Villa Park players, including Alex Pimentel (No. 27) who scored the winning run, celebrate after Friday’s CIF playoff victory over CdM (Photos: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).
It was unfortunate somebody had to be on the losing end of Friday’s opening round game of the CIF Division 2 baseball playoff game between Villa Park and Corona del Mar.
After nearly 13 innings of nail biting drama and four hours of play, Caleb Martin drew a bases loaded one out walk to give the Spartans a 2-1 walk-off victory over the Sea Kings.
To see the slide show, please click on the first photo
Villa Park (15-14) advances to Tuesday’s second round playoff game and will be on the road against Temecula Valley, who defeated San Dimas on Friday.
Alex Pimentel led off the bottom of the 13th inning with a bunt single down the third base line.
He stole second and Connor Baranek sacrificed him to third. Aaron Perez and Logan Abbey were then intentionally walked to load the bases with one out. Martin followed and extended the count to 3-2 before taking a fastball outside for ball four and forcing Pimentel home with the winning run.
Martin was immediately mobbed by his teammates in the outfield grass between first and second base.
“I just wanted to put the bat on the ball,” said Martin, a junior. “I was a little nervous at first but when the count got to 2-2, I relaxed and kept practicing my breathing and I was fine. I’ll never forget this game as long as I live. It feels great and it’s a huge win for us.”
Villa Park coach Burt Call said it was an impressive win for his team.
“We have some great team chemistry and we found a way to generate some extra energy,” said Call. “All three of our pitchers were clutch today and when our guys got in tense situations they slowed the game down and focused.”
The Spartans took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Pimentel was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first. He stole second and went to third on a wild pitched. He scored on Aaron Perez’s infield RBI ground out.
The Sea Kings (18-9-1) responded in the third inning.
Nolan Dunn drilled a one out single and came around to tie the game at 1-1 on a two out RBI single by Kieran Sidebotham.
Both teams had numerous opportunities to score additional runs but the starting pitching of Tommy Wilcox and Isaac Ontiveros and the relief pitching was outstanding.
Wilcox went eight innings for CdM and gave up one run, six hits and struck out six. He did not walk a batter. Ontiveros went 6 1/3 innings and gave up one run, allowing five hits and striking out nine batters.
Ryan Borquez relieved Wilcox and pitched for four innings before being relieved by Tanner Ivey, who pitched the last inning.
Perez came into the game with one out in the seventh inning and pitched until he was relieved by Justin Roberto with one out in the 11th inning.
“I stayed composed and hit my spots,” said Roberto, who earned the win. “The only time I got nervous was when I first came into the game and they had a runner on third base with one out in the 11th.”
Roberto got Sidebotham to pop out to shortstop for the second out of the 11th and then he retired Reece Berger on a fly to end the inning.
“We’re are psyched to be moving on,” he added.
The Sea Kings also left the bases loaded in the fourth and eight innings and left two runners on in the third, seventh and ninth innings.
“We had our opportunities and it was a great high school baseball game, but it really stings, especially for the seniors,” said CdM Coach Kevin McCaffrey.
“We came a long way this season and I’m proud of our guys. We turned it around and stopped playing selfish baseball and had a very good second half of the season. This will be a life lesson for all of us and it’s a tough one but I’m still proud of our season.”
Sea Kings center field Matt De Crona had three hits and was on base five times in the game.
“I feel horrible for the team and especially the seniors,” said De Crona. “We didn’t quit and we had a good year. We never stopped fighting hard.”
(This story was updated Sunday at noon)
-Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
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