Saturday, May 21, 2022

LJ baseball 5, RBV 6 - CIF D3 playoffs - 2nd round

Cole Roberts went the first four innings
for the Vikings, keeping them within
range at 3-0. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

In their quest to stay alive in the CIF Division 3 baseball playoffs, La Jolla--winners of a 7-2 triumph over Hilltop at home Wednesday--travelled the long way to Rancho Buena Vista Fri., May 20 for a second-round matchup.

Both league champions, the Longhorns and Vikings battled all seven innings, with La Jolla coming from behind 3-2 on a Kevin Steel long home run to straight-away left field in the fifth inning, landing on the aluminum roof of an auxiliary building behind the fence. As a result of that shot, La Jolla temporarily took a 4-3 lead.

Sophomore lefthander Cole Roberts, fresh from the JV season, went four innings and stayed within himself. He gave up the first of two home runs to shortstop Christian Hill, a similar clout to Steel's, in the bottom of the second. Another two runs scored when Max Hurley let a single get by him in left field.

The Vikings, 18-13 on the season, came back to knot the score 5-5 in the top of the seventh on Steel's sacrifice fly, bringing Declan Kelly in from third base.

Spence Carswell, toiling in his third inning after taking over from Roberts, gave up a leadoff single to Jack Solari, who came in as the Longhorns' closer on the mound, in the bottom of the seventh. Solari moved up to third on two wild pitches, and scored on Matthew Bates' solid single to left to end the game and the season for the Vikings.

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