SAN DIMAS — Practically every inning felt like a cliffhanger for San Dimas during its CIF Southern Section Division 1 first-round baseball playoff game against visiting West Ranch on Friday. But the Saints were able to pull through.
San Dimas held on for a 3-2 victory even though it went hitless over the last five innings and it had to escape two bases-loaded jams and a nerve-wracking seventh inning.
The Saints’ Kody King, who pitched the final two innings, hit the Wildcats’ Brett Ishikawa to lead off the seventh inning, but then settled down to record the next three outs to close the game.
San Dimas (24-4) advances to Tuesday’s second round. It will be home against Cypress (19-9-1), which was a 5-2 winner over Calabasas in the first round.
San Dimas co-head coach Mike Regan talks about surviving a 3-2 thriller over West Ranch to advance in the D1 baseball playoffs pic.twitter.com/KfbYGMJO8l
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) May 4, 2024
San Dimas pitchers Jude Favela and Kody King combined for a 3-2 win over West Ranch. They talked about it. pic.twitter.com/TuutNMVANu
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) May 4, 2024
San Dimas scored all three of its runs and had all four of its hits in the first inning, then held its breath.
“We knew they had good arms and we were fortunate to get three on the board in the first,” San Dimas co-head coach Mike Regan said. “We made a couple miscues, but (starting pitcher) Jude (Favela) pitched out of a lot of jams and Kody came in and closed the door. I guess it’s nerve-wracking, but it’s fun to watch.”
The first inning set the tone and was the difference.
Favela, a USC commit, gave up three straight one-out singles to load the bases, but got clutch back-to-back strikeouts to escape.
The Saints were still feeling good about it because Vaughn Coleman responded by hitting the first pitch for a home run.
They weren’t done. Kasen Khansarinia singled, stole second and Landon White doubled him home. Ryan Castro proceeded to drive in White for a 3-0 lead, and that was the Saints’ offense for the day.
“We came out swinging it that’s for sure,” Regan said. “Our defense was good for the most part and these guys have been in a lot of big games, so I don’t think these situations fazes them as much anymore.”
Favela, who twice got out of bases-loaded jams and had an inning-ending double play in another, nearly battled out of a second and third, no outs situation in the fifth.
Favela got two straight outs and nearly escaped, but Aidan Buntich’s grounder to Rocco Regan at second was bobbled and thrown away, allowing two runs to score on the error and the San Dimas’ lead was cut to 3-2.
Favela may not have had his best stuff, allowing seven hits with both runs unearned, but when he needed to be clutch, he was.
He noted how his back-to-back strikeouts in the first inning swung the momentum.
“After the first inning, bases-loaded strikeout, and then Vaughn Coleman goes yard,” Favela said. “That brought the energy up and everyone got in the game a little more.”
King came in and threw two hitless innings, though hitting the first batter and putting the tying runner aboard in the seventh made him work to finish it.
It was like that all day, and just another jam to get past.
“I hit the first guy but I trusted the guys who were behind me,” King said. “I just tried to get the job done and win a game for us.”
FRIDAY’S PLAYOFF SCORES
DIVISION 1
Damien 5, Mater Dei 0
Foothill 7, South Hills 5
La Mirada 4, Oaks Christian 3
San Dimas 3, West Ranch 2
Bonita 15, JSerra 2
Villa Park 6, Bishop Amat 1
DIVISION 3
La Salle 8, El Rancho 0
Los Alamitos 5, Walnut 0
La Habra 2, Redlands East Valley 1
Newbury Park 12, Flintridge Prep 2
DIVISION 5
Montebello 3, Katella 1
Santa Monica 4, Nogales 0
Ganesha 8, Murrieta Mesa 5
Adelanto 9, Marshall 3
Segerstrom 1, South Pasadena 0
Whittier Christian 4, Long Beach St. Anthony 3
Monrovia 6, Pasadena Poly 1
DIVISION 7
South El Monte 4, Paramount 3
Santa Ana 6, Cantwell Sacred Heart 1
Lancaster Desert Christian 8, Sierra Vista 4