Bonita defeats Damien in a rare showdown
LA VERNE » Bonita pitcher Garrett Patterson soaked in the atmosphere during Friday’s much-anticipated CIFSS Division 1 playoff game against Damein.
It was the first meeting between the La Verne schools in 10 years, and the first time they’ve ever squared off in the playoffs.
Patterson did his part, pitching a complete game, allowing three hits with six strikeouts, and the Bearcats broke it open with four runs in the fifth inning to pull away for a 6-1 win.
Bonita (19-6) advances to the second round Tuesday. The Bearcats will play at top-seeded and national power Orange Lutheran (244), which had a first-round bye.
First though, Patterson is going to enjoy this one.
“This is a great team that we faced (Damien) and this was a big game,” Patterson said. “We wanted this and it’s a day to remember. It was a little difficult, but we wanted this game and everyone did their part.”
Patterson allowed only one hit over the final five innings.
“I felt my curveball was the best pitch I got, and my fastball was there,” Patterson said. “My changeup was pretty good to lefties, but I felt good about my curveball today.”
Bonita coach Ryan Marcos has come to expect such outings from Patterson.
“(Patterson) did a tremendous job on the bump,” Marcos said. “He kept the ball where he needed it and kept batters off balance. And you know what, (first-year coach AJ) LaMonda is doing a great job at Damien and his guys were fighting and had a great season. It was a battle and we’ll take the win.”
It went back and forth early.
Bonita’s Tyler Holley singled to lead off the first inning and later scored on a wild pitch to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.
Daniel Serna’s two-out double for Damien was cashed in with Jett Hernandez’s single to right to tie the score in the second inning.
But Bonita regained the lead in the third inning. Luke Mistone’s two-out single to left scored Diego Vasquez.
Damien pulled senior starting pitcher Ryan Mullan, a LMU commit, with one out in the fifth, and the Bearcats answered with four runs to put the Spartans out of reach.
JT Fenton’s bases-loaded single scored Tyler Holley, and the Bearcats added another run to go up 4-1.
Patterson helped himself with a single that scored Seth Wrightstone, and Fenton scored on a throwing error to make it 6-1.
It was everything Marcos could hope for.
“We felt the excitement from the minute we heard it on Monday (facing Damien) when the brackets were released,” Marcos said. “The hitters really showed up today and we were ready for some firm fastballs (in the fifth inning) and for that inning to open up let us breathe a little bit.”
Mistone, who is headed to Cal State Fullerton to pitch but has been shutdown pitching due to recovering from an injury, is still a big key at the plate. He had two hits, two runs and an RBI.
“We were all really eager and excited,” Mistone said of facing Damien, which finished the season, 17-12. “You look down the line and the whole team really contributed top to bottom for us.”