Division VI Baseball Playoffs: Lindsay is one game away
No. 14 Roosevelt at No. 2 Lindsay, 4:30 p.m. today
For 26 years the Valley finals have been out of reach of the Lindsay High School baseball team, but this afternoon the Cardinals look to make their first trip back to the championship game since winning three straight titles in the Sierra Division from 1990-92.
“I don’t think we’ve been in a finals since, that’s why getting there is special,” LHS head coach Brett Kendig said. “There’s a lot of teams that haven’t been in there ever.”
The second-seeded Cardinals (17-12, 11-4 ESL) are just one game away from making their return, with only the 14th-seeded Rough Riders of Roosevelt (4-21, 0-10 NYL) standing in their way. The two teams meet today in a 4:30 p.m. CIF Centrals Section Division VI semifinals game in Lindsay.
Out of Fresno, Roosevelt went winless in the North Yosemite League which is made up of two teams each from Div. II and Div. III, as well as one Div. V team. They entered playoffs with two wins then upset third-seeded, defending champion Fresno Christian (12-9) 6-4 and sixthseeded Kennedy (10-14) 8-5 in the opening round and quarterfinal, respectively.
“We know that they’re very solid behind the plate — outstanding catcher — and the shortstop is a very good athlete,” Kendig said. “[They have] some pitchers that throw pretty well [and] sometimes sturggle with their breaking ball. So hopefully we lay off those and look for fastballs, and hit them hard.”
Lindsay is batting .463 in the playoffs with an on-base percentage of .531. Junior centerfielder Julio Godoy has gone 6-for-8 with five RBIS and senior second baseman Cameron Smith hit 4-for-6 with three RBI over the last two games to lead the team.
With a senior heavy team that has multiple players with at least two years of experience in the playoffs, the Cardinals are sticking to the basics and not trying to make too much out of their semifinal game.
“We know we’re one step closer to our goal that we set at the beginning of the year but to me I’m not taking it as, putting so much pressure on me and my team,” senior shortstop Isaiah Duran said. “I’m just taking it as another game and coming out here, it’s just another opportunity to play with these seniors.
“We’re going to go in there, play our game and whatever happens, happens. But we’re not too nervous or nothing, we’re just going in there to play our
game,” he added.
Duran is part of a strong Cardinals defense that has only gave up one error in the postseason. Lindsay breezed past 15th-seeded Summit Charter (13-13) in a 24-4 opening-round game, and then beat their rivals, seventhseeded Strathmore (1114, 5-10 ESL) 12-6 in the quarterfinals. Getting the win against Summit and starting against Roosevelt will be junior pitcher Ryan Scheufele. The junior is 6-2 on the season with a 3.07 ERA.
“I’m excited,” Scheufele said. “I feel like throughout the season I’ve proved that I’ve earned this start and
I’m just going to pitch as good as I have been. Hopefully go as long as I can and get the win.”
Lindsay knows they’ve had their chances to get back to the Valley finals after qualifying for the playoffs the last three seasons and even receiving the second-seed last year that was unfortunately followed by an early exit. This year, they’re hopeful things will be different.
“That’s what you’re kind of trying to do, build some momentum,” Kendig said. “We’ve had a chance three years in a row to be there. Hopefully we get it done [today].”