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Fullerton players (from left) AJ Hernandez, Zach Fany, Carlos Barrios, Conor Sunderland, Kyle Kim and Nate Norman led the Indians to a win Friday. (Photos; Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone).
After wrapping up the Freeway league and Del Rey League titles over the past week, the Fullerton and Bishop Amat baseball teams had one more piece of business to attend to Friday at Fullerton before completing the regular season.
Following numerous rainouts, the two teams agreed to play the third-place game of the Loara Tournament, despite the game being delayed nearly a month.
Fullerton’s Nate Norman ended the contest in dramatic style with a walk-off solo homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to give the Indians an 8-7 victory.
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Bishop Amat (21-4-1) tied the score 7-7 by pushing a run across in the sixth. Norman came to bat with one out in the bottom of the seventh and blasted a high towering homer off the left center field scoreboard for the game-winner.
He was mobbed by his teammates as he crossed home plate. Norman received the Frank Lerner Award for being named the game’s MVP.
“It’s an amazing feeling; it was my first walk-off homer ever,” said Norman, who also walked twice and scored two runs. “I wasn’t trying to hit a home run. I just wanted to get on base. I stood up in the box and I was trying to get a walk, or a single and maybe steal a base. I think we’re underrated and this win is a confidence-builder going into the playoffs.”
Both coaches used a surplus of players in the season’s finale in preparation for the post season.
“We’re in a good place and this team’s confidence is sky-high and we want to build on last year’s success,” said Indians Coach Shaun Hill.
Bishop Amat took an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on the strength of a two-run homer by Jacob Campos. However, Fullerton countered by scoring four unearned runs in their half of the first to take a 4-2 lead.
The Lancers recaptured the lead 5-4 in the third inning on RBI hits by Joey Esquivel and Chris Vargas.
The Indians (18-7) rallied for three runs in the fourth inning and took a 7-5 advantage, behind a pair of doubles by Carlos Barrios and Conor Sunderland.
Sunderland ripped a two-run double off the right center field fence that missed being a homerun by inches. On the play, Lancers right fielder Jacob Campos banged his knee on a fence post and was down for several minutes. He remained in the game and made two outstanding catches later in the game.
“We’ve played well all year and we won league and today we beat a very good Division 1 team,” said Sunderland.
Fullerton also got excellent relief pitching from AJ Hernandez and Kyle Kim. Hernandez came in and threw three innings and held the Lancers to one run. Kim took the hill with two outs in the sixth inning and closed down Bishop Amat’s rally and retired the Lancers in the seventh to earn the win.
“My job was to keep them from scoring; I felt like my fastball and curveball was keeping them off balance,” said Hernandez. “We’re amped up and we’ve had a big season and we want to win it all this year.”
Bishop Amat, which went undefeated in league play but had their seven-game winning streak snapped, scored solo runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the score and set the stage for Norman’s heroics.
Campos was on base three times, scored three runs and had two RBIs for the Lancers. Zach Fany had a hit, scored two runs and had several outstanding plays at shortstop for the Indians.
“I’m pleased with our play today; we had 12 hits and we battled,” said Bishop Amat coach Joe Hoggatt. “The kids have matured and they’ve really come together.”
CIF playoff pairings will be announced Monday.
—Tom Connolly, For OC Sports Zone
