CHULA VISTA — The frustration level on both sides was evident.
Numerous opportunities were squandered.
Clutch pitching performances were wasted.
Runners were left all over the bases.
The result was a 2-2 nonleague tie between Point Loma High School and Eastlake in an eight-inning baseball game that was called on of darkness after eight innings.
Point Loma (10-3-1), ranked No. 3 in the county, left eight runners on base — including three in the sixth inning. Eastlake (7-6-1), ranked No. 9 in the county, left nine runners on base — including three in both the second and seventh innings.
The seventh inning was particularly frustrating. The Titans loaded the bases with no one out only to see Point Loma’s Hunter Weller wiggle out of the jam on a foul bunt to the catcher, a popout to second base and a lazy fly ball to left field.
“The little things have been killing us all season,” said Eastlake coach Ramon Orozco. “We’re this close to being really good, but we just can’t get it done right now.
“Bases loaded and we popped up a bunt. Then we can’t push a run across. We keep telling the kids that little things win games. Attention to detail wins games. This team is good enough to hoist a trophy at the end of the season, but we need to clean some things up.”
This is the third time this season Eastlake and Point Loma have played. The Pointers won 4-3 and 5-2 in the other two games.
One game was in the GMC Tournament, the other in the Lions Tournament.
“We start league play next week, so I scheduled this game,” Point Loma coach Rigo Ledezma said. “I wanted to play as good a teams as possible before league starts. And Eastlake is an amazing team.”
Amazing was the word Ledezma used to describe Weller’s escape act in the seventh inning.
With darkness closing in, both teams went quietly in the eighth inning.
“We had four ties last season,” Ledezma said. “I didn’t like any one of those, either.”
Point Loma got good pitching from starter Marviel Underwood, who was relieved by left-hander Luis Lara. Lara got out of a jam in the fifth with a double play ending the inning.
Lucas Yriqui pitched especially well for Eastlake in relief.
“And he’s a freshman,” Orozco said. “He really picked us up. A Joel Vargas (who got the Titans started in the seventh) is a freshman.
“Hey, the rest of this season could be bright. We just need to clean some things up.”
