In other games of note …Diamond Bar beat Diamond Ranch 6-1 in preparation of Friday’s showdown against Bonita. West Covina edged Walnut 2-1…In the MVL, Arroyo clobbered Rosemead 11-0 (Mark Roche with a homer and pitched a two-hitter) and Mountain View beat El Monte 6-3.
By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer
Just about every element was covered Tuesday afternoon at La Salle High School – from first-inning controversy to sixth-inning comedy to a bizarre ending in the seventh. The same could be said about the weather – cold, dry, windy and wet. It culminated when the umpire suspended the game for the second time because of rain, leaving Bishop Amat’s 9-4 lead over La Salle to be settled in three weeks with one out in the bottom of the seventh.
Bishop Amat’s David Berg was on the mound and threw one pitch to La Salle’s Michael Pedote before the home-plate umpire called the game.
Bishop Amat coach Andy Nieto and La Salle coach Harry Agajanian met near the mound to discuss the outcome. The game resumed moments later, but it wasn’t long before a wild pitch hit the backstop with La Salle’s Nick Crow at the plate, prompting umpire Chris McNeise to call the game.
The game will resume April 15 at La Salle, when it’s next scheduled to host Bishop Amat.
“(The umpire) said he thought the pitcher was slipping a little bit,” Nieto said. “Our pitcher said he was fine and they wound up giving it another go. As you saw in the last inning, (the rain) didn’t let up.
“We said at the beginning we’d go suspended game, and that’s probably fair.
“Unless the (Del Rey League) bylaws say something different, we’ll continue next time. If for some reason our league constitution says it has to be an official game, then we can’t
change the rule.”
Nieto was frustrated in the first inning after Adam Alcantara was called out at home despite the ball slipping out of the catcher’s glove.
“It was a big call,” Nieto said. “Whether he was out or safe, I felt it was rushed a little bit, but it wasn’t a factor in the game.”
Bishop Amat junior left-hander Daniel Zamora, who struck out the first four batters, pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up five hits and two runs.
Bishop Amat had two three-run innings, in the third and fourth. Alcantara’s home run on the first pitch to right field in the seventh capped Bishop Amat’s scoring.
“They’re not ranked No. 2 for nothing,” Agajanian said. “They’re good. They play well. They’re steady, nothing phases them.”
La Salle’s Chris Williams hit a solo shot to center in the fourth to make it 6-2, and Nick Brown homered in the sixth, jumping on an 0-2 pitch for a shot to center to make it 8-4.
There was a light moment in the top of the sixth when McNeise called time to point out that La Salle left fielder Garry Goebel was wearing a sweatshirt, drawing small laughter from the crowd, as well as from Goebel, who pitched 3 2/3 innings and was one of four pitchers La Salle used.
“Goebel is a good pitcher,” Agajanian said. “He’s still coming back from basketball, so he’s struggling a little bit right now, but they’re a good lineup too, so you can’t make mistakes against them.”
Above: Amat pitcher Daniel Zamora has been a key figure in the Lancers’ recent success after a slow start.
