Sports
West Hills Baseball: GHL Spoiler or Pennant Threat?
The Wolf Pack has shown some potent offense in the run-up to Grossmont Hills League play.
The West Hills High baseball team competes in the rugged Grossmont Hills League, so many dismiss the Wolf Pack as a factor in the run for the pennant.
Granted, the Pack does not possess the talent to offset league brethren such as top-ranked Helix (11-0), Grossmont (7-3), Steele Canyon (7-3), Granite Hills (5-4) and Valhalla (5-4).
Murderer’s Row? Probably not. But the coaches in this league believe this is the supreme circuit in the San Diego CIF section.
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That does not mean the Wolf Pack (4-5) is incapable of posting upsets that may determine who will wind up on top.
Leadoff hitter Ryan Nuckols is batting at a .375 (12-for 32) clip, while Brandon Byrd leads the team with a .429 average (12-for-28). Not unlike many teams, the long ball is gone from the offensive arsenal.
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Nonetheless, the Pack pounded out back-to-back non-league victories by lopsided scores of 34-1 over El Cajon Valley and 11-3 over Mount Miguel in its final two pre-league outings.
Sixteen members of the Wolf Pack contributed to a Grossmont Conference record 35-hit attack in the March 30 Bill Dickens East County Tournament rout of visiting El Cajon Valley.
The Pack’s hit total is one shy of the San Diego CIF record set by Christian in a 48-0 smoking of La Jolla Country Day in 1977.
The 34 runs is also a conference record and was established in just five turns at-bat. The Pack’s scoring count ranks seventh in the all-time SDCIF record listings. West Hills scored 10 runs in the second, third and fifth innings.
Alex Parsons paced the Wolf Pack offense with five hits and four RBI. Nuckols added four hits and scored five runs. Brandon Beard came off the bench to go 4-for-4 with a double, triple, three runs and three RBI.
Byrd and Garrett Schilling also logged three RBI apiece, while Stewart Forrester belted a two-run home run.
Wolf Pack pitchers Alex Pierce, Brandon Delaney and Damien Leras combined to pitch a six-inning no-hitter against the Braves.
No doubt most impressive on the West Hills pitching staff is Cameron Howell, who has posted a 0.71 ERA and 2-2 record over 19 2/3 innings.
The late return of catcher Michael Carlin has bolstered the West Hills defense and added another potent bat to the lineup.
Whether the Wolf Pack will contend for the Grossmont Hills pennant is a longshot. At the very least, the Pack will play spoilers.
For Santee Patch.com from East County Sports.com
