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Brown tosses one-hitter as Warriors shutout Golden Eagles

Junior pitcher Harrison Brown threw a one-hitter and his Fallbrook High teammates played great defense behind him as the Warriors shut out San Pasqual 3-0 in a Valley League contest Saturday, April 21.

Senior Michael Gross doubled and scored a run on a wild pitch and senior Collin Hoff lined a two-run single to provide the scoring for Fallbrook, which plated all of its runs in the third inning.

Brown kept the San Pasqual batters off balance with an effective slider, striking out six and walking two in his complete game.

"Brown pounded the (strike) zone and the defense was stellar," said co-head coach Pat Walker. "All the things we are working on in practice these kids are really starting to do. Defense and pounding the zone is what we want."

The defense came through in the top of the first inning when sophomore shortstop Dean Olivo and freshman second baseman Alex Lopez turned an inning-ending double play that followed a walk from Brown.

In the top of the third inning, sophomore first baseman Joel Calhoun made two good catches in foul territory, the second of which ended the inning after the Golden Eagles had loaded the bases with a hit batsman, a walk and a single.

Escaping the bases-loaded situation unscathed may have motivated Fallbrook as Gross led off the bottom of the third inning with a double. Grant Knox put down a bunt that resulted in the Warriors getting runners at the corners after San Pasqual pitcher Jude Kaup threw to third in an unsuccessful attempt to get Gross. After Lopez walked to load the bases, Gross scored on a wild pitch. Hoff then singled up the middle to score Knox and Lopez.

San Pasqual got out of the third inning when Hoff was caught stealing and Olivo and Tristen Smith both had fly balls caught in the outfield.

The Warriors made noteworthy defensive plays in the top of the fifth inning when Lopez handled a difficult ground ball and third baseman Knox, battling the sun, made a great catch of a foul ball near the fence.

"The one at third was the hardest play of the day," said Walker of Knox's catch. "You're looking into the sun, you have to find the fence and come back in."

In the top of the seventh inning, Calhoun made another good catch in foul territory before Brown ended the game with a strikeout.

"I was just throwing the slider on the outside half (of the plate) and trying to spot my fastball," said Brown of his fine outing. "I was just trying to do my best. I thank God for giving me the ability to pitch."

The victory gave the Warriors their first league win in three games. They had dropped 3-2 and 7-3 decisions to San Pasqual earlier in the week.

"It was an important game for us," said Walker. "We lost 3-2 Tuesday (April 17) and they flat out beat us on Thursday (April 19) so we needed to have this game. It was a big win."

The only ugly play in the Warriors' victory was committed by a Fallbrook parent who at the top of his lungs excessively heckled the San Pasqual pitcher in the third inning. The boorish display of poor sportsmanship prompted fans of both teams to ask the man to cool it, but he didn't and what resulted was a response from the pitcher, a San Pasqual coach, the umpire, Walker and a San Pasqual parent who came over to the home team's side of the stands to confront the man. Fortunately, no blows were thrown and, thankfully, the belligerent Fallbrook man left.

 

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