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Pinch-runner Jairus Smith scores a run for Calvary Chapel in the fourth inning Wednesday. (Photos: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Calvary Chapel High School’s baseball team found a way to manufacture some runs and got some solid pitching to defeat Century 3-2 in the opening round of the CIF Division 5 playoffs at Century Wednesday afternoon.
The game was moved up from Thursday because of anticipated rains.
The Eagles took a 2-0 lead on two unearned runs, then pushed across an insurance run in the top of the seventh before holding off a late charge by Century in the seventh.
“It was a tight game, we only had four hits and we were able to pull it out,” said Calvary Chapel Coach Robert Marshall. “We had a freshman on the mound (Trevor Boisvert) who looked good and did a good job, with that being said, we got to get better hitting wise, we got to pick up guys in scoring position, which we didn’t do. But we got away with it, we hung tough, we played tough, they’re a scrappy bunch of kids and I love these guys.”
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Boisvert pitched the first 6 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and two runs, striking out six and walking four. Century loaded the bases in the seventh, taking advantage of two walks and a hit batter.
Marshall brought in Jacob Flores to face Derek Fonseca with two outs. Fonseca grounded the ball sharply to third baseman Mateo Navarro. The umpire ruled that pinch-runner Jacob Martinez scored from third, but then Navarro tagged the runner going from second to third for the final unassisted out.
“I just went out there and threw strikes,” Boisvert said. “I struggled a little bit at the end but my team picked me up at the end.”
Century starter Ismael Valverde also pitched well, allowing just four hits and one earned run. But Calvary Chapel, the No. 3 team from the Orange Coast League, had better execution overall.
“We sort of knew they were going to try and beat us with the small ball game and the bunt game,” said Century Coach Theo Cortes. “We practiced it yesterday and it just didn’t come through to fruition. Whenver you get to CIF games, if you execute the little things you’re going to stay in it and at times when you don’t, that’s when it’s going to bite you and hurt you at the end.
“But Calvary played really well, they did all the little things that we didn’t do. If they flip it around end, it’s a different story at the end.”
Calvary Chapel took a 1-0 lead with a run in the third inning. Casey Jones singled, stole second and scored when Samuel Sharp reached on an error.
Century (19-10) answered in the bottom of the inning, Derek Carrillo doubled and scored on a single by Julian Arias.
In the fourth inning, Calvary Chapel moved ahead. Matthew Madrid singled and went to second when Jordan Jimenez reached on an error on a sacrifice bunt. Pinch-runner Jairus Smith later scored on a wild pitch.
The Eagles added another run in the seventh. Navarro was hit by a pitch, stole second and eventually scored on a bunt single by Fabrizio Ratinoff.
Calvary Chapel (15-13) has had success bunting all season and did it well again Wednesday.
“That was a great bunt by our senior shortstop,” Marshall said. “He’s one of our best bunters and he’s got great speed.”
Calvary Chapel, the No. 3 team out of the Orange Coast League, moves on to face the winner of the Windward-Hillcrest game, which will be played Thursday, in the second round on Tuesday.
It was a tough ending for Century, which nearly reached 20 wins.
“This was a microcosm of it,” Cortes said. “When we had really good offensive games and we didn’t have to worry about doing the little things like fielding a bunt or making a short little throw to first base, we were OK because we had a nice lead. But we lost a lot of close ones where we just couldn’t execute defensively.
“But I think they ended up 19-10 overall, so they must have done some good things along the way.”
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
