HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Undefeated Mira Mesa Wins Warhawk

Mira Mesa Coach Mike Prosser said he was sorry to see such a well-pitched game decided by a fielding miscue. But Prosser probably isn’t feeling too sorry about the outcome or his team’s start.

After being tied, 3-3, for six innings, Mira Mesa scored the lead run on a fielding error and went on to a 7-4 victory over Monte Vista in the championship game of the Warhawk Baseball Tournament Thursday night at San Diego State.

The nine-inning victory gave Mira Mesa its eighth consecutive victory to begin the season. Monte Vista fell to 6-2.

Last year, Mira Mesa came within two games of winning the Section title, losing to Mt. Carmel in the 3-A semifinals.

Although Mira Mesa’s Mike Bovee (3-0) won the game, he was matched by Monte Vista’s Rob Stone until the ninth.

Bovee finished with 11 strikeouts in eight innings and Stone had 12 in 8 2/3.

Mira Mesa’s Lee McAfee led off the ninth with a single, took second on a sacrifice and third on a wild pitch after a strikeout. He scored when a Phillip Henry ground ball handcuffed Monte Vista third baseman Darren Rucker behind the bag. Rucker came up with the ball, but did not attempt a throw.

Stone, who did not even play last year because of a broken wrist, finally tired after the error. He gave up a two-run double down the left-field line to Marc Nielsen and two walks before being relieved by shortstop Ernie Reyes.

“I thought we could be here forever the way the game was going,” Prosser said. “But Mike (Bovee) kept us in the game and gave us the opportunity to win.”

Jamie Escanilla pitched the ninth for Mira Mesa.

The Marauders scored in the first on a Jason Payne double and a Brendon House run-scoring single. Monte Vista came back with a run in its half of the first on a Vern Mullis double and Rucker’s single.

The game remained tied at one, until the third when both teams took advantage shabby fielding.

Mira Mesa collected just one hit, but scored twice on two Monte Vista fielding errors and two walks. Stone appeared to be out of trouble after he struck out Beau Champoux on a 3-2 curve ball, but Monte Vista catcher Drew Arnold hit a single to left that scored two runs.

Monte Vista tied it with two unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning.