SBVC (23-13; 19-5) had to play a winner take all game, with a Foothill Conference title on the line, both teams received fantastic performances on the mound and from their defenses, as the game stretched past regulation and went into extra innings, but the home team prevailed over the Whittier Rio Hondo Roadrunners (26-10; 18-6), 1-0.
Less than 24 hours after knocking off the Roadrunners in a score reminiscent of a football game, 24-7, both teams had to go at it again. Every arm and bat was available, but only the pitchers changed, no lineup changes took place even though both the SBVC left fielder and center fielder collided in the outfield in the fourth and the SBVC right fielder took an odd slide into second in tenth inning.
The Rio Hondo starter went seven complete striking out two and their reliever tossed four and two thirds innings, with six strike outs. Freshman left handed starting pitcher Sam Fitzgerald (4-0) (Lake Elsinore H.S.) threw eight and two thirds innings, and was lifted after back-to back singles, finishing his afternoon surrendering seven hits, walking four and striking out two. Sophomore right handed pitcher Jeremy Moreno (Riverside Poly) tossed three and a third innings of work, giving up two hits and striking out four.
Both teams were very aware of the magnitude of this game, but once the game started getting later and later, the plays started getting bigger and bigger. Defensive stops were huge, a double play in the third inning after a one out single to center and a double play in the seventh, which eliminated a leadoff walk. Along with three up-three down innings in the sixth, eighth and 12th were difference makers. Freshman second baseman Jonathan McCray (Riverside Martin Luther King, Jr.) made a huge play in the top of the ninth, with runners on first and second and Moreno pitching to his first batter, McCray dove to his right, grabbed the baseball and from his knees gunned down the runner at first. Big plays made bigger by the stage and magnitude of the game.
SBVC struggled, at times, at the plate, getting shut down in order in the first, fifth, sixth and 11th, but the team came through when all the chips were down.
SBVC took on the bottom of the 12th with their seven-eight-nine batters coming to the plate and sophomore third baseman Andrew Ramones (Redlands Citrus Valley) led off the inning with an infield single to the short stop. Sophomore left fielder Christian Hendrix (Fontana Henry J. Kaiser) followed that up with a sacrifice bunt towards the second baseman, moving Ramones to second. Sophomore designated hitter Kurtis Kloke (San Bernardino Cajon) took a one out walk to put runners at first and second base with one out. SBVC then went back to the top of the lineup, where the batter popped up to the Roadrunners third baseman, two on two out. Freshman right fielder Austin Berglund (Etiwanda H.S.) then pounded a single to left and with the runners moving on contact, Ramones scored the winning run.
SBVC will host an opening round playoff series starting Friday, May 1st.
Information, Photos & Story provided by SBVC Sports Information.