SVC derailed by seventh-inning mistakes
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Baseball playoffs: Warriors cruising along until Upland Christian rallies for 5-4 victory.
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO Errors cost Saddleback Valley Christian a spot in the championship baseball game.
Upland Christian took advantage of three seventh-inning miscues by the Warriors to pull out a 5-4 victory in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division VII playoffs Tuesday afternoon at San Juan Sports Park.
Saddleback Valley, the top-seeded team and the San Joaquin League champs, finished the year at 19-6.
“We had a great run,” Warriors coach Jim Romero said. “We had them on the ropes and we thought we could close them out. It was just one of those things. Upland is a real good team. If you make mistakes they are going to bite you.”
The defending champion Eagles (19-10) trailed, 4-1, entering the top of the seventh. The Warriors had played a clean game to that point, but after leadoff batter Andrew Sinner reached on an infield single, they made their first error.
James Spraggins rolled an apparent double-play ball to second base, but it was misplayed and all of the runners were safe. Matt Johnston was hit by a pitch, loading the bases with no outs.
Matt Proulx followed with a line-drive single to center. Runners advanced to second and third on an error by the center fielder, and the Eagles were down, 4-3.
Gregg Romero took over for starter Dave Dillard, who suffered his first loss of the season. Romero intentionally walked Ethan Chapman to load the bases, then struck out the next two batters.
Randy Alilionwu came up with two outs and hit a groundball to short. However, the throw was high and wide. The ball came free from the first baseman, allowing Proulx to score the go-ahead run from second base, 5-4.
“I saw the ground ball and thought that was it, we're done,” said Johnston, who recorded the save with his work in the bottom of the inning. “When I saw the ball drop and saw the runs score, I knew we could win it.”
The Warriors fought back in the seventh before a game-ending double play ball killed the rally. Romero led off with a single and Brendan Chambers was safe on an infield single.
An unsuccessful double steal left Chambers at second with one out. The Eagles then walked Chris Gipe to set up the double play.
“Jim Romero and Saddleback Valley is an incredible team,” Eagles coach Geoff Ranney said. “We knew we would be in for a game. They are solid from top to bottom.”
The game matched up the past two CIF champions.
The Warriors scored twice in the third and twice in the fifth. The Eagles struck for their first run in the sixth.
Upland Christian plays Avalon at noon on Saturday at UC Riverside.
Contact the writer: ctoboloski@ocregister.com
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