Vike rightfielder Harper Lane clubs a basehit
to right-center field to drive in two runs
in the bottom of the sixth. La Jolla
won, 3-2, over Rocky Mountain.
(Photo by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
Junior Harper Lane drove in two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, and senior lefthander Abel Delgadillo pitched two-run ball through six-plus innings, as La Jolla came from behind to beat Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, CO), 3-2, on the second day of the Lions Tournament Tues., April 1.
It was no April Fool's joke, as Delgadillo was also helped by Lane's bunt earlier in the fourth inning. With Lane occupying first base after the bunt, and runner Carter Strauss advancing to third base, Lobo catcher Kaden Bauder-Tolar threw down to first after a dropped third strike against the Vikings' Travis Lancaster.
There was no cause to make the throw, since with less than two outs and first base occupied, Lancaster was automatically out.
But as soon as the catcher threw the ball, Strauss raced home from third to score La Jolla's first run and tie the score 1-1.
La Jolla is now 6-7 on the season. Rocky Mountain suffered its first loss of the season, falling to 6-1.
Said Viking coach Gary Frank on Lane's two-RBI knock, "Obviously, it was the game-winning hit. But it was also key for other reasons"--the team seeing they didn't have to lose late, and "huge for the guys to know they can come back."
Frank said the offense had struggled "mightily" in recent games, going 3-for-30 with 20 strikeouts in the last two games alone.
A special guest was in attendance at the game on the Muirlands field: Craig Woodall, the younger brother of Brent Woodall, an outstanding Viking scholar-athlete (Class of 1988) who died in the 9/11 tragedy in the Twin Towers in New York. Craig Woodall is the principal of Rocky Mountain High School.
La Jolla assistant coach Bob Allen said that the school and Craig had been trying to get him to the tournament and the field, and finally it occurred on this occasion.
Allen said that he coached Craig Woodall as a junior and senior, Class of 1991 (three years younger than his brother Brent), while head coach in baseball. Craig also played quarterback and wide receiver in football, and was a scorer in basketball under Rick Eveleth, who introduced him to the crowd midway through Tuesday's game.
A dramatic double play ended the game for the Vikings. Hank Hansen came in from shortstop to relieve Delgadillo with no outs, a runner on second. A strikeout later, DH Champ Rivera grounded out to Adam Lafever, moving over from second to fill in for reliever Hansen.
The runner on second, J.J. Johnson, broke for third. Viking first baseman Ryan Kestler fired the ball to third baseman Will Griebe-Arzate, who applied the tag to Johnson in a bang-bang, close play. The game was over, and Hansen had the save. It was Hank's first save of the season.
Ross Frank, the Lobos' pitcher, was throwing well, at about 82 mph, according to Allen, who said this was his reported speed. Until the bottom of the sixth, the righthander had limited La Jolla to the one run in the fourth.
