Gates uses bat to push Orange Lutheran into third round

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Baseball playoffs: His two-run single, Cole's relief work give Lancers 6-4 win over El Modena.

ORANGE Only an inning had passed, but Orange Lutheran was losing and its starting pitcher, Aaron Gates, was rattled.

“My coaches had to talk to me,” said Gates, who was unhappy with some of the calls by the plate umpire. “They told me bad calls will happen, you still have to stay focused for the next pitch.”

Before he had the chance, Gates found himself at the plate, with the bases loaded and two outs, against El Modena. Gates drove a single to right field, scoring two runs and giving the Lancers a lead they would not relinquish. The 6-4 victory at El Modena advances the Lancers to the third round of the CIF-SS Division I playoffs, where they will face Norco, which beat Thousand Oaks, 5-3.

Gates, a senior left-hander, struck out eight and allowed two runs in five innings. Reliever Brandon Maurer took over, but after El Modena rallied and brought the potential tying run to the plate with one out in the seventh, Coach Mike Grahovac called for ace Gerrit Cole.

The Vanguards had seen mostly 88-90 mph fastballs until that point. So when Cole came in throwing 96-98, they appeared helpless.

After striking out the final two batters, Cole will be available for seven innings Friday.

El Modena threatened to score in the third, after Gates walked the first two batters. With cleanup hitter Wes Calvert at the plate, the runners stole second and third, but the plate umpire called interference on himself and sent the runners back to first and second.

After El Modena coach Josh Kliner vehemently argued the call, Calvert bunted the runners over. Gates struck out the next two hitters to end the inning.

“We had some things that didn't go our way,” Kliner said.

(Click here to see more stats from the game)

Contact the writer: jkay@ocregister.com