By Corey Kwok
(Arcadia) – Arcadia put together a six hit four run outburst in the second inning and went on to beat La Sierra 4-3 Thursday in the CIF Division 2 playoffs.
While the second inning uprising knocked out La Sierra starter Andrew Schwandt, Apache ace K.J. Edson (0.77 ERA) recovered from a fifth inning pelting that saw the Eagles scramble for three runs on four hits to get the win. Edson retired the last seven batters in a row, to improve to 11-1 with another complete game that helped seal the Apaches’ first playoff victory since 2005.
Actually even that game was technically a loss. In ’05 Arcadia beat Villa Park 4-0 on the field but it was a ruled a forfeit loss by CIF when Coach Sean McCorry, who was suspended, was discovered watching the game from Duarte Road.
Erik Trask led off the second and towered the inning’s first pitch for a double off the left center fence before moving to third on a groundout. He was picked up by a George Papavasiliou base hit to right to open up scoring. David Dominguez then narrowly broke up what would have been a 4-6-3 inning ending double play to keep the inning alive.
The next five Arcadia hitters all reached safely as Drew Klein dropped a base hit in front of center, before Brandon Benson’s popup was misplayed by La Sierra and turned into a two RBI infield hit. Dominguez (David) and Klein both scored on the miscommunication.
Tyler Dominguez followed with a walk before Haram Park knocked a grounder through the 3-4 hole into right to deliver Benson and pad the Apache lead to 4-0. Park finished a perfect 3 for 3 at bat with a double in the fifth.
William Hoover and J’Anthony Sanchez both singled with one out in the fifth before Brian Bos got La Sierra on the board with a ground ball to second. Riley Mellentine drilled a shot down the left field line for an RBI double to score Sanchez and cut the lead in half.
Mellentine sprinted home as Matt Ellis followed with a booming double off the centerfield fence that put La Sierra looming one run behind Arcadia.
Edson then induced four groundouts in a row and retired the final seven batters in order to send La Sierra to a first round exit. The last out came on a strikeout swinging for his Edson’s seventh K of the game.
La Sierra reliever Dennis Martine kept his team in the game to the end and shutout the Apaches for the last four and one-thirds. He escaped a first and third, no out jam in the fifth by notching a strikeout and feeding a double play.
La Sierra (14-13) 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 – 3 6 2
Arcadia (24-3) 0 4 0 0 0 0 x – 4 8 1
LS: Schwandt, Martine — Ellis
Arc: Edson – Brendan Campbell
LS doubles: 2 – Mellentine, Ellis … Arc doubles: 2 – Trask, Park
LS RBIs: 3 – Bos, Mellentine, Ellis … Arc RBIs: 4 – Benson 2, Papavasiliou, Park
Pitcher Stats
Ks: LS/Martine-5 … Arc/Edson-7 … Groundouts: LS/Schwandt-4, Martine-4 (1 DP)
W: Edson (11-1-2 saves, 0.77 ERA)
L: Schwandt (3-2, 4.83 ERA) … Martine relieved, finishes 3-1 w.1 save and 2.67 ERA
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