Estancia holds on for win over Orange and inches closer to league championship

Estancia junior Andrew Mits fires a pitch against Raul Flores of Orange Friday. The Eagles catcher is Sawyer Atkinson. (Photos: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Estancia High School’s baseball team turned away a seventh inning threat by Orange Friday afternoon at Orange to capture a 2-1 Orange Coast League victory and remain in first place.

The Eagles (15-3, 8-2) were able to bounce back from a 5-4 loss to Orange (8-10, 4-3) in the opener on Tuesday at Estancia.

Estancia, which has played more league games than the other teams in the league because of rainouts, is closing in on the league title with just two more more league games remaining against Saddleback (2-12, 0-6) on Tuesday, April 18 and Friday, April 21.

“It’s the first time in league we’ve lost game one in the series,” said Estancia Coach Nate Goellrich. “For us to come back and at least salvage the split was huge. These are two great teams, they’re the (defending) league champs and we’re looking to be the league champs so we knew both these games would be tough.

“Two, one-run games and they’re well coached. I’m just glad to come away with a win today.”

Estancia junior Andrew Mits went the distance striking out six and allowing five hits.

“He’s the CIF player of the year for a reason,” Goellrcih said. “We expect every time he’s out there for him to keep the opponents to a low score. To see these five weeks of league when we face the top teams in league, for him to come out and throw as well as he did today and bounce back for the win for us says a lot about him. That’s why he’s our number one.”

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Center fielder Andrew Coyotzi led the Estancia offense, going 3 for 3 with two runs scored, a double, a triple and a stolen base. First baseman Riley Witte was 2 for 2 with an RBI and right fielder James De La O was 1 for 3.

Coyotzi, who was slowed down by an injury earlier in the season, tripled to lead off the seventh inning and came around to score on a wild pitch.

“He had three hard hit balls today, so we’re glad to see him come out of that slump,” Goellrich said.

It turned out to be a big run.

Orange rallied in the seventh cutting the lead to 2-1 on an RBI single by Raul Flores which advanced Nick Torres, who had singled, to third base.

But Mits (7-2) got pinch-hitter Moses Mota to ground out to end the game.

“We came in right from the start and came out hot and that’s really the key for us coming out on top in these games,” said Mits. “They were a strong opponent, we knew that playing them earlier in the week. We came back with a lot better energy than we did in the first game.

“We knew we had to make an adjustment because if we didn’t they would come out on top once again. From the start, our energy was up there and we just kept firing throughout the whole game. We knew a sweep in these league games are crucial, we knew that couldn’t happen and we weren’t going to let it happen.”

Goellrich visted Mits on the mound when Orange had two runners on. But there was no doubt what he was going to do.

“It was his game,” Goellrich said. “His pitch count was low, he’s pitched in a lot of big opportunities for us, last year and this year. That was his game to win. He had earned the right to have the ball in that moment.”

Orange starter Alonso Rodriguez was also solid, allowing two runs and striking out five.

Flores had two hits for the Panthers.

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com