Jack Crummer’s 3rd-inning 2-RBI single held up for the Santa Barbara baseball team on Thursday, leading to a 2-1 upset at Arcadia in the first round of the CIF Div. II playoffs.
Southpaw Gavin Feuer pitched five innings of four-hit ball to earn his fourth victory in eight days and Collin Dewell shut down the Apaches for two innings to earn his fourth save of the season.
“On paper, we shouldn’t still be playing,” said Dons assistant coach Mike Cooney.
Santa Barbara (14-13) moves on to play San Luis Obispo in the second round on Tuesday at Eddie Mathews Field. Arcadia, champions of the Pacific League, ends its season with a 21-5 record.
“The key is how you play when you reach the playoffs,” noted Cooney, whose team has won 4-of-its-last-5 games. “The fact that we’ve been playing at a playoff level – you lose and you go home – for the last week is working well with these kids.”
Crummer’s big hit scored Will Allison from third and Joey Gonzales from second. Allison had reached on an error and Gonzales moved him to third with a double to right-center field.
Arcadia responded with a run in the bottom half of the third, but nothing more the rest of the way.
“It was one of those things when you’re afraid to breath because something might change,” explained Cooney.
SANTA BARBARA 2, ARCADIA 1
Santa Barbara 002 000 0 – 2 7 0
Arcadia 001 000 0 – 1 5 2
SB – Feuer, Dewell (6), and Fraker. A – Rutherford, Smouse (6), and Nigolian. WP – Feuer 4-2. LP – Rutherford 8-2. 2B – SB 1 (Gonzales).
