BASEBALL: Gabrielino comes from behind to win championship
Gabrielino turns hit into title
Down 1-0, Eagles rally with one in the seventh and one in the eighth to defeat Arroyo 2-1 to grab Mission Valley League title.
Friday's Games
Mission Valley League
Gabrielino 2, Arroyo 1 (8 innings)
Pacific League
Crescenta Valley 2, Arcadia 1 (8 innings)
Almont League
Alhambra 15, Bell Gardens 0
Montebello 12, San Gabriel 2
By Andrew Barlam, Correspondent
SAN GABRIEL - One-hit wonders, Gabrielino High School baseball players are not. But they certainly were on Friday.
Although the Eagles' bats produced just one hit in 7 2/3 innings at home against Arroyo - an infield single at that - the Eagles still pulled out a 2-1 come-from-behind, eight-inning victory for their second consecutive Mission Valley League title.
"It means everything to us," Gabrielino coach Joe Laski said. "We had only one hit and we still won. This team, the way they played today, the sky is really the limit for us."
Arroyo (12-10, 11-4) was one inning away from earning the title, holding a 1-0 advantage from the top of the first inning through the bottom of the seventh.
But Gabrielino (18-7, 13-2) took advantage of three balks by Arroyo reliever Justin Soto in the final two innings to put together the comeback and knock the Knights to third in the league standings behind second-place South El Monte.
A balk brought in the tying run in the seventh, and another in the eighth advanced runners to second and third to set up Stefan Jarrin's one-out sacrifice fly to right.
Pinch-runner Andrew Moreno scored to set off a celebration.
Pitcher Angel Cabral earned the victory with a scoreless eighth. He replaced Calvin Chambers, who gave up three hits and an unearned run in seven innings.
"I waited a long time for that run," said Chambers, who had four strikeouts and three walks. "I just had to block out everything negative and make sure I threw strikes and kept us in the game.
"We stayed together and I thank the Lord for that."
Arroyo's starter wasn't as fortunate.
Freshman right-hander Mark Roche allowed only one hit, with six strikeouts and five walks. But after a leadoff walk to start the seventh inning, the freshman was removed.
The game unraveled from there for the Knights.
Jacob Mier, the first batter Soto faced, attempted a sacrifice bunt but Soto scooped it up and threw wildly into center field. Back-to-back balks followed and Gabrielino ended up with the tying run in and a runner at third.
The Eagles had scored without a hit, just as they did again in the eighth.
"We had a chance to put it away, but a few turning points gave them the momentum," Arroyo coach D.J. MacKinnion said. "Went from the penthouse to the outhouse."
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
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This was my favorite game of all. Although our team hit like crap, we still stuck together to pull out the win. I hope arroyo doesnt think that our team was lucky to win because the only reason they scored was DUE 2 a dropped third strike with two outs. Our catcher made a bad throw to first in an attempt to get the runner out and the throw was in the dirt and rolled to right field. The runner on third came home on that error so that pretty much WAS luck on their behalf. GET THIS STRAIGHT ARROYO WE ARE COMING OUT THIS TIME FOR BLOOD AND I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS RIVAL MEANS EVERYTHING TO ME AND WHEN IM ON THE MOUND I PLAN ON GIVING YOU SOME GOOD COMPETION. GOOD LUCK ! see you soon. GABRIELINO IS THE TEAM TO BEAT ONCE AGAIN!, SO BRING YOU A GAME!
Elias, you might want to alert MaxPreps as well. They show Almeida as coach, and I couldn't find anything on the school Website that said who the coach is. Hard to report on a team that doesn't post a roster.
Hey Scott, Barlam screwed up this story. Last I checked South Pasadena is in the Rio Hondo not the MVL so how did Arroyo fall behind them? Also the coach at Arroyo is D.J. MacKinnon. Almeida left after last season. Just letting you know. You might want to change it.
will u guys be putting up the pictures from the game?
No, I wasn't at the game, but we had a reporter there.
great game by both teams. Hats off to gabby for their will to fight. Great games pitched on both sides. Our freshman steped it up for us today. Great AB by that second baseman from gabrielino to finish it. I knew he was going to be a tuff AB. Scott, were you at the game?
Arroyo 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 4 2
Gabrielino 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 - 2 1 2
Mark Roche, Justin Soto (7) and Roland Penaloza; Calvin Chambers, Angel Cabral (8) and Andy Tholt.
2B: Kevin Martinez (A)
W: A. Cabral (9-5)
L: Soto (1-1)
Records (overall, league): Arroyo 12-10, 11-4; Gabrielino 18-7, 13-2.