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Beckman coach Kevin LaValle makes a pitching change as Ricky Schoeffler replaces starter Carter Head. (PHOTOS: Jacob Ramos, For OC Sports Zone).
In a game decided by timely hitting and clutch pitching, Beckman fell to San Dimas in Tuesday’s CIF Division 3 semifinal baseball game at Patriot Park 4-1.
Beckman put right-hander Carter Head on the mound to counter San Dimas’ offense that averaged nearly five runs per game leading up to Tuesday. Despite taking the loss, Head performed well in the elimination game. The junior went 5 ⅔ innings with seven strikeouts to just two walks and two runs before being relieved by Ricky Schoeffler.
To see the slide show, click on the first photo:
Head poke about his start postgame with OC Sports Zone.
“I had to come out there and compete to give us a shot, and I gave it my all until the end,” Head said. “[My] slider and changeup [were] working really well. I knew they were going to be on the fastball if I didn’t mix it up really well, so I had to get those dialed in early for strikes and get a lot of swings and misses with them.”
Head battled adversity early in the game, allowing the sole two runs he was responsible for in the second inning. However, the story of the game for the Patriots centered less around Head, and more around the defense behind him.
Beckman allowed three runners to reach via error on Tuesday, with one coming around to score. Patriots Coach Kevin Lavalle had comments about the mistakes postgame.
“[The errors were] very uncharacteristic for us, but it wasn’t the moment being too big or anything like that,” Lavalle said. “We’ve made three errors before in a game. It’s just when you do it in the playoffs, your season ends.”
The game wasn’t without its controversies.
In the top of the fourth inning, Lavalle asked the umpire crew to inspect San Dimas leadoff hitter Vaughn Coleman’s bat. After a short pause, Coleman was ruled out as both dugouts erupted with opposite reactions. Saints fans jeered at the umpire crew as the moment was an inning-ender and came with two San Dimas runners on base.
Postgame, Lavalle confirmed he was asking the umpires to verify the pine tar on Coleman’s bat did not exceed the 18-inch maximum mark set by the National Federation of State High School Association. The umpires, after a near-15 minute long break in play, confirmed that the bat did violate the NFHS rule and Coleman was correctly ruled out.
Play resumed with a scoreless fifth inning for both sides.
Beckman was not shut out; their dugout had life injected into it after Kai Carney doubled home Sean Franco to score the Patriots’ first run in the sixth inning. Despite Patriot Park fans waking up for a moment, the sole run was not enough.
After allowing the run, San Dimas was able to put two more runs on the board after Head exited courtesy of an RBI double by Josh Calcanas and RBI safety squeeze from Jeremiah Holmes.
The Saints were aided by an elite start from their freshman starter Dean Brosterhouse, who went 5 ⅓ innings for San Dimas, allowing only one run and striking out four. Brosterhouse only allowed three hits by Beckman on the afternoon.
After Brosterhouse’s exit in the sixth inning, James Rocha entered for the Saints (19-10) and shut the door on Beckman’s season. Rocha excelled as well, retiring all five hitters he faced with none reaching base.
San Dimas will face Glendora either Friday or Saturday for the CIF Division 3 title.
Beckman was a streaky team at times in the 2025 season. The Patriots had a pair of three game losing streaks, but also came into Tuesday on a six game winning streak, including a sweep of San Juan Hills that allowed them to have a shot at CIF play.
Head alluded to his squad’s streakiness and expectations placed on the Patriots after a Division 3 CIF championship last season.
“[At the] beginning of the year, you know, everyone’s thinking, oh, they have high standards, they have high expectations for this year,” Head said. “[At] end of the season we just started to not care about what people thought and we started to play our baseball and it worked out.”
The loss spells the end of the season for Beckman (18-14) and the end of many of their seniors’ baseball careers. Players could be seen in tears embracing one another postgame as parents and fans cleaned up Patriot Park one last time in the 25 season.
Lavalle had some closing thoughts on his CIF semifinalist Patriots’ season.
“If it doesn’t hurt, then you’re probably not a competitor,” he said.