Golden West League scores two late runs to earn victory at Ryan Lemmon Showcase

Seniors (from left) Zander Bretza, Quentin Custodio, Juan Plascencia and Bruno Banuelos led the Golden West League team to a win. (Photo: OC Sports Zone, Tim Burt).

Golden West League seniors and those from the Freeway League had some fun Friday night in the Ryan Lemmon Showcase at Ryan Lemmon Stadium.

It was a little more fun for the Golden West League which scored two runs in the seventh inning and notched a 3-1 victory in the first of five games in the 25th annual event, sponsored by the Ryan Lemmon Foundation.

Quentin Custodio (Ocean View) broke a 1-1 tie with a single in the seventh inning and Juan Plascencia (Godinez) followed with a sacrifice fly to make it a two-run cushion. Segerstrom’s Zander Bretza, who came on to pitch in the seventh inning, then shut down the Freeway League in order in the bottom of the inning. Bretza also singled in the first inning.

“I was trying to have fun, it was the last at bat with a lot of my friends and one of my best friends and just try and have fun and come out and play,” said Custodio, who normally plays first base. “I was trying to enjoy it, I got to play right field which I’ve never played before. And getting to talk to all these guys who I’ve played against, they’re all pretty cool being on the same team and not like hating them playing against them.”

Custodio also had an RBI in the first inning when he reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in Katella’s Tanner Dominguez, who reached on an error. The Freeway League came back to tie the game in the second inning. Jack Meek (Sonora) singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single by Matt Flores (La Habra).

Bruno Banuelos (Segerstrom) started on the mound for the Golden West League, pitching the first two innings. Myles Johnson (Katella) and Owen Sideris (Ocean View) also pitched for the Golden West League.

Meek started on the mound for the Freeway League. Darian Choi (Sunny Hills), Chris Cornelius (Sunny Hills), Flores and Anthony Cabral (Buena Park) also pitched for the Freeway League.

Coaches, including Segerstrom’s Erasmo Ramirez, participated in the game. Ramirez was pleased to see contributions from the Segerstrom players, including outfielder Nicolas Valdez.

“They represented us well,” Ramirez said. “Any time we could honor some of our out-going seniors, it’s an absolute moment of pride for us and for me as a coach. Zander and Bruno were two guys who had all the statistics and deserve to be here and they’re going to go on and play Division 1 college baseball.

“Nicolas Valdez is a kid who was a part-time starter for us but who is absolutely wonderful kid and when the coaches and I were going through the roster and figuring out who else we can put in the roster, immediately I thought of Nicolas Valdez. He did everything right and showed up to the field ready to work every day.”

Bretza also won the home run hitting contest edging Evan Chadwick of Kennedy.

In the second game Friday night, the Century League defeated the Empire League 4-1.

For more information on the Ryan Lemmon Showcase, click here.