Savanna's Sianez shuts down Sonora
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Baseball playoffs: He throws a three-hitter to give the Rebels the 2-1 victory.
Savanna pitcher Mitch Sianez was asked to name his team's top strengths.
“Can I say pitching?” he replied. “Is that all right?”
It is, especially after Sianez pitched a three-hitter Friday as the Rebels beat Sonora, 2-1, in a CIF-Southern Section Division IV quarterfinals playoff game at Savanna.
Savanna has allowed only three runs in three playoff games. While going 14-1 in the Orange League, the Rebels never gave up more than four runs. Five league victories were shutouts.
That pitching has led the Rebels (23-6) to the Division IV semifinals against either Northview of Covina or Bonita of La Verne. That quarterfinal at Bonita was postponed by rain Friday. It will be played today at 3:15 p.m. at Bonita.
If Northview wins, it would be the home team against Savanna. If Bonita wins, a coin flip would determine the home team.
Sonora (23-7) and Savanna were scoreless through five innings as senior right-handers Sianez and the Raiders' James Cacioppo dueled. Cacioppo gave up just three hits and struck out seven with two walks. Sianez allowed five hits, struck out nine and walked four.
The Raiders took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth inning. With one out, Julian Duran lashed a double the opposite way to down the right-field line.
Duran advanced to third on a single by Steven Mancilla and scored on Steven Cerda's bloop single to left.
Dustin Noel led off Savanna's half of the sixth with a single. A throwing error on Dylan Roberson's ground ball sent Noel to third. Left-handed hitting Jordan Byrd sent a sinking liner to left field where Josh Hernandez's diving effort just came up short, enabling Noel to score and tie the game, 1-1.
Roberson, having advanced to second on Byrd's hit, tagged up and went to third on Luke Sever's fly to right. Josh Cunningham then hit a ground ball to Sonora shortstop Duran who threw to second base to get Byrd but Cunningham beat out the relay to first to kill the potential inning-ending double play as Roberson crossed the plate to give Savanna a 2-1 lead.
In Division II:
El Toro 7, West Torrance 6: Andrew Marian hit a three-run home run in the sixth inning to lead the visiting Chargers (23-7) past the second-seeded Warriors (27-4). Chad Thompson got the victory in relief to improve to 11-3. West Torrance is No. 8 this week in calhisports.com's state rankings.
El Toro will play Cypress in the semifinals Tuesday. A coin flip today will determine the home team.
In Division VII:
Saddleback Valley Christian 8, Buckley of Sherman Oaks 4: Brendan Chambers pitched a complete game and homered and David Dillard hit a two-run home run for the visiting Warriors (19-5). Top-seeded Saddleback Valley Christian will play the winner of Wildwood of Los Angeles-Upland Christian in the semifinals Tuesday.
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
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