ROLLING HILLS ESTATES – Mark Arviso had three RBIs and pitcher David Odle allowed just three hits after the second inning as Peninsula defeated Westminster, 4-2, in a CIF-SS Division 3 second-round game at Peninsula High on Tuesday.
The game turned on missed opportunities for the Lions in both halves of the second inning. Westminster scored just one run after loading the bases with nobody out, then gave up three in the bottom of the inning.
“That was the big inning,” said Westminster coach Mike Dodd. “Looking to get one hit there and at least score a couple of runs. We knew we had our backs up against the wall getting just one run right there.”
Matt Alvarez singled to start the Lions’ second, then went to third on a single by Daniel Ramirez and error by Peninsula’s second baseman. After Octavio Valente walked to load the bases, Alvarez was cut down at home on a fielder’s choice. Jesus Aldana followed with a sacrifice fly to right to score Ramirez for an early 1-0 lead.
Peninsula (20-12) answered quickly. With one out, Odle and Jake Sahagian each singled, then Billy Delpit reached safely when Westminster first baseman Steven Anderson’s throw to second on a grounder hit Sahagian in the back. Ryan Furhman then drew a bases-loaded walk and Arviso hit a two-run double off the center-field wall, making it 3-1.
The Panthers would go up 4-1 on an RBI triple by Arviso in the fourth while Odle retired the Lions in order in the third and fourth, and was quickly out of the fifth as well.
Anthony Orozco led off the Lions’ sixth with a single, then went to third on Chase Esquvel’s single, but was erased in a rundown after Tyler Mahle reached on a grounder. Esquvel took third on a grounder by Alvarez that erased Mahle at second, and scored on a delayed steal before Alvarez was tagged to end the inning.
“We’ve got no excuses, we had our opportunities later in the ballgame,” Dodd said. “We had the right people up, but we just didn’t get it done. And in the playoffs you’ve got to get it done.”
Marco Bedolla allowed seven hits while walking two and striking out three to take the loss. Brett Weisberg got the save, retiring the last two Lions batters.
Westminster ends its season at 17-11.
