LOS ANGELES – This was supposed to be Aliso Niguel’s shot at redemption.
The Wolverines were getting a chance to face the team that knocked them out of the postseason last year, and their starting pitcher, Kyle Molnar, was returning to conquer the mound that brought him heartbreak two years ago.
Unfortunately for Aliso Niguel and Molnar, their misfortunes continued Friday, as a nightmarish first inning led to their loss to Temecula Valley, 5-3, in the CIF-SS Division 2 championship game at Dodger Stadium.
It was the second time in three years that Molnar and Aliso Niguel lost in the final.
“Our team as a whole was nervous,” Molnar said of the first inning.
Molnar gave up four hits and four runs, and his defense committed two errors in the first, giving Temecula Valley a significant cushion.
The rough start was not what Molnar wanted. In his last trip to Chavez Ravine, Molnar, a freshman at the time, gave up the winning run in the 10th inning of a 3-2 loss to Pacifica in the Division 2 title game in 2012.
The Wolverines — and Molnar — were able to settle down Friday and make it a game.
Aliso Niguel (23-10) scored one run in the second on a RBI single by Remy Wasserbach, and one in the fourth on a single by Domenic Colacchio.
Those were two times the Wolverines brought home some runs, but a lack of timely hits doomed them.
Aliso Niguel finished with the same amount of hits, seven, as the Golden Bears (24-8). The Wolverines left eight men on base, missing out on chances to put some pressure on the team that defeated them, 9-0, in the quarterfinals last season.
In its final at-bat, Aliso Niguel loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Molnar’s sacrifice fly made it 5-3.
With the tying runs on the base paths, Eric Wagaman struck out to end the game.
“We told our guys, ‘No matter what happens, soak it all in,’” Wolverines coach Craig Hanson said. “‘This is a special time, you’ll never forget the rest of your lives no matter if we win or lose.’
“They (Temecula Valley) beat us for one inning today. We couldn’t shake our nerves early on and we didn’t make the plays we should have.”
Blake Sabol was a bright spot for the Wolverines, as he recorded three hits in four at-bats.
Sabol is one of five Aliso Niguel starters expected to return next season.
“I think we’ll get back in this stadium (next year), for sure,” Sabol said. “That’s definitely the goal, and I’m very confident in the (JV) team we have coming up.”
Contact the writer: amorales@ocregister.com
