Bulldog baseball sweeps The Mount
By Bill Tamburrino
Ramona High School’s Bulldog baseball team swept Mt. Carmel (3-21, 1-10) in a Palomar League series and continued with great pitching as the Dawgs prepare for the upcoming CIF playoffs.
The Bulldogs are 12-13 on the season and 5-6 in league action with a big series coming up against Torrey Pines and the season finale against Poway High School.
In the past few weeks the Bulldog team has thrown two no-hitters and two one hitters. Beau Sulser tossed a no-hitter against Westview High school and followed it this week with a one hitter. Harrison McGhee tossed a one hitter at Poway last week and followed it up this week with a no-hitter at Mt. Carmel. Both no-hitters were on the road.
Pitching coach Josh Lohman commented on McGhee’s gem and the pitching staff in general: “We are pitching our best right now. That is the way it is supposed to be. The staff has been improving and working hard all season.”
When asked about McGhee’s no-hitter, Lohman said, “His fastball and curve were both on. He didn’t have to rely on one pitch and that allowed him to keep the batters off balance. He was a little wild but he wild enough to be effective. Drews (Christian) did a great job behind the plate and Beau ( Sulser) and Jackson (Willeford) made some good plays at third and short. Kyle Wilson made some good digs on some low throws at first.”
Asked if the deadening of the bats this season has helped pitchers, Lohman replied, “There aren’t as many cheap hits where the batter is fooled and gets a hit off of the end of the bat. However, good hitters are still hitting the ball. You have to square up on the ball to hit a line drive or home run.”
Beau Sulser lost his bid for his second no-hitter in league play in the fifth inning as he tossed a one-hitter at Mt. Carmel on the road. Sulser struck out seven and did not give up a walk in the gem as Ramona beat The Mount 6-0.
Gage Canning led the Bulldog attack as the freshman centerfielder went 2-for-3, scored two runs, stole two bases and had two RBIs. Christian Drews also had a two hit outing as he went 2-for-4. Sulser helped his cause with three RBIs and a hit. Kyle Wilson also drove in a run and recorded one hit and scored two runs. Brandon Fitzpatrick, Jackson Willeford, Kevin Hagan and Henry Flecker also contributed hits in the win.
Ramona kept on pounding the ball in an 8-3 victory at Rocky Lawler Field. Rhett Williams got the start and picked up the victory as he pitched five innings and gave up three runs on five hits and struck out four. Hunter McHargue went the final two frames and did not give up a run.
Ramona scored in the first inning when Hagan drove in Willeford with a two out RBI single. The Dawgs rallied for three runs in the third after the Sundevils tied the game. Willeford hit his ninth home run of the season over the right field fence with one out. Sulser singled. Hagan reached on an error. Drews was hit by a pitch. Fitzpatrick then delivered a two run double.
Ramona scored four in the fourth inning. Jordan Farhat and Canning delivered back-to-back singles. Willeford drew a base on balls. Sulser drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Drews delivered a two run double and Fitzpatrick ended the inning by driving in his third run with a single. Kyle Wilson also contributed to the offense with a 1-for-3 outing.
The series finale was played on Saturday afternoon in a game originally scheduled for Friday. The reason for the change in schedule was Mt. Carmel wanted to make a statement for the cure for breast cancer. The Sundevils wore pink jerseys with the names of those who have battled the disease. The jerseys were auctioned off after the game to raise money for a cure. The Sundevils also gave the Bulldogs pink wristbands to wear in the game.
Harrison McGhee pitched the second no-hitter of his Bulldog career in a 6-2 victory over Mount Carmel. The game was a lot closer than the final score reflects. McGhee and Andrew Hnat locked up in a pitching duel that was tied at zero until Mount Carmel scored a run in the fifth inning. Ramona scored three runs in the sixth inning. The Mount answered with a run in the sixth inning and then the Bulldogs scored three runs in the seventh inning to put away the game.
McGhee walked five and hit one batter. McGhee struck out a season high 12 Sundevils. When the Dawgs started hitting, they got most of their hits from the top of the order. Ramona’s first five hitters recorded eight hits. Farhat went 1-for2. Canning continued to swing a hot bat and went 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. The Sundevils pitched around Willeford but the senior slugger still went 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI. Sulser had a hit, run and RBI in four trips. Kevin Hagan had a 2-for-3 outing and Crews went 1-for4 with an RBI.
The Bulldog pitching staff limited the Sundevils to six hits in the three game series sweep.