PHOTOS: Laguna Beach suffers extra inning loss to Glendora in CIF Division 4 final

Lincoln Adams scores a run for in the first inning for Laguna Beach Saturday night. (Photos courtesy John Luciano, For OC Sports Zone).

It took over three hours and nine innings and when the dust finally settled, Glendora came away with a 3-2 nail-biting win over Laguna Beach in the CIF Division 4 baseball championship game Saturday night at Cal State Fullerton’s Goodwin Field.

Santiago Garza’s two-out RBI single scored John Seader from second base giving the Tartans (20-11) back-to-back CIF titles. Last year, Glendora defeated San Dimas to capture the CIF Division 3 title. It’s the third championship in the school’s 68-year history.

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Laguna Beach Coach Ryan Belanto said despite the loss, his program is headed in the right direction.

“The game was exciting and could have gone either way,” said Belanto. “It was a battle but we didn’t get the clutch hitting when we needed it. I can honestly say it’s one of the few games when we didn’t get the clutch hitting. I told the guys afterwards we are building this program and this is the direction we want to go in. I am very proud of these guys. We’ve made great progress this season.”

Laguna Beach was going for its first CIF title since 2016.  

“It doesn’t get any better than this,” said Glendora Coach Jerry Lewallen. “Both teams battled and both team’s pitching was excellent. This is what high school sports is all about. Both teams were focused and competed and it’s a shame one of of the teams had to lose. The journey for our team has been more impressive than tonight’s outcome.”

With the score tied at 2-2, the Tartans came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning Laguna Beach relief pitcher Dylan Yencho struck out the first two batters in the inning.

John Seader singled to right and the took second when the ball was bobbled in the outfield. Tanner Grable was intentionally walked, bringing Garza to the plate.

Garza then drilled a single to left center and Seadrer scored the winning run, giving Glendora the championship and sending the Tartans players and fans into a frenzy.

“I wasn’t nervous when I came up; I was more confident when they walked the guy intentionally in front of me,” said Garza, who also had an RBI in the first inning to tie the score at 1-1.  “I got a pitch I could hit, an inside fastball. I’ll remember this game the rest of my life.”

Jude Garcia, who pitched the ninth inning in relief for Glendora and gave up two walks before getting out of a jam, earned the victory.

“It’s amazing to be a CIF champion,” said Garcia, a freshman right-hander. “I wasn’t here for last year’s championship; this is my first experience. I think the key was that we kept our we kept our composure and remained calm.” 

Trailing 2-1, the Tartans squeaked out a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Santiago Garza led off the sixth by drawing a walk and he scored on Garcia’s one-out RBI single to left. 

Seader, who singled in each of his final three at bats, said the strong bond among his teammates helped secure the win.

“We have such a brotherhood on this team,” Seader. “Everyone pulls for each other.”

Laguna Beach pushed a run across in the top of the first inning. Otis Boultinghouse singled to lead off the game but was forced out at second on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Lincoln Adams.

Adams then advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw by Tartans starting pitcher Tanner Grable. Adams scored on Dylan Yencho’s RBI single to center, giving the Breakers (20-12) a 1-0 lead.   

Glendora tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first inning. After doubling to lead off the inning, Riley Cooper was sacrificed to third and then scored on Garza’s RBI infield ground out. 

Laguna Beach (20-12) had an excellent scoring opportunity in the third inning but came up short.

The Breakers got their first two batters on base to start the inning. Preston Tymchak came on in relief of Grable and promptly struck out the side to foil the rally. Tymchak pitched three innings and only gave up one hit. 

The Tartans had a scoring opportunity in the fourth inning but came up empty.

Branson Wade came on relief for the Breakers in the bottom of the fourth inning. Grable greeted him with a leadoff double. Two outs later, Grable moved to third base on an errant infield throw, however Wade retired Garcia on a fly to center to end the inning and the score remained tied at 1-1. 

In the top of the fifth inning, Laguna Beach took the lead. Boultinghouse led off with a single but was forced out at second on a sacrifice bunt attempt by Adams. Adams moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on Yencho’s RBI double to left center as the Breakers regained the, 2-1.    

Glendora had scoring opportunities in the seventh and eight innings but failed to capitalize. Wade got Grabel to ground into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play. In the eighth inning, Yencho retired Garcia and Diego Garza with two base runners on to get out of a jam. 

Laguna Beach starting pitcher Aaron Crosby went the first three innings and gave up one hit and one run. Wade pitched four innings in relief and gave up one run and struck out five.

For Glendora, Sebastian Lawrence followed Grable and Tymchak and pitched three innings (sixth, seventh and eighth innings) and struck out three and did not allow a hit. 

“It’s an incredible feeling; I can’t ask for more than winning a CIF title,” said Lawrence, a sophomore. “It’s a special feeling. Our team has this attitude, ‘trust the guy behind you.’”  

Notes:

—Glendora defeated St. Anthony’s, Katella, Canyon, and Saugus to reach the finals while Laguna beach beat Highland, Woodbridge, Moorpark and Grand Terrace in the first four rounds before reaching Saturday’s final. 

—-Laguna Beach’s four through nine hitters went a combined 0 for 20 with four walks for the game.   

—-The Tartans finished second in the Palomares League and the Breakers finished in third-place in the Pacific Coast League. 

—Laguna Beach players Jacob Wicker and Branson Wade are both committed to play at Loyola Marymount next season. Otis Boultinghouse is committed to play at Pomona Pitzer next season. 

—Glendora players John Seader and Tanner Grable are committed to play at Citrus College next season.

—-The Tartans entered Saturday’s game with a .333 team batting average this season and Laguna Beach posted a .303 batting average.    

—-Both Laguna Beach and Glendora will be playing in the CIF So Cal regional tournament next week.