HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Romero, Martinez Lead Chula Vista to Victory

Gaining inspiration from a player it didn’t believe it would have available this season and getting terrific pitching from one it counted on, Chula Vista High defeated Mar Vista High, 11-3, Wednesday at Mar Vista to remain in second place in the Metro Conference baseball standings.

David Romero, who broke his neck in a Spartan football game last fall and was in a brace for months, went three for five, stole a base and scored two runs as Chula Vista (13-9, 8-3) won for the 12th time in 16 games after beginning 1-5.

Cesar Martinez, a left-hander who sparkled last season as a junior, struck out seven in four innings, allowing only one unearned run. Martinez is 7-1 with a 0.89 earned run average. He also contributed a triple and two runs batted in.

Chula Vista’s turnaround came into the spotlight last week when the Spartans upset then top-ranked Montgomery, 3-2. Chula Vista is still the only team in San Diego County to have beaten the Aztecs.

Last year, Chula Vista finished sixth in the Metro at 5-9 (10-15-1 overall). Martinez had six of those victories.

Romero was considered doubtful this season after his football injury, but he has been an integral part in the team’s success.

Shaun Simmons of Mar Vista (8-11-1, 3-9) was two for four with an RBI and a stolen base.

In other Metro games:

Montgomery 9, Southwest 0--Pedro Ramirez, a left-handed sophomore, struck out 10 and lowered his ERA to 0.63 as Montgomery (19-2-1, 11-1) clinched at least a tie for first place.

Ramirez was backed up offensively by Julio Saldana, who went two for two with two RBIs, and by Carlos Acuna and Luis Contreras, who hit back-to-back solo homers in the fourth.

Sweetwater 3, Castle Park 2--Sweetwater, which got only three hits off Castle Park starter Vico Moreno (5-3), scored all three runs in the third inning, the last one coming on an error. Lorenzo Inzunza (5-5) won for Sweetwater (9-9-1, 6-6). No. 7 Castle Park (16-7, 7-4) fell to third place.

Bonita Vista 9, Hilltop 8--Trailing 8-2 in the bottom of the seventh, Jorge Millan’s three-run homer keyed a seven-run rally as Bonita Vista (4-13-1, 4-7-1) shocked Hilltop (9-8-2, 4-7-1). Millan was also the winner in relief.

Bonita Vista got its runs in the seventh on three hits, one walk, one hits batsman and two Hilltop errors.

City Central League

Hoover 6, Madison 5--Roger Blake led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a home run over the left-center field wall at Hoover to give the sizzling Cardinals (5-15, 4-6) their fourth victory in a row. First-place Madison fell to 10-9, 7-2.

It was Blake’s third homer of the season. Teammate Gene McBride also homered. Rob Hoffman hit his sixth home run for the Warhawks. Blake was two for four with two RBIs. Hoffman was one for two with a sacrifice fly. Madison’s Jesus Martinez had two doubles, including one that scored three runs in the sixth.

Crawford 12, Lincoln 8--Larry Haley was two for three with two RBIs and two runs scored for Crawford (9-14, 5-5). Haley (1-1) also pitched 3 2/3 innings in middle relief and struck out five. Victor Castenada of Lincoln went two for three and scored three runs.

City Eastern League

Patrick Henry 5, Morse 4--Dane Merkel went two for two and doubled in Tony Davis with the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Chris Yerke contributed two RBIs to Patrick Henry’s attack, and teammate Tony Bedikian stole two bases and scored a run.

Patrick Henry improved to 9-10, 7-3. Morse is 6-14, 2-8.

Mira Mesa 9, Serra 4--Daryle Owen went four for four with four RBIs, a double and two runs for No. 4 Mira Mesa (21-4-1, 8-1), and Mike Bovee (7-2) struck out 11 Conquistadors in six innings. Other offensive stars for Mira Mesa: Karl Goins was three for four with two RBIs, and Phillip Henry went two for four and scored twice.

City Harbor League

St. Augustine 12, Marian 5--Seven of Saints’ starters had at least two hits, with Bucky Bryant, who was three for four with four RBIs, setting the pace. Bryant also pitched 4 1/3 innings for the victory.

Beto Martinez, who leads the county in home runs, got his eighth in the first with one aboard. Martinez has 29 RBIs for Marian (7-14, 1-9). Teammate Hector Concepcion was three for four with three runs.

Jeremy Klem and Craig daLuz had two RBIs for first-place St. Augustine (16-8, 8-2).

Clairemont 6, Christian 3--Rabbit Henry went three for four, scored three runs and stole two bases to lead Clairemont (10-10-1, 4-5). Teammate Craig Goodwin went two for four with two RBIs. Christian fell to 6-4, 8-8.

City Western League

University City 5, Kearny 3--University City (16-5, 8-2) erased a two-run deficit in the top of the seventh by scoring four times on two hits to take sole possession of first place. Kearny (4-16, 1-9) committed two errors in the inning and six overall.

The key hit in the winning rally came from Pat Cottrell, who doubled in Jeremy Albers and Brady Bishop.

La Jolla 9, Mission Bay 8--Mission Bay’s Josh Rees (2-2) balked home the winning run in the top of the 12th inning.

The runner was Tony Maggio, who had singled and advanced to third on another single.

Craig Woodall was three for five for the Vikings (12-9, 3-7).

No. 10 Mission Bay (16-7, 6-3) fell to second place.