Most local sports fans might not know it, but Cate’s baseball team has had more success in the past two seasons than any other program in Santa Barbara.
The Rams finished off their first undefeated Condor League season in coach Ben Soto’s 16 years on Friday, beating visiting Dunn 11-8 in come-from-behind fashion.
Cate, ranked No. 7 in Division VII, has now won 30 of its last 33 games dating back to last season.Dunn went up 2-0 in the first inning, but Cate rallied back on an RBI double by John Warren and RBI singles from Jackson Mauze and George Lou. Warren added to the 3-2 lead by walking to start the third and stealing his way to third base. Lous then scored him on a squeeze bunt.
A perfectly executed delayed-steal helped Nathan Vice score to make it 5-2.
The Earwigs wouldn’t go away, however, scoring four in the fourth to go up 6-5. Warren hit another RBI double in the bottom half to tie it up, and Cate got five runs in the sixth to put it out of reach.
“I’m just so proud of these kids. We don’t get to play baseball year-round here, so we just pick up the ball when they tell us we can and these guys have done a really great job,” said Soto.
The Rams (14-1, 10-0), await Monday’s CIF seedings.
