Ruben Jara's lead off double in the third led to two Temple City runs
(Arcadia) – For 10 innings Temple City went toe to toe with area heavyweight Glendora. And after it was all over both teams were left standing. The game was called due to the time limit and they settled for a 2-2 tie Tuesday at the Apache Invitational.
“Wasn’t that fun?” said Temple City Coach Barry Bacon after the three hour marathon had ended. “That was absolutely a great baseball game.”
It had a little bit of everything- balks, hit batters, great plays, a couple of errors, and a handful of scouts who were on hand to see Glendora pitcher Adam Plutko who’s fastball topped out at 91 miles per hour.
Plutko, who might play Division 1 unless he gets drafted, went eight solid innings for the Tartans. He was good but not untouchable. He did strike out 16 batters but he allowed eight hits and two runs. Ruben Jara had the only extra base hit for TC- a shot inside third and down the line in the third inning.
“We felt we could hit him because we hit Bramschreiber (Ethan Bramschreiber of St. Francis) on Saturday,” Bacon said. “We told them to compete and they did exactly what we told them to do.”
Plutko did not walk a batter and was dominant at times, but the Rams did just enough to stay alive. Joe Winterburn picked up for Plutko and threw the last two innings.
Connor Cullen went five plus innings for Temple City. He fanned three and gave up just six hits and one walk. He pitched into the sixth inning before being replaced by Calvin Copping with the bases loaded and nobody out.
Adam Plutko struck out 16 in 8 innings for Glendora
“I was very happy with the way Connor pitched. I threw him in there against a tough Glendora team and I think he said well I’m going to show Bacon I can pitch,” Bacon said. “He did an outstanding job.”
In the sixth with TC leading 2-1, Winterburn led off with a double and Kyle Layton walked. Joseph Woodward laid down a textbook bunt and beat it out to load the bases. Enter Copping.
Pinch hitter Riley Carter then hit a shot up the middle that had base hit written all over it. Dusty Sanderson dove and gloved it before flipping to second. The relay throw to first was in time for a double play. The Tartans tied it at two, but Sanderson’s play saved at least two runs.
‘We were willing to give up a run there to get two outs but yes Dusty made a great play. I moved him over to short from second and told him to do what he does best and he’s been doing it,” Bacon said. “He’s been playing short for us for four years now. I almost expect it of him.”
That was the last time Glendora scored. The Tartans left two on in the seventh and two more on in the tenth. Copping went four innings and Branden Pultz pitched the tenth.
Temple City was down 1-0 before taking the lead in the third. Jara led off with the shot to left for a double and Tyler Roach came in to run for him. Caleb Halverson beat out a bunt and Julian Jarrard singled to right to load the bases. With two out, Pultz singled for a run and Justin Smith’s base hit got another one home.
The Rams had their chances the rest of the way as well but were unable to push another run across. They had a runner on in the sixth and in the eighth and had two on in the ninth and tenth before Glendora turned a double play to end it.
“We had our chances. We really wanted the win,” Bacon said. “But we played great defense all day and we really competed.”
G 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2
TC 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2
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