MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Peterson

(Covina) – Covina played Francis Parker even through the first eight innings but things fell apart in the ninth. Francis Parker scored five runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Colts 6-1 Tuesday in the first-round of the CIF Division IV SoCal State Championships at Covina High.

Covina scored first in the third inning as Ethan Echevarria reached on an error and Aiden Ayala walked. Echeverria advanced on a fielder’s choice and scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Lucas Thorpe.

Francis Parker got even in the fifth when Joseph Jacques doubled and scored on a single by Spencer Perry. But the Lancers missed a golden opportunity to add more runs leaving the bases loaded.

Covina left two runners on in the sixth and another in the seventh and it went on to extra innings.

Meanwhile both starters went six innings. Covina’s Izziah Seieroe struck out seven while allowing just the one run before being relieved by Alexander Galaviz. For Francis Parker Jake Musicant matched Seieroe through six. John Mica picked up in the seventh and finished up.

The Colts weren’t able to muster any offense in the extra innings going out in order in the eighth and ninth.

Francis Parker broke through in a big way in the ninth inning. The Lancers banged out five hits including two doubles and a triple. Perry tripled in a run and Nathan Venz added a big blow with a two-run double. By the time the last out was recorded it was 6-1 Francis Parker.

Mica finished it off for the Lancers striking out two of the last three hitters.

Francis Parker finished with 11 hits on the day compared to five for Covina. Each team had two errors.

The Colts ended the season with an overall record of 15-15-1 while Francis Parker moves on to the State Regional Semi-Finals to face South El Monte.

FP 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 6

CO 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1