Woodbridge defeats Portola 2-1 in nine innings to clinch a share of PCL title, first since 2016

Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker talks to his players in a game earlier this year. (File photo Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Woodbridge High’s baseball team had to go nine innings Monday, but the Warriors earned a share of their first league title since 2016.

Woodbridge defeated Portola 2-1 in a Pacific Coast League game at Ryan Lemmon Stadium to improve its record to 19-3. Woodbridge can win the outright league title by winning one of its remaining two games with second place Beckman, which is two games behind the Warriors.

“It feels good to clinch a share of the title, but we aren’t satisfied,” said Woodbridge Coach Ryan Brucker. “We still have work to do. We will enjoy this one tonight then get back to work tomorrow and get ready for a tough Beckman team on Wednesday and Thursday. It should be a lot of fun.” 

Beckman (17-5) needs to win both games to earn a share of the title. The teams play Wednesday at Ryan Lemmon Stadium and Thursday at Beckman. Both games are at 3:30 p.m.

Luke De Vries led Woodbridge offensively with two hits and the game-winning walk off hit in the ninth inning.

Jack Bunnell had two hits and an RBI, Nathan Perry had two hits, Sean McCance had a hit and a stolen base and Ryan Kato had a hit for Woodbridge.

McCance pitched the first six innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out 10. Lucky Ramanathan (7-2) came on to get the victory, allowing one hit and striking out four in three innings for the Warriors.

“It was a very well played high school baseball game,” Brucker said. “Our pitching came through for us today. Sean McCance was really good on the mound and had great command of his fastball and slider. He gave us exactly what we needed today and deserved to win that game. Lucky came on in the seventh and did what he has done for us all year. He was able to hold down the fort until we came up with that run in the ninth.

“Offensively it wasn’t our best day, but a lot of that has to do with the way Portola pitched us. We have to give the Portola pitchers a ton of credit for keeping us off balance and throwing good pitches in some key situations. Nathan Perry has really come on for us in the last few games and has been having good at bats. We were trying to bunt Blakey over, and their third baseman crashed very aggressively.

“It was an extremely heads up play by Nate to pull back and slash the ball for a single to left because that set up first and second with nobody out. After the walk to Lucky, I felt very good about the fact that Luke De Vries was coming up with the bases loaded in the ninth. He came through for us on the first pitch that he saw. I couldn’t be happier for Luke. He’s been such a steady presence for us all year long, and he deserved that moment.” 

Portola got a strong pitching effort from Luke Shen who went three innings and gave up one unearned run. MItch Stein came in and scattered five hits over the next six innings.

“Mitch did a great job battling and making outstanding pitches,” said Coach Kevin Conlin. “His best performance of the season.”

Kensay Sato was 3 for 3 with with a triple for the Buldogs.