Mustangs fall to Panthers in SJS D-III baseball title game
SACRAMENTO — For a squad that had learned well how to come from behind to win, the Rodriguez High baseball team finished its season one comeback short of its goal.
The Mustangs instead fell to Solano County Athletic Conference co-champion Benicia 8-5 Monday in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championship game at Sacramento City College’s Union Stadium.
Rodriguez (26-5-1) actually needed two comebacks in a game that started out wild and ended in disappointment. It got one, but the other never materialized as Benicia right-hander Nathan Jenest shut the Mustangs’ bats down over the final five innings.
“We have to tip our cap to Benicia,” said Mustangs coach Jason Chatham, whose team played the Panthers six times in 2011, losing four. “They won it in the big game, and we don’t want to take anything away from them.”
With lefty Jake Caballero, who had been stellar against the Panthers earlier in the year, on the hill, things got ut of hand quickly for Rodriguez.
Caballero labored through a third of an inning, hitting the first batter he faced, and ultimately surrendering five runs on four hits, including a two-run double by Benicia’s Hayden Mauch.
Mauch was deadly to the Mustangs Monday as he went 3 for 3, finishing a triple shy of the cycle with four RBIs.
After designated hitter Eric Olson reached on a fielder’s choice and Andrew McNeece scored on a throwing error by Rodriguez third baseman Brandon Ortega to make it 4-0, Chatham went to his bullpen, bringing in right-handed ace Jesse Scholtens, who had previously struggled against the Panthers.
Scholtens induced Tyler Hall’s sacrifice fly and got No. 9 hitter Jake Payne to ground out to third to end the inning.
The Mustangs answered right away, getting five runs in the top of second to tie the game.
Nick Perez led off with a base hit to right field, Dareion Evans, whose defense was spectacular, drew a two-out walk and Ortega singled to load the bases.
Jacob Booker followed with the first of two straight ground balls to Benicia shortstop Ryan Wheat that went for errors. Wheat went to field Booker’s ball and it went right between the shortstop’s glove and body, allowing Perez and Evans to come home.
Caballero followed with another grounder that Wheat mishandled, loading the bases for Myles Carelock, who smashed a bases-clearing double to the left field fence, tying the game before Carelock was thrown out at third base.
“Coming up with the bases loaded, there was no pressure,” Carelock said. “Just take a few deep breaths and do what we’ve done all season.”
Until Monday, hitting really hadn’t been a problem for the Mustangs.
The tie was short lived, though, as the Panthers went right back to work.
McNeece laced a single to right to lead off the third, and Mauch blasted a 2-2 hanger from Scholtens over the left-field wall for a 7-5 lead.
That was all the Panthers needed as Jenest allowed just three Mustangs to reach base the rest of the way.
Evans came up big on defense late, robbing McNeece of extra bases in the fifth with a diving catch, just feet shy of the wall in left field. After that, however, the Panthers put together three straight singles to score their final run.
It was Evans again to end the sixth, this time robbing Willie Calhoun with a diving snag in the corner that brought fans of both teams to their feet.
“He came through in the playoffs and became the guy we knew he was all along,” Chatham said.
Despite the disappointing end, Carelock, a senior, said this season is one he’ll never forget.
“Just the camaraderie we shared,” he said. “It was like one big strong family.”
When it comes down to it, the 26 wins — a school record — give future teams something to shoot for, he added.
“I think we set the standard for years to come,” Carelock said.
Reach Mike Corpos at 42-76979, or mcorpos@dailyrepublic.net.
Short URL: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/?p=51435
Posted by Mike Corpos
on May 30 2011.
Filed under Featured Sports, Featured Stories, High school. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry
