Micah Pietila-Wiggs, a student-athlete who first made headlines when he helped take the Eastlake team to the 2013 Little League World Series, died in a crash near the U.S.-Mexico border on Saturday (Jan 22, 2022), family members confirmed.
According to a report published by OnScene TV, the deadly crash happened shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday.
Who Was Micah Pietila-Wiggs?
Micah Pietila-Wiggs was a 21-year-old Chula Vista native and a fan favorite.
Micah Pietila-Wiggs had an easy grin and long, golden hair — when he played second base as a middle schooler.
Micah Pietila-Wiggs continued to impress throughout high school and into college, both on and off the field, former coaches said.
Dave Gallegos, Micah Pietila-Wigg’s baseball coach at Eastlake High School spoke very fondly of the deceased, saying; “Micah was one of the best kids ever.”
Pietila-Wiggs’ alma mater also released a statement, saying;
“Always happy, always smiling — he was everybody’s best friend. There wasn’t a kid that didn’t like him.”
At Eastlake High, Micah Pietila-Wiggs played four years of varsity baseball as an infielder and outfielder with a career batting average of .420.
Micah Pietila-Wiggs was a three-time All-Mesa League player and league Player of the Year in 2017 as a junior.
Micah Pietila-Wiggs was a first-team All-CIF San Diego Section selection as a junior and senior.