ANAHEIM – Loara collected 10 hits, but scored just once en route to a 2-1 loss to St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs in a CIF Southern Section Division 3 first-round playoff game at Loara on Thursday afternoon.
All 10 of the Saxons’ hits were singles, and they stranded 10 runners, with their lone score coming on a third-inning single to left by Domnic Cruz that knotted the score at 1-all.
“You’ve got to tip your cap to their pitchers, they made pitches in critical situations,” Loara coach David Lappin said. “That’s baseball. Playoff baseball comes down to getting the timely hit, and we just didn’t have it today.”
The Saxons got eight of their hits off starter Aaron Pinto before he gave way in the fourth to Jared Paderez. Pinto still played a big role in the outcome, however, with his sacrifice bunt in the fifth helping lead to the Swordsmen’s winning run.
“He was able to keep his composure and not show frustration,” said St. Paul coach Casey Morales. “That was very important because he came up in two situations that we needed bunts. A lot of times kids will be kids and let the moment get the best of them … so I thought it was huge by him to be able to do that.”
Pinto’s bunt came after an infield single by Jon Hernandez to open the fifth inning. Gabe Esquer followed with a single to left to score the run. Loara starter Ryon Martinez then gave up a single to Larson Anzaldo before striking out Paderez and getting Joe Argumedo to ground out, ending the threat.
Martinez took the loss despite scattering seven hits while striking out five and walking three. All seven of the Swordsmen’s hits were also singles.
“He did a phenomenal job,” Lappin said. “He had trouble in [nearly] every inning, and he battled his way through it. He minimized all the damage and gave us every chance to win that game.”
Morales was also complimentary of Martinez.
“He really battled and kept us off balance,” the St. Paul coach said. “We’ve been swinging the bat pretty well and we were not as able to put as many good swings on him today.”
Loara had chances to get the equalizer, but left a runner at third in the fifth, then saw Jacob Mugica erased there in the sixth on a failed sacrifice bunt. The Saxons collected two hits off Paderez to start the seventh, but stranded runners at second and third.
“They played hard all the way to the last pitch,” Lappin said. “We had a chance there at the end. It definitely wasn’t a lack of effort, it definitely wasn’t a lack of heart. We just got beat today.”
Cruz and David Gistlinck had three hits each for the Saxons, who finished the season at 19-9.
