Point Loma’s baseball team received two masterful pitching performances in two games against Madison to begin their Western League season as the Warhawks were only able to score in one of 14 innings. But the Pointer won only one of those games.
Last Friday, a complete game 1-0 shutout was thrown by junior left-hander Matthew Garrison at David Wells Field.
Garrison earned his team a split of the first pair of league games in what promises to be a very tough league schedule. The Pointers will play home-and-away games against St. Augustine, Cathedral Catholic, and Patrick Henry, all ranked among the county’s top 10 teams. Christian is the other league team.
Using little time between pitches, Garrison scattered seven Warhawk hits, walking one and striking out eight during a 101-pitch outing that lasted just one hour 31 minutes. He was aided by several key defensive plays that blunted Warhawk threats. One of those defensive jewels was an ESPN-worthy diving catch in left field by senior Griffin Ice.
“Everything was working well today,” Garrison said as his teammates celebrated. “My fastball was humming, my curve was there, and the slider. The change-up was a bit empty but it worked a few times. The defense was incredible, making plays left and right.”
Garrison’s ERA dropped to a stingy 1.05 with opponents batting only .155 against him.
Kannan Virgilio’s sacrifice fly drove in Eli Montgomery for the Pointers’ only run.
The win raised the Pointers’ overall record to 10-5-3.
Two days earlier, Pointer bats produced an 8-0 lead on Madison’s field as senior right-hander William Sanford handcuffed Warhawk bats for five innings. But the hosts erupted for eight runs of their own in the sixth inning against the Pointer bullpen, allowing Sanford’s dominating performance to go for naught. The game was called for darkness after a regulation seven innings with the score tied 8-8.
Sophomore Hunter Reddeg has broken into the starting lineup as a designated hitter. In 10 at-bats over three games, he has gathered five hits for a .500 batting average. Among regulars, Brandon Keeling is tops at .354 followed by Druw Frost at .326.
The Pointers are ranked 17th overall of 101 teams in the San Diego CIF section and fifth in Div. II.
BOYS TENNIS
The team went undefeated in regular season play and began CIF Div. I playoffs this week as the No. 12 seed. Their first playoff match was at No. 5 Carlsbad.
SOFBOL
The girls are also having a strong season, currently boasting a 9-5 record overall, 1-0 in Eastern League play. They are No. 1 in CIF Div. III rankings.
Avery MacPherson leads the team with 18 hits, a .450 batting average, and .500 on-base percentage. She and her sister Leyton MacPherson share the team lead with seven RBIs,
Maddy Egan is close behind, hitting .400 with a .455 on-base percentage.
The pitching staff shows an excellent 1.79 overall ERA led by Ryoko Schroth’s 0.73. Schroth has walked only eight and struck out 38 batters with opponents hitting just .148 against her.
BOYS LACROSSE
Currently holding an 8-3 overall record and a winning percentage of .727, the boys are 3-1 and resting atop Eastern League standings. They are ranked No. 6 in San Diego CIF and No. 2 in Div. II behind San Dieguito Academy. They recently defeated No. 3 San Diego 13-1. They have scored 118 goals and given up just 63.
GIRLS LACROSSE
With an overall record of 7-2 for a winning percentage of .780, the girls are 4-1 for second place in the Eastern League. They are ranked No. 11 in San Diego CIF and No. 2 in Div. II behind University City. They have scored 122 goals and yielded just 70.
EXTRA INNINGS
The 4 p.m. starting time for games, moved from 3:30 p.m. last year, has proved problematical. To date, the Pointers have had three games suspended due to dangerously low light conditions.
Garrison, now standing 6 feet tall, is taking monthly lessons he terms “very effective” from former major league pitcher Erick Threets, head coach at Francis Parker School.
