Orange County's Pacifica Christian noticed its three-run lead disappear and a one-inning lead in Tuesday's CIF Southern Part baseball semifinals was potential from then on, for higher or for worse.
Up went Blake Hayes to the plate, so overlook all that.
The primary Catalyst was unstoppable in a Division 8 sport at Orange Coast Faculty's John Altobelli Park — he's been that approach just about all season — and the Tritons, in simply their third marketing campaign, trotted into Saturday's title sport as his fourth extra-base hit of the afternoon. adopted by Scout Escobedo's single into the left-center subject hole after which wild celebrations.
A 4-3 conquer visiting San Bernardino, constructed largely on Hayes' expertise with the bat and the eloquence of the glove and sophomore right-hander Jon Stone on the sting of the strike zone, takes Pacifica Christian Orange County (22-6) deeper into uncharted territory, fantastically.
Pacifica Christian Orange County beginning pitcher Jon Stone throws towards San Bernardino in the course of the Division 8 semifinals on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Employees Photographer)
“It's a incredible feeling,” mentioned head coach Chris Gomez, who led the top-ranked Tritons from a tricky freshman season to a CIF berth in 12 months 2 and now inside one win of an surprising value. “I went to the darkish level after they scored three factors. [to tie it up], however I'm so completely satisfied for the children. They help one another, they get alongside all 12 months, they work onerous, they're nice children. So he deserves it.”
They may play at 10 a.m. Saturday at Diamond Stadium, dwelling of the San Diego Padres' Single-A affiliate Lake Elsinore Storm. Their opponent is second-seeded Azusa (17-5), a 9-5 winner at Edgewood within the different Division 8 semifinal.
“Meaning every little thing to me and this program,” mentioned Escobedo, who hit the ball onerous however into fielders in his first three at-bats. “It's the third 12 months, so no person actually expects us to be within the championship so early in this system, however we're completely satisfied to be right here.”
They’ve progressed this far principally underclassmen. Escobedo can also be a freshman, amongst 5 within the Tritons' lineup Tuesday, together with three sophomores and junior Keegan DeMots behind the plate. Of the 20 gamers on the roster, solely 4 are upperclassmen. 13 are freshmen.
Pacifica Christian's Scout Escobedo (5) drives within the game-winning run to safe the victory towards San Bernardino.
(Don Leach / Employees Photographer)
“It's a younger group for probably the most half,” Gomez mentioned. “Actually younger, so what they do all 12 months is fairly spectacular for such a younger ball membership.
Pacifica Christian, which has outscored its first three postseason foes a mixed 38-6, was in command more often than not on this one. The hosts took a 3-0 lead within the third inning on a leadoff single by No. 9 hitter DeMots, triples by Hayes and sophomore shortstop John Coopman and a sacrifice fly by sophomore infielder Reed Fry.
Given Stone's accuracy on the mound, that ought to have been sufficient. He allowed only one hit over 5 1/3 innings, with 46 of 58 pitches for strikes.
Then issues went awry within the sixth. Miller threw from Hayes on what ought to have been second, and Aiden Zuno adopted with a single to proper. Each runners moved on a sacrifice bunt. Then Stone struck out Alexander De La Paz and San Bernardino (15-5) had the bases loaded.
Antonio Quintero ripped a triple to the wall in left-center to make it 3-3.
Pacifica Christian second baseman Johnny Coopman (10) tagged out Isiah Wells (4) as he tried to steal second base to finish the inning.
(Don Leach / Employees Photographer)
“At that time, I really feel prefer it's again to 0-0,” mentioned Stone (6-2), who completed with 4 hits, eight strikeouts and 66 strikeouts on 86 pitches and has a 0.88 ERA with 59 strikeouts. 5 walks in 39 2/3 innings on the 12 months. “That is the place I begin over and present them my stuff once more.
He famous that “a low outdoors nook was referred to as [for strikes]” hit his spots and that led to strikeouts and 10 grounders, two of them very excessive, which Hayes expertly dealt with to beat each runners by a step.
“He's a bulldog,” mentioned Gomez, who has Coopman (7-1, 0.56 ERA) prepared for the finals. “He kilos the zone all day and hits spots, and that's an excellent recipe for being a stable pitcher.”
Proper-hander Zuno, who relieved struggling starter Shaun Bonds after back-to-back walks to steer off the underside of the second, obtained the Tritons out of the sixth and struck out the ultimate two. The fourth-seeded Cardinals made nothing of a single within the seventh, and it regarded like Pacifica Christian wouldn't both.
Then Hayes, who’s hitting .447, stepped in.
Together with that triple, he doubled twice, within the first and fifth, stole third base after each — his thirtieth and thirty first steals of the season — however didn't advance. He labored Zuno up for a full depend, cursed himself after a success up the center, then fired the ball simply wanting second base. Rikou Sasser ran in however couldn't attain him, and Hayes took second on a bounce over the middle fielder's head.
Pacifica Christian's Blake Hayes (2) holds on at second base after hitting a double towards San Bernardino on Tuesday.
(Don Leach / Employees Photographer)
“Blake was doing it. [what he did today] all 12 months,” Gomez mentioned. “It's a spark plug on the prime of the meeting, [and] we knew if we obtained him on base we had an excellent likelihood.”
When Escobedo stepped into the field, Hayes figured it was a executed deal.
“I knew the sport was over,” he mentioned. “He hit the ball onerous all day and ultimately. [ball] will fall.”
Escobedo smacked the primary pitch with a fastball up the center to the hole in left-center and that was it.
“Phenomenal work.” [Pacifica Christian’s] aspect,” mentioned San Bernardino head coach Josh Doty, whose group was in search of its first Southern Part baseball ultimate since profitable the title 99 years in the past. “There's loads of disappointment right here and I feel it's simply because the journey is over for us and we had a good time, an ideal expertise. it was fairly a experience.
“To lose to a group that’s like that, very respectful and only a stable group, hats off to them. And now after all we hope they’ll take it.”
