San Marcos catcher Riley Moore makes a rare pitching appearance at the end of the game against Dos Pueblos.
Even after closing out the regular season on a two-game win streak, Dos Pueblos lost the second-place CIF playoff position in the Channel League to Buena.
On Thursday, the Chargers finished out the regular season with a 9-3 win over San Marcos, tying them with Buena in league at 8-4. Buena, which beat Ventura 9-1 on Thursday, takes the much-desired second-place playoff spot based on winning the head-to-head series. DP will be the league’s No. 3 team.
“We wish things went a little different the past couple of weeks but it didn’t,” said DP coach Nate Mendoza, referring to the doubleheader loss to Buena last Friday. “We’re going with what we’ve got, and we’ll go into the playoffs with a two-game winning streak, and hopefully keep this run going.”
Thursday’s game began almost exactly like Tuesday’s first game of the series, with Dos Pueblos scoring four runs in the first inning. Kyle Richardson brought home Mike Spiritosanto to score the first run of the game. After a Johnny Corazza single loaded the bases, Jordan Drewisch stepped up and hit a monster three-run double to bring the score to 4-0.
Drewisch stepped up again for the Chargers in the fourth by hitting another double to score Corazza. Porfi Avila kept it going with a single to bring in Drewisch.
San Marcos answered again with an Evan Doherty sacrifice fly to score Brakka, who hit a double earlier in the inning. The Chargers’ four-run lead was cut to just three.
Unfortunately for the Royals, Dos Pueblos exploded in the seventh, with a two-run homer by Joe Huthsing to score Steven Reveles. Anthony Sassola scored the final run of the game off a San Marcos error.
“We played good enough to win. San Marcos played inspired baseball today,” said Mendoza
Gabe Speier pitched the first five innings for Dos Pueblos, striking out six and allowing 3 runs off 10 hits. Colin Cole closed out the final two innings and allowed just two hits and no runs.
Will Proctor pitched the first 6 2/3 innings for the Royals, allowing 12 hits while striking out 2. Moore shed the catcher’s gear and finished out the game on the mound.
San Marcos finished the season with a record of 0-12 in the Channel League
“I’m obviously disappointed we didn’t win more, but it was rewarding the way my guys come together every day. We hung in there,” said San Marcos head coach Tony Vanetti
Dos Pueblos will enter the playoffs with an 18-8 overall. The playoff pairings will be announced Monday.
Dos Pueblos 9 San Marcos 3
DP..400 200 3– 9 12 2
SM..002 010 0– 3 6 4
Speier, Cole (6) and Richardson. Proctor, Moore (7) and Moore, Macduffee (7). W- Speier, L-Proctor (0-6)
2B:DP-Drewisch (2), Corazza; SM-Brakka HR: DP-Huthsing (7th) one on.
after reading all the negative post season letters written about this sm team following the firing of their coach and the use of a girl player it doesn’t seem like the team “hung together” at all.