When it comes to anointing girls softball champions, teams in southern San Diego County are usually discounted.
This year was an exception.
Dominating a talent-laden North County field during the Cougar Classic tournament's six-day run at Escondido's Kit Carson Park was
Bonita Vista (Chula Vista), which outscored its six opponents by an astounding 54-3 count, including Monday night's 5-0 thrashing of four-time defending SDCIF Division II titlist Mt. Carmel in the final.
Junior pitcher
Jennifer Hartman, who is committed to Sacramento State, hurled her fourth of five Barons shutouts in the 32-team event and was named Most Valuable Pitcher. Meanwhile, senior outfielder
Kayla Jordan, a two-way threat on offense and defense, was tabbed Most Valuable Player.
The Barons have produced strong clubs over recent years, yet often got upstaged in postseason play.
Bonita Vista owns one San Diego Section CIF title game appearance, coming way back in 1977 (a 2-1 loss to Patrick Henry). Even the school's 2000 ballclub, which set the section's fourth-longest all-time winning streak, was eliminated in the semifinals, as was the 2002 edition of the Barons that featured SDCIF Div. I player of the year Vanessa Iapala.
"We came here knowing that everybody talks about the North County teams," said Jordan, who belted a 2-run homer among her three RBIs.
Added Hartman, "And we've still got something to prove. Other people underestimate us because we're not from the North County."
PATRIOTS CATCHER CAN'T DO MUCH BETTER THAN THISJunior softball catcher
Mary Grabowski of El Cajon Christian slugged 10 hits in 11 at-bats leading the Patriots to a 3-1 start in the Friar Classic. During her torrid hitting tear, the University of San Diego-bound Grabowski put together a string of eight consecutive hits. For the week she included six extra-base hits – four doubles, a triple and one home run – to go along with 11 RBIs.
FALLBROOK'S DREW SISTERS IS QUICK ON THE DRAWFallbrook's Drew sisters – junior pitcher-third baseman
Kaylie Drew and freshman shortstop
Hailey Drew — were double-trouble for the Warriors in a 16-2 Friar Classic victory over our Lady of Peace. Hailey Drew was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while sister Kaylie was 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored.
SLUGGER SABO LAUNCHES MONTE VISTA OFF THE BLOCKSNick Sabo, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound Monte Vista senior apparently didn't get the memo. Or at least, he hasn't heard all the whining about the implementation of the less-responsive bats made mandatory to the game this season. The Long Beach State-bound Sabo slugged two home runs and a double to drive in four runs as host Monte Vista clipped Montgomery 5-1 in Aztec-Foothiller Classic action. No matter what Montgomery tried to throw Sabo, it didn't work. In his first four games, Sabo batted .643 (9-for-14) with four extra-base hits and seven RBIs. For good measure, he pitched a complete game two-hitter with nine strikeouts against perennial CIF-SDS power Montgomery.
RAMONA IS PUTTING ON THE DOGRamona senior
Harrison McGhee fired a no-hitter and struck out 11 as the Bulldogs buried Serra 16-1 in an Aztec-Foothiller Classic game. Blake Drake was 3-for-5 with a double, triple, home run and six RBIs in the rout. Drake batted .412 (7-for-17) with a pair of home runs and nine RBIs in four games during the week.
Not to be overlooked was Ramona's
Beau Sulser, who carried a 29-game hitting streak into this season. He hit safely in all four games to date, batting .434 (7-for-16).
OTHER TOP PERFORMANCES* Senior infielder
Austin Rooke of La Jolla Country Day was 10-for-12 (.833) with three doubles and six RBIs as the Torreys' baseball team skated to a 3-0 start.
* San Marcos softball pitcher
Christina Clermont (3-1) has allowed 10 hits in 29 innings this season. She fired a no-hitter against No. 6-ranked Poway in a 3-0 win in the Gold Bracket of the Escondido Cougar Classic. She struck out 19 batters in a 1-0 victory over Pt. Loma.
* Granite Hills sophomore outfielder
Josh Rose belted home runs in each of his first three varsity games – all of them coming in different ballparks.
* Carlsbad junior
Austin Avan collected four hits and four RBIs in five at-bats as the Lancers laced Escondido 17-7 in a Pirate-Falcon Classic contest.
* Junior
Allana Hille of Morse went 6-for-6 with a home run, seven RBIs, seven runs and five steals as the Tigers thrashed San Diego Hoover 38-2 in a nonleague softball game.
* Julieann Johnson of San Pasqual produced three base hits, scored three times and drove in four runs as the Eagles grounded Granite Hills 10-1 in an Escondido Cougar Classic Tournament softball game.
* Mt. Carmel's
Nikki Barba was 3-for-5 with a double, triple and five RBIs against Westview.
COMING ATTRACTIONS Five baseball tournament championship games are on tap for Saturday. The Aztec-Foothiller Classic encounter will be played at Grossmont, while the Hilltop-Lolita's Invitational will be conducted at Hilltop in Chula Vista. Both games start at 10:30 a.m. The Andy Sanchez-Bully's East title bout will be contested at Otay Ranch at 11 a.m. The Falcon-Pirate finale is at Oceanside at 1:30 p.m. The Christian Patriot Tournament championship is slated for a 2 p.m. start.
DICKENS' DEALINGSSan Dieguito Academy (Encinitas) has landed a big-time baseball coach in former major leaguer and 1993 American League Cy Young Award winner Jack McDowell.
Known in his big league days as "Black Jack," McDowell went 127-87 with a 3.85 ERA in 12 major league seasons. He finished 22-10 with a 3.37 ERA in 1993, beating out Randy Johnson for the award.
An 18th round draft pick by the San Francisco Giants out of Oceanside High, McDowell went on to Stanford where he was part of a national championship team in 1987. He was the fifth overall pick that year, going to the White Sox. Injuries ended his career prematurely, and he retired as a member of the Angels after the 1999 season.
Looking for a new outlet, he started volunteering, first coaching oldest son Lucas at the youth level, then at San Dieguito as pitching coach. McDowell was the only coach retained when the Mustangs began looking for a new head coach after last season.
This is what players mean by "giving back." San Dieguito made a major score. You can't have a more marquee moniker than "Black Jack" McDowell.
