The San Diego Lions High School Baseball Tournament is one of the biggest and most respected high school baseball events in the United States. Held each year during spring break in San Diego, the tournament features over 150 teams from across California, other states, and even international programs. It has been a proud tradition since 1951 and is known for its high level of competition and organized format. Teams are placed into divisions based on skill level, and this year the Dons competed in the Premier Elite division and won the championship. And here is what happened.
Game One: Acalanes vs Westview
Spring break in San Diego wasn’t about relaxing for the Acalanes Dons; it was about proving something. But from the very first pitch, one thing was clear: this was the Dons’ stage. It started Monday against the Westview Wolverines in a gritty, no-nonsense battle. Their dugout was loud, but the Dons’ skills were louder. A straight-up pitcher’s duel. No wasted motion, no wasted chances. Branson Smith took the mound and completely owned it, seven innings, 21 outs, seven strikesouts and just three hits allowed. Calm, focused, and relentless. Wolverines had three pitchers to our one, just saying. Spring break or not, Smith was locked in. A Smith-Meany pickoff at first cut down a Wolverine trying to get comfortable, a message sent early in the game: nothing comes easy against the Dons. Not today, Wolverines, do not push us.
The offense backed Smith just enough. In the third inning, pressure turned into opportunity, and two Dons crossed on back-to-back wild pitches. Then Tyler Winkles stepped in, and his bat was ‘the’ loudest. Perfect at the plate. Three-for-three. And in the fifth, he launched a no-doubt bomb to right for an HR. The Dons’ dugout erupted. That swing didn’t just add a run, it lit a fire.
Final: 3–2. Statement made.
Game Two: Dons vs Cougars
Next up, the Coronado Cougars. Different game, same mindset. Isaac Copen got the start and came out dealing, three innings, no hits, four strikeouts. The Cougars scratched a run across early, but it didn’t shake anything. The Dons stayed patient.
In the fourth, Dylan Meany battled and put the ball in play, bringing home a Don, the tying run. Then came the sixth, the turning point. Birrell, Asadorian, and Winkles sparked a rally that flipped the game ‘Boom Boom Boom’ on the bases on the scoreboard…Dons with two, Cougars with one.
From there, Brady Beeman took over and slammed the door. Four shutout innings. Eight strikeouts. Total control. The Cougars had no answers. No pity for the kitty.
Final: 3–1. Another one in the books. And just like that, the Dons were rolling.
Game 3: Dons Facing the Patriots.
With a spot in the championship on the line, they faced the Christian High Patriots. Pressure up. Stakes higher. Riley “Gator” Gates took the mound and delivered. Six strong innings. One run. Seven strikeouts. Every pitch mattered, and he knew it.
Then came the sixth, bases loaded, one out, the kind of pressure that drags most players under. But Gator stayed cold-blooded, ready to clamp down when it mattered most, a ground ball to third. Asadorian fires home to Jasper Stewart, lead runner out. The crowd barely had time to react before the fast-bullet-rocket throw snapped to first, a double play to Meany. Inning over. Patriot threat gone. Pure chaos turned into perfection in seconds. Love it!
No errors. No breaks given. The offense handled the rest. A first-inning run set the tone. In the second, Asadorian drove in another with a clutch double. Meany kept things moving with two hits. Clean, efficient, relentless.
Then in the final inning, Jackson Garbo took the ball on the hill. Four batters. Zero doubt. Game over. And just like that, the Dons had earned it, every inning, every pitch, every play.
Up next…Championship Game and here is how it went…
Championship Game: Acalanes vs Liberty
The Dons stormed the field Thursday for the championship showdown against the Liberty Patriots of Nevada, and from the very first pitch, it was clear this game would have fireworks. First inning set the tone by Jimmy Cusumano, who tripled with authority, sparking a two-run rally that immediately put Liberty on their heels. The Patriots looked ready to answer, but the Dons weren’t giving an inch.
Second inning, the lead grows with Drew Asadorian’s run-scoring double, making it 3–0, and suddenly the championship felt like it was slipping away from the Patriots. The Dons’ energy was electric, while Liberty tried to muster a response, their dugout buzzing with hope and volume. It kept going in the third with a hit by Kyle Woodson, and some walks for Josh Lee, Paul Bacon, and Zach Birrell‘s walk to push Lee over the plate, 4–0. Every pitch, every swing felt heavier as the pressure mounted, and Liberty began to realize they were in a battle, not a stroll.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Patriots’ dugout was at full throttle, trailing with four runs to the Dons five. This is what a champisonship game is all about, right? Top of the sixth, Tyler Winkles stole the spotlight. Going 3-for-4, he crushed a solo homer to right field, his second of the tournament, turning the noise into stunned silence and giving the Dons a crucial cushion just as Liberty threatened a comeback, 6 to 4 for the Dons.
Austin McManamon had the Patriots hearing (Liberty)bells all day, just not the kind they wanted, cool and unshaken as the championship pressure tolled. The dugout tried to “ring his bell,” but McManamon kept it crack-free and steady. Liberty tapped out a few timely hits. Helping McManamon on the hill were Mateo Valenzuela and Cody Michlitsch, who kept the Dons chugging in control, shutting down rallies and guarding the lead with precision.
In a game of inches, nerves, and clutch performances, the Dons executed every piece of the puzzle, discipline at the plate, airtight defense, and unshakable pitching to claim the 2026 Lions Championship in a hard-fought 6–4 victory. From the first triple to the final strikeout, this was a performance worthy of a title.
Spring break vibes? Sure. But…
This is Acalanes baseball. ALL IN!
