Big sixth inning rally powers Charter Oak past Woodbridge in CIF playoff opener

Woodbridge players (left) get ready to shake hands with players from Charter Oak after Friday’s game. (Photos: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).

Charter Oak High School’s baseball team battled back from an early four-run deficit with seven unearned runs in the sixth inning to defeat Woodbridge 11-5 in a CIF Division 2 playoff opener Friday at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

Charter Oak moves on to the second round Tuesday at home against South Hills. Pacific Coast League champion Woodbridge had high hopes going into the playoffs after finishing 19-2 in league play.

Woodbridge (23-6) had been a solid fielding team in the regular season but made four errors Friday, which allowed nine unearned runs to score, including all seven in the sixth inning.

“It’s a tough one, I thought we played well for six out of the seven innings, it’s tough to make four errors in a playoff game and win it, but we were hanging in,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker.

“Obviously, Charter Oak is a really good team. Both the pitchers we faced today were really, really good and I was happy with the way our guys competed at the plate. To put up four runs on their starter was a big accomplishment, he’s a good pitcher.

“Unfortunately we misplayed a couple bunts there and didn’t make plays when we needed to and when you give extra outs to a physical team like Charter Oak, they’re going to take advantage of it. I think they got seven runs with two outs (in the sixth).”

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With Woodbridge leading 5-4 going into the sixth, Warrior ace Matthew Kuromoto retired two of the first three batters he faced in the sixth. But an infield error prolonged the inning and Charter Oak went on to score seven runs off two Warrior relievers.

Anthony Vasquez, who started the game on the mound for Charter Oak, had the big blow, a bases loaded triple to left field and Athen Malone followed with a two-run home run.

“It was a huge win, their guy was in a groove,” said Charter Oak Coach Elias Chavez. “He was doing a great job and worked out of jams. But we’re battle tested. Our guys have been through some battles all season long, they just keep fighting and fighting, that’s all we ask them to do is just to compete.”

Vasquez wound up with four RBI and Malone also had a double.

“Anthony is a four-year varsity guy, he didn’t have his best outing (on the mound) today, but we told him, ‘you’re going to come up in a big spot,'” Chavez said. “He was ready for it and he came through clutch for us. Athen has been swinging the bat very well for us. He has some pop and he got it.”

It was a solid start for Woodbridge. In the first inning, Kuromoto doubled, went to third on a sacrifice Abernathy and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jake Amundson.

The Warriors added three more runs in the second inning. Chase Quezeda singled, stole second and came around to score on a wild pitch. Nolan Stottlemyer walked, Daniel O’Hanlon reached on a bunt single and Brad Gramlich delivered a two-run double to put the Warriors ahead 4-0.

But Charter Oak began to battle back with three runs, two unearned taking advantage of two Woodbridge errors in the top of the third inning. Diego Ortiz and Vasquez had sacrifice flies.

Woodbridge made it 5-3 with a run in the bottom of the inning. Amundson singled and scored on a double by Anthony DeMarco.

But Malone, who came on to pitch in the third inning, was able to hold the Warriors in check after that.

“That’s a tough pill to swallow but at the end of the day, one game doesn’t make your season,” Brucker said. “I think we competed really, really well this year. We won the Pacific Coast League for the third year in a row, I’m really proud of the guys. Playoff baseball is tough. I’m proud of them, it doesn’t diminish anything we’ve done this season.”

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