California charges back for win over Alameda
For five-anda-half innings Tuesday, Alameda controlled No. 4 seed California in the first round of the North Coast Section Division I baseball playoffs.
But the Grizzlies, who have rallied a number of times this season, produced perhaps their most important rally yet. Trailing by three runs to the 13th-seeded Hornets, Cal High scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and won 4-3.
The Grizzlies (22-5) will host No. 12 Granada (16-10) on Friday at 5 p.m. in the quarterfinals. Granada upset No. 5 College Park 3-2 on Tuesday.
“To come back and win, that's just how we've been doing it all year … call it the junkyard dog mentality,” said Cal High's Nic Bronzini, who hit a long two-run single for the tying and eventual winning runs. “I was looking for a pitch, sitting on a fastball and I got it. … I knew I got enough of it to at least drive it for a base hit, and that's all I wanted to do.”
Alameda's resolve, which included impressive pitching from Hawaii-bound Ethan Thomas, and California's clutch performance was so impressive that fans on both sides gave the teams a standing ovation as they shook hands after the final out.
“I couldn't ask for anything more,” said Alameda coach Ken Arnerich, who has been the Hornets' leader for 20 years. “I told the kids `leave it between the lines' and they did that and more. I couldn't be more proud of them.”
The 6-foot-4 Thomas used his powerful fastball and slider to stymie California until the sixth inning. Up to that point, Cal High had only managed two hits and Thomas had struck out eight batters and walked none.
Dean Meddaugh, the Grizzlies' No. 9 hitter, and Raoul Fabian led off the bottom of the sixth inning with singles. Brady Wetzel walked to load the bases.
After Thomas induced a strikeout, Dom Tuyor ripped the ball down the left-field line for a two-run double. After a walk by Cade Hannula and an out, Bronzini hit the first pitch he saw off the center field fence for a two-run single. He then retired three of the four batters he faced as a pitcher in the seventh inning for the win.
“Their pitcher was dominating us pretty much for five innings, then we found a way to get on base,” Cal High coach Dan Ward said. “We did a good job competing in that last inning, in the sixth.”
Alameda scored in the top of the first inning on a fielder's choice when Max Cohen beat a relay throw to first on a double-play attempt, scoring Owen Firestone. The score remained 1-0 through the first five innings.
Cal High shortstop Teddy Booras helped out his team with an impressive double play in the fourth. He caught a blooper in shallow center field with his back to the plate, then swirled around and fired the ball to second base for the final out of the inning.