory. It made a winner of pitcher Mike Corns (4-4), who would have had a perfect game except for Ryno Simpson’s leadoff single in the second. Corns struck out nine. Pitcher Mike Murray pitched a four-hitter in defeat for Ramona (6-10, 2-6).

El Camino 3, Carlsbad 2--El Camino (4-11, 2-6) loaded the bases on a walk and two bunt singles and scored the winning run on a wild pitch. Carlsbad is 7-9, 4-4.

Grossmont 3-A League

Monte Vista 3, El Capitan 2--Lefthander Josh Hanna (1-0) gave up one hit in six innings to help the Monarchs (8-7, 1-3) upset El Capitan (10-9, 2-1). The Monarchs have lost their last four games in the seventh inning. Jeremy Lipsey went two for three with a two-run homer and a triple for Monte Vista. Lipsey then scored the winning run in the sixth inning on a single by Chris Sabala.

Helix 4, Granite Hills 2--Brad Werdick singled in Jame Frey and later scored on a throwing error in a decisive two-run fifth inning for Helix (11-8, 2-1). Frey had four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings to earn his second save in relief of David Shipp (2-1).

Helix scored a run apiece in the second and third on Adam Bright’s RBI grounder and a first-and-third double steal involving Chris Bright and Frey. Granite Hills (8-8-1, 2-1) scored in the fourth on John Palmer’s two-run single.

Palomar League

Poway 11, Rancho Buena Vista 2--Donnie Jones hit his fourth homer, with two on, and had three hits and five RBIs to lead third-ranked Poway (16-3, 7-1). Three other Titans had three hits, Mark Phillips (two RBIs), Miles Kelly (one RBI) and Rob Plarski. Scott Tittrington (4-1) scattered six hits, struck out seven and walked one. Nick Dragomire homered for RBV (7-11, 1-7).

Orange Glen 10, San Dieguito 5--Orange Glen (9-7, 2-6) broke a six-game losing streak by scoring in every inning. Lance Keller doubled and hit two solo home runs, and Brian Kooiman added three hits and an RBI. San Dieguito (2-13-2, 1-7) was led by Justin Liniak, who had three hits and two RBIs, and Jeff Ellis, who had two hits and two RBIs.

Torrey Pines 7, Fallbrook 2--The Falcons (4-4, 7-11) moved into a fourth-place tie with the Warriors (4-4, 9-7), thanks to a five-run fourth-inning rally and a two-hit performance by pitcher Chris Lang. Torrey Pine’s outburst was fueled by three hits, two walks and three Fallbrook errors. Jason Withrow, who is five for six with eight RBIs on the week, keyed the rally with a three-run single.