The Dos Pueblos baseball team took Friday’s contest with crosstown rival Santa Barbara 4-2, but just like this year’s Channel League is shaping up, the decision could have gone either way.
Coupled with San Marcos’ road win at Buena, the Chargers’ victory locks up all five teams in league at 2 wins, 2 losses.
“There’s no question the league is evenly matched,” noted Dons assistant coach Mike Cooney, saying he can’t remember when there has been so much parity. “This year, on any given day, the No. 5 team can beat the No. 1 team.”
And like league so far, nobody stepped up and took control of this one. Even when DP took a 4-1 lead with a 2-run fifth, the lead seemed shaky at best. Though Charger pitchers limited the Dons to four hits, they had baserunners in every inning.
Santa Barbara tried to respond in the top half of the sixth, getting leadoff batter Jack Crummer on base thanks to a walk. Crummer managed to score three batters later on a Cameron Gniadek single to make it 4-2 but Dos Pueblos head coach Nate Mendoza made his second pitching change of the day and brought on Bradley Tirador to close out the Dons.
Santa Barbara put the leadoff runner on again in the seventh but DP third baseman Michael Spiritosanto picked off a sharply hit ball down the line from Dons starter Collin Dewell and shortstop Robert Vickers converted a double play to end the game.
“I thought they would take more pitches so it kind of helped me out, them swinging,” explained Tirador, who recorded the final four outs to notch a save. “My defense picked me up.”
Tyler McGaughey picked up the win by giving the Chargers five good innings, striking out six but also walking five.
Dewell took the loss for the Dons, getting pulled with one out in the fifth inning when the Chargers did most of their damage. Johnny Corraza scored the Chargers’ third run from second base when the ball was overthrown on a double play attempt. Ryan Ventura scored Nate Hart with a single to right field two batters later.
“It was big for us to get that win and put us even with everyone else in league,” admitted Mendoza. “But like I was telling the kids this morning, it doesn’t mean anything unless we take care of business on Tuesday against Ventura.”
“Our ultimate goal is to win league but we have a long ways to go.”
Santa Barbara gets a break from the Channel League next week. Instead, the Dons will play four games as part of the Righetti Tournament. Play starts on Tuesday, with Santa Barbara opening up against Santa Maria.
McGaughey is confident the Chargers are about to make a strong push for the league title.
“We just need to come together as a team and we’ll be unstoppable I think, to be honest with you.”
DOS PUEBLOS 4, SANTA BARBARA 2
Santa Barbara 100 001 0 – 2 4 2
Dos Pueblos 011 020 X – 4 6 1
Dewell, Crawford (5), and Eaton. DP – McGaughey, Ventura (6), Tirador (6), and Salas. WP – McGaughey. LP – Dewell. 2B – Gniadek (SB).
