When the Anzar High baseball team wins a league game, it wins a
league game.
When the Anzar High baseball team wins a league game, it wins a league game.
The Hawks scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to edge visiting Gonzales 7-6 in a game that had nearly everything. Anzar (2-13, 1-12 Mission Trail Athletic League) plated the winning run in madcap style when Jesus Perez ventured home from third during a blown run-down by the Spartans, who surely must have blanked that Perez represented the game-winner.
“I’m happy for the seniors,” said Hawks head coach Leroy Dozal, who admitted to some newly-acquired gray hairs. “They worked hard all year to get this win.”
Anzar’s Cody Rodgers tied the game at 6-all when he came home on a wild pitch from Spartans reliever Rolando Gonzales (2-4). Sam Stewart laid down a ‘why not?’ bunt on a 2-0 count with Perez on at third and Mike Palmer on at second. The ball rolled precariously down the third baseline and the plate umpire ruled it fair as Perez held his ground at third. Stewart was safe at first, but Palmer had strayed way off second and drew a throw down. The Spartans’ infield elected to throw out Palmer at third, which allowed Perez to score.
Gonzales skipper Adam Carlos –Â whose Spartans needed to win to keep their feint Central Coast Section playoff hopes alive – immediately argued that Stewart’s bunt went foul. Gonzales (8-6, 6-7) even played the game under protest after the Hawks Chris Ponder took ball one as a pinch-hitter for Lucas Morris with two out in the sixth inning. Carlos argued that Ponder didn’t check in and had taken at least one pitch and that the third out should have been ruled. After a conference with both coaches and the umpiring crew, the third out wasn’t awarded.
All of this came moments after more mayhem with the previous batter – Tyler Frazeur – up at the plate. With the sacks jammed and one out, Dozal called for a squeeze play. The Spartans read it early and Gonzales, the pitcher, not the school, pitched out to catcher Jonathan Maturino. Maturino went to his right, but his glove hand came back over the plate. Meanwhile, Neill Fereirra, the runner charging down from third, was tagged out as Frazeur could only take the pitch for a strike, which was even further proof that Maturino had delved into the land of potential catcher’s interference.
Dozal hurried down from his position in the third base coaching box to dispute that had Frazeur swung the bat, he would have hit Maturino. Dozal, visibly upset, had to be calmed down from the base ump as the five Gonzales fans in attendance let Dozal hear about it.
Lost in all the madness was a nice exhibition of pitching by Jonathan Carabba. Carabba, who has both Hawks wins, went the distance and gave up just five hits. Two of them, however, were home runs to Joel Estes, who knocked in three of the Spartans’ six runs with right-center field clouts over the high fence, with the both balls traveling about 320 feet.
Anzar jumped on top in the bottom of the first against Spartans starter Ray Amaro. Carabba walked, then was balked to second base. Matt Wilkenson pushed a skillful bunt past Amaro for a base hit as Carabba went to third. One out later, Perez, who scored three of the Hawks seven runs, walked to fill the bases.
Fereirra ripped a shot to right-center for a two-run single. The throw went into the plate, then down to second to get Fereirra. That throw skirted into center for an error, which allowed Perez to score.
“This feels real good,” said Stewart. “Real good. We’ve lost a lot of close games this season.”
The Hawks are at Pacific Grove on Wednesday in the final game of the year, but Anzar, which only suits up 11 players, is trying to reschedule it due to testing.
Hawk shots: Seniors playing their last home game as Hawks were Carabba, Perez, Fereirra and Palmer.
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Amaro, R. Gonzales (6) and J. Maturino; Carabba and Stewart. WP – Carabba. LP – R. Gonzales. HR – Estes 2 (G). 2B – R. Gonzales (G). 2 hits – Estes (G); Fereirra (A). 3 RBI – Estes (G). 2 RBI – Fereirra (A).
