Crespi, Santa Margarita, Corona, St. John Bosco reach Division 1 baseball semifinals
There was drama, clutch hitting and a little luck in Friday's Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinal playoff game between Crespi and Mira Costa.
"Sometimes it's better to be lucky," Crespi coach Mike Glendenning said.
The game ended in the bottom of the ninth with a Nate Lopez pop fly falling in left field as Mira Costa's shortstop, left fielder and center fielder tried to catch it. It scored the winning run in the Celts' 3-2 victory.
What a game it was. Tyler Walton was cruising along with a one-hitter and a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning for Crespi. With one swing, Lucas Schermer of Mira Costa sent an 89 mph fastball far over the left-field wall to give the Mustangs a 2-1 lead. Crespi fans were stunned and suddenly silent.
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Just before Crespi players went to hit in the bottom of the seventh, catcher Landon Hodge gathered his teammates in the dugout and reminded them to trust one another.
"We've been here before and came through," he said.
Up came Gavin Huff, one of 11 seniors set to graduate Friday night. He hit a ball to left field into the wind down the line. It carried to the foul pole, struck it, then caromed back onto the field. The umpires signaled home run to tie the game.
Mira Costa junior pitcher Garrett Jacobs was magnificent, striking out six in seven innings. Hodge finished with three hits for Crespi (24-2). Diego Velazquez threw three scoreless innings of relief. Mira Costa (28-3) had its 26-game winning streak come to an end. Crespi advanced to Tuesday's semifinals against host Santa Margarita.
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Afterward, Crespi's seniors were hustled into two vans and driven from Hartunian Field to the Celts' Encino campus to shower, change and participate in graduation ceremonies at 6:30 p.m. Hodge's uniform, hands and arms were so covered in dirt from three hours of catching, sliding and hitting that he might have needed a car wash to make it to graduation.
More drama happened at Villa Park, where Trinity League champion St. John Bosco pulled out a 4-3 win in nine innings. Jaden Jefferson had an RBI double in the top of the ninth. But the big moment was the bottom of the seventh, when Villa Park came back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game and had the winning run on third with two outs. Jack Champlin came out of the bullpen to record a strikeout for the Braves.
Top-seeded Corona received a leadoff home run from Anthony Murphy, his 11th of the season, and relied on a one-hitter from Ethin Bingaman to get past Norco 2-0. Norco freshman pitcher Jordan Ayala impressed with his performance. It will be Corona at St. John Bosco in the semifinals on Tuesday.
Santa Margarita got a walk-off single in the bottom of the seventh from Warren Gravely IV to defeat Los Alamitos 5-4. Before that, Los Alamitos tied the game on a Sutton Deninno home run in the seventh.
Division 2
West Ranch 10, Sultana 0: Hunter Manning threw a no-hitter and struck out eight to move West Ranch into the Division 2 semifinals. It was the second no-hitter this week by West Ranch pitchers. Nolan Stoll and Mikey Murr hit home runs.
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Etiwanda 8, Servite 3: Derick Kim had two hits and four RBIs and LJ Roellig and Josh Adams hit home runs to send the Eagles into the Division 2 semifinals.
Fountain Valley 5, Torrance 2: Logan Hunt threw five scoreless innings while allowing one hit for Fountain Valley.
Mater Dei 2, Foothill 0: Brandon Thomas struck out 13 with no walks for the Monarchs, his second shutout of the Division 2 playoffs. Gavin Lauridsen struck out nine for Foothill.
City Section
University 8, Jefferson 1: Evan Han had two hits and two RBIs in the City Section Division III championship game.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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