Big sixth inning powers Santa Margarita past La Mirada in CIF Division 1 quarterfinals

Santa Margarita players (from left) Drew Rutter, Blake Balsz, Colin Clarke and Charlie Lapp scored eight runs in the sixth inning Friday. (Photos: Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).

For five and a half innings La Mirada was in control of a CIF Division 1 baseball quarterfinal playoff game Friday against Santa Margarita.

However, Santa Margarita sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning, exploding for eight runs and went on to defeat the Matadores 9-4 at Santa Margarita.

No. 2-seeded Santa Margarita (25-6) advances to Tuesday’s semifinals and will play Orange Lutheran at Santa Margarita. La Mirada finished the season 22-8.

“I’m so proud of these guys,” said Eagles Coach Chris Malec. “We’re deep and we’re tough outs one through nine and we have mental toughness.”

Trailing 4-1 entering the bottom of the sixth inning, the Eagles completely turned the tide of the game by pounding out six hits and scoring eight runs against three La Mirada pitchers.

Ohio State commit Zach Fjelstad led off the bottom of the sixth inning and was hit by a pitch. San Diego State commit Drew Rutter followed with a RBI double to right center, cutting the lead to 4-2.

La Mirada Coach Jimmy Zurn then relieved starter Eric Jeon with Jacob Oropeza.

Pinch-hitter Charlie Lapp laid down a bunt and Jeon, who had moved to third base, dropped to his knees as he fielded the ball, but his throw to first was wide and went into foul territory behind first baseman Maverek Russell, allowing Rutter to score and allowing Lapp to end up on third. Bryce Humphry pinch ran for Lapp and scored to tie the game at 4-4.

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Both Rudder and Lapp felt redemption after previously struggling.

“After making two mistakes in center field earlier in the game, it feels really good to get a big double like that and get Zach (Fjelstad) home,” said Rudder, who also had another RBI later in the inning. “I didn’t want to crumble in that moment.”

“Last week I didn’t get the job done bunting in a game against Foothill, so it feels good to get the bunt down in that situation and help the team; it’s a new level of thrilling for me,” added Lapp. 

One out later, UCLA commit Blake Balsz gave the Eagles the lead, 5-4, when he drilled a home run over the right field fence.

“I was looking for a fastball and I got it and I knew it right away as soon as I hit it that it was gone,” Balsz said. “This win is a big confidence builder. Coming to bat in the sixth, we all felt that we could come back and win.”

Still with just one out in the sixth, UCLA commit Logan deGroot walked and Stanford commit Luke Lavin, who had three hits, singled.

They moved to second and third on a wild pitch and scored on (Washington commit) Blake Wilson’s two-run single off reliever Pablo Hidalgo, upping the Eagles lead to 7-4. Wilson scored on Lucas Owens RBI single and Owens came around and scored on Rudder’s second RBI of the inning.

The Eagles got outstanding pitching from Collin Clarke who started off slow but pitched a complete game. The senior right hander gave up five hits and struck out seven. He did not allow a hit after the third inning and retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced. 

Clarke was touched up for three hits and he yielded a two-run homer to Jeon in the first inning when the Matadores built a 3-0 lead.

“I was (upset) when I gave up that home run, but I reset my approach after the second inning,” said Clarke. “I didn’t want anybody else to come in and finish the game. It’s very exciting to win like this and this is what our team does, whether it’s the fifth inning or the seventh. We never feel we’re out of the game.”

Malec said he had no plans of taking Clarke out of the game.

“He’s a bulldog and he told me in the third inning, ‘coach I got this,'” said Malec.

Zurn was disappointed after the game and said the score was not indicative of the game.

“We had control of this game and had them on the ropes and we let it get away from us; this one is going to sting for a while,” said Zurn. “Nobody expected us to win this game, they’re a talented team and we’re a darn good team too.”

—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone