Etiwanda eruption is too much for Temecula Valley
RANCHO CUCAMONGA >> Etiwanda had been scoring runs in bunches entering the first round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs.
The Eagles had scored at least seven runs in three straight games, and nine of their last 12, but started off slowly against Temecula Valley with only one run in the first three innings.
That changed in a big way in the fourth inning.
The Eagles erased an early deficit with five runs with two outs in the fourth and went on to a 10-2 victory in a first-round game at Etiwanda High School. Etiwanda (21-8) advances to play at Warren in the second round Tuesday.
“It was a big at-bat where Parker got the hit that tied the game and turned the lineup over,” Etiwanda coach Don Furnald said.
Etiwanda trailed 2-1 and had two on with two out and No. 9 hitter Parker Sobiesiak at the plate. Sobiesiak singled to left to tie the game and that was followed by Austen Roellig’s single to right to give the Eagles the lead. Armando Briseno then hit a three-run homer to left and suddenly Etiwanda led 6-2.
“Mando (Briseno) had two bad at-bats (strikeouts), then really turned it around,” Furnald said.
Briseno added an RBI single the next inning as Etiwanda added two runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.
It was a disappointing end to the season for the Golden Bears (18-11), who entered the final week of the regular season tied for first in the Southwestern League with Vista Murrieta and owned the head-to-head tiebreaker but lost twice to thirdplace Great Oak and settled for second place.
“I think we had some good ABs in the first three innings, but then (Dylan) Goff started hitting his spots,” Temecula Valley coach Darric Merrell said.
Goff allowed just three hits in six innings, walking three and striking out 10. He retired the final 10 batters he faced.
“Through three innings, he was at 63 pitches,” Furnald said. “We thought we’d probably have to go to our ’pen early. We could’ve sent him out for the seventh but with our lead, we wanted to give him a rest.”
Yahir Ramirez finished off the three-hitter by allowing just one baserunner on a walk in the seventh.
Temecula Valley starter Cody Liscio was solid at the outset. Liscio would not have allowed any runs in the first three innings had Roellig’s routine fly ball leading off the bottom of the first not been lost in the sun for a double. Brady Ebel singled him home two batters later.
Liscio gave himself the lead when he delivered a two-run single to center in the third and a 2-1 Golden Bears lead. But he couldn’t make it through the fourth inning.
Roellig finished 3 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, Briseno drove in four and Sobieiak was 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. The only Temecula Valley player to reach base twice was Christopher Paciolla, on two walks, one of them intentional.
Temecula Valley returns four players from Thursday’s starting lineup, including Liscio and two of its other top hitters: catcher Zachary Anderson and outfielder Grant Yzermans.
“I want them to just experience what this (playoff game) feels like,” Merrell said. “The playoffs are different.”