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Woodbridge players and coaches get together after Thursday’s win over Beckman. (Photos: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Woodbridge takes charge early in 14-5 win over Beckman.
Woodbridge High School’s baseball team left little doubt about who the best baseball squad in the Pacific Coast League is Thursday afternoon.
The Warriors defeated Beckman 14-5 at Ryan Lemmon Stadium to clinch the outright league title with a week left in the regular season. It’s the third league championship in a row for the program, led by Coach Ryan Brucker.
Woodbridge (21-5, 17-2) clinched at least a share of the title with a 6-1 victory Wednesday, but the Warriors wanted an outright title.
The Warriors got that Thursday with their third win of the year over Beckman, then celebrated on the field spraying sparkling cider at their teammates.
“It means a lot actually, three-peat, I don’t think anyone has ever done it at Woodbridge, it means a lot to all of us especially the seniors, I think we’re probably one of the best classes to come out of Woodbridge High,” said Matthew Kuromoto, who pitched the first 4 1/3 innings to get the win, improving his record to 7-2.
Kuromoto opened the bottom of the first inning with a triple and scored on an RBI single by Brandon Abernathy. Jake Amundson and Daniel O’Hanlon also had RBI singles in the inning to help Woodbridge moved out to a 4-0 lead after one.
“First at bat, I knew he had a good curve, Zach Ireland is a very good pitcher, so I saw it on the second pitch and hammered it on the right side, that was my goal,” Kuromoto said of the triple.
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It was the beginning of a big day for the Warriors.
“It’s pretty awesome to be able to say we won the league three years in a row,” Brucker said. “It’s a testament obviously to the kids and these players. I just couldn’t be more proud of this senior class. They’re as competitive as any group we’ve had and they deserve it.”
Kuromoto pitched the first 4 1/3 innings allowing four runs and striking out four. After Ashton Kanegae belted a two-run home run in the fiffth, Brucker brought in Justin Durby to finish the game. Durby allowed an unearned run and three hits in his relief stint.
After falling behind 4-0, Beckman (13-11-2, 9-8-2) responded with a run in the second inning. Maddex Soto doubled, advanced to third on an error and scored on a wild pitch.
However, Woodbridge broke the game open with six runs in the bottom of the inning taking advantage of an error, two walks and two hit batters. Nolan Stottlemeyer drove in two of the runs with a single.
Beckman scored a run in the top of the third inning. Max Lazaruk singled and came home on a groundout by Carter Speights.
Woodbridge answered with two more runs in the bottom of the inning. Chase Quezada drove home one of a groundout and O’Hanlon knocked in the other on a single.
Beckman continued to battle in the fifth inning. Speights triple and scored on Kanegae’s home run. Robby Schoeffler had an RBI single in the sixth inning for another Beckman run.
Woodbridge answered with two more runs in the bottom of the inning.
Kuromoto was 3 for 5 with two runs scored and O’Hanlon was 2 for 3 with two RBI and a run scored to lead Woodbridge.
Beckman Coach Kevin Lavalle congratulated Brucker and his staff after the game. Players from both teams, after battling hard during the game, had demonstrated excellent sportsmanship as well after the game.
Woodbridge wraps up the regular season with two games next week against second place Northwood. Beckman, which is in third place ahead of Irvine (9-9-1) and Laguna Hills (9-9) finishes league with two games vs. Portola.
Four teams from the league earn automatic CIF playoff berths.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
