San Diego High School Baseball : Cougars Hold On to Lead in Avocado

ESCONDIDO — When the Avocado League baseball season started, not many people were paying attention to the Escondido Cougars. After all, the team had won only three of its first 10 games heading into league play.

Ever since league play started, however, Escondido has been playing well. The Cougars beat Carlsbad, 3-1, Thursday at Carlsbad to maintain a half-game lead over San Marcos in the league race.

Andy Martin pitched a four-hitter and Mike Scales and Ken Mason had RBIs during a three-run third-inning rally. Escondido (11-11 overall) is now 8-2 in league play. Carlsbad fell to 7-4, 11-11.

Elsewhere in the Avocado League:

San Marcos 7, Ramona 5--San Marcos stayed a half-game back, rallying for four runs in the top of the seventh at Ramona. Bill McElroy had an RBI single and scored twice to help the Knights (8-3, 13-10) overcome a 4-3 deficit.

Oceanside 21, El Camino 3--Dwayne Wilson had three hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in five runs to lead Oceanside (5-5, 7-13) at El Camino. Chris Prieto also homered for the Pirates. Oceanside had not homered this season until Thursday.

In the Palomar League:

Torrey Pines 5, Fallbrook 4--Bob Kennedy allowed two runs over seven innings in relief as Torrey Pines (6-5, 12-9) moved into third place ahead of No. 9-ranked Fallbrook (5-5, 16-8) at Torrey Pines. Todd Stanton had three hits and Torrey Pines took advantage of five Fallbrook errors.

Orange Glen 6, San Dieguito 3--Scott Carlovsky hit a solo home run and Frank Escalante had a two-run double to lead No. 2-ranked Orange Glen (9-1, 19-5) at San Dieguito. Dave Miller (7-2) pitched 5 innings to pick up the win.

Briefly--Mt. Carmel 1, Vista 0.

In Metro Conference play:

Marian 2, Sweetwater 1--Sam Guevara scored the winning run from third when pitcher Eddie Magdaleno slipped fielding Tim Nelson’s one-out grounder in the bottom of the seventh. Marian is 4-5, 6-12. Sweetwater is 3-7, 7-14.

Bonita Vista 3, Chula Vista 2 (9 innings)--Two consecutive wild pitches allowed David Jocis to score the winning run in the bottom of the ninth at Bonita Vista. Randy Abshier (4-4) struck out seven in recording the nine-inning victory. Abshier also was 2 for 4 with an RBI.