Monterey falls in NorCal playoffs

“I couldn't be prouder of this team. We were down eight runs. We kept talking about it's not over. I asked the kids, `Did you come and do everything you needed to do?' The kids said, `No.' We did not win the game. But what an ending.” — Michael Groves, Monterey baseball coach.

MONTEREY >> Pregame infield practice was atrocious. Perhaps after a month-long run of avoiding elimination with playoff pressure type games, Monterey High had hit a wall.

After a run of nine straight wins, catapulted with the program's first Central Coast Section title in 11 years, the Toreadores historic run came to a sudden end.

“It's disappointing that we weren't able to carry the CCS energy into the Northern California tournament,” Monterey baseball coach Michael Groves said. “We just couldn't do the things we needed to do. Our concentration wasn't there early.”

The Toreadores' season ended Tuesday, but not without some late fireworks that brought a full house at Sollecito Park to its feet, as a six-run, seventh inning fell short in an 8-6 loss to Central High of Fresno in the NorCal Division III playoffs.

“I couldn't be prouder of this team,” Groves said. “We were down eight runs. We kept talking about it's not over. I asked the kids, `Did you come and do everything you needed to do?' The kids said, `No.' We did not win the game. But what an ending.”

The hard part is turning in uniforms. The anticipation for Groves was Monterey would be hosting games on Thursday and Saturday, playing for another title.

Overconfidence was a concern of Groves, particularly with Central having just a 16-17 overall record, having gone 4-11 in its league in the Central Section.

“I was worried about Central,” Groves said. “They had six guys in the lineup hitting over .300. They had an edge to them after losing their section title game. Central came in and played like it had nothing to lose.”

Groves warned his players not to look at Central's overall record. After all, Monterey was just 8-13 in late April before it went on its nine-game winning streak.

“I think we thought roll the ball out there and we will win this game,” Groves said. “It does not work that way. We weren't sharp during pregame warmups. It carried over. You can't show up in the sixth inning.”

The Toreadores also ran into pitcher Aaron McCurley, who pitched like an ace, setting down 15 of 17 hitters between the second and sixth innings, having allowed just two harmless singles.

Yet, after McCurley was touched for two runs with the benefit of just one hit, he was removed. The first pitch Pablo Sanchez liked, he sent it over the fence for a grand slam to cut the deficit to two.

“We were down by eight runs and the crowd, the biggest I've seen in my 40 years, wouldn't give up on the kids,” Groves said. “Their energy was incredible.”

Monterey's path to the Northern California tournament included CCS wins over top-seed Los Gatos and reigning section champion Burlingame in the title game.

“We have to be proud of the path we took,” Groves said. “We didn't get to the top of the mountain. But we didn't lie down. I think this will help for next year. We can't take anything for granted. And this was a perfect example of how you're never out of it.”