Another week, another win for the Coronado Islanders baseball program. The boys in green and white moved to 7-3 on the year with a 4-0 victory over Helix High School.

In what has become a reoccurring theme here in the early season, the Islanders received an excellent outing from a member of their starting rotation. Coronado Manager Morgan Cummins handed the ball to junior Mateo Villanueva.

The big six-foot-four right-hander responded with his best outing of the season, tossing a complete game shutout, allowing zero runs on two hits, no walks, while punching out six. To get through all seven innings, Villanueva needed only 67 pitches.

Villanueva’s fastball hummed in the high 80s, and he used it to regularly get in front of Helix hitters. Meanwhile, his changeup also effectively generated whiffs and got hitters out in front to induce soft contact.

In 22 innings pitched this season, the right-hander claims ownership to a 1.96 FIP (Field Independent Pitching) and 1.59 ERA.

“[It’s] great to see Mateo attack the zone, getting hitters out in three pitches or less,” said Cummins. “It allowed him to pitch deep into the game and give us a great chance to win the game.”

While it would not be a banner day for Coronado at the dish, they would provide enough run support for their starter.

After being held in check for the first two innings, the Islanders would get on the board in the third, thanks to a ringing RBI single to center off the bat of senior Cable Fledderjohn, making it a 1-0 game.

The RBI single by Fledderjohn proved to be his first of two big hits on the afternoon. His second came in the bottom of the fourth inning.

With two outs and Noah Pierre on second, Fledderjohn would ambush the first pitch and send it well over the left field wall for a two-run home run, his first of the 2025 season.

“Great to see Cable bounce back,” said Cummins. “The home run was the difference in the game. Hoping it’s a sign of things to come.”

For a bit more insurance, Coronado would push another run across in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an RBI double off the bat of Shane Cannon, his third double of the season and sixth RBI.

Now 7-3, Coronado will turn their attention to the Lions Tournament, which will pit them against teams like El Camino and Maranatha Christian. Last season, Coronado won the Classic Division title, defeating San Marcos High School.

“Lions tournament is always an exciting time of year,” said Cummins. “[It] gives the guys an idea of what it is like to be a major leaguer. For us, I think it’s a preview of how our team can perform in the playoffs. Hoping to defend our title as Classic Division Champions.”