The Angels defeated their good friends and rival Cardinals 11-6
in last Thursday’s PONY Division championship game. The two teams
faced off seven times this season, including three regular season
games and three scrimmages.
The Angels defeated their good friends and rival Cardinals 11-6 in last Thursday’s PONY Division championship game.
The two teams faced off seven times this season, including three regular season games and three scrimmages.
Both teams entered the game with identical 15-4 records. Ten of the 12 players from the Silicon Valley Bulldogs, a 13-year-old travel team from Morgan Hill and Gilroy, are on the Cardinals and Angels.
In the first inning, starting pitcher Anthony Guidry of the Angels had both his fastball and curveball working and struck out the side on 15 pitches. In the bottom of the first, the Angels continued their torrid hitting. Jonathan Hughes singled in Danny Nelson and Billy Hill, who had both walked. Kevin Grove followed with a single. After Guidry reached on a fielder’s choice, Travis Avilla lined a double to drive in two.
The Cardinals got on the scoreboard in the second inning, as Koedy Brant singled and stole second. Mike Devine reached on a fielder’s choice and both Brant and Devine scored.
The Angels matched the two runs in the bottom of the second, as Chris Sanine led off with a single. With one out, both Nelson and Hill singled as well, scoring Sanine. Hughes came up with his third RBI of the game with a ground out to first base.
The Cardinals pitching and defense tightened up, as they shut the Angels’ offense down in both the third and fourth innings. Zach Harris made a nice catch in left field, and Craig Cook followed that with a perfect relay to Stephen Smith at short to Matt Warnock at third to get the Angels’ base runner. In the fourth inning, Cook robbed Billy Hill of a hit with a diving catch in right center.
The Cardinals cut into the Angels’ lead, as Stephen Smith, Adam Perez and Brant all drew walks in the third inning. Smith came in to score on a passed ball to make the score 6-3 Angels.
Guidry finished his four innings of work, allowing three runs on just two hits, with eight strikeouts. Kevin Grove came in to pitch the fifth inning, and struck out one and retired the next batter on a groundout to third baseman Derek Campagna.
With runners on first and third, Johnson, Hughes and Campagna picked off the runner from third to stop the rally.
The Angels extended their lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Steven Johnson’s double drove in Guidry to make the score 7-3.
The Cardinals showed their true heart as they battled back in the sixth and scored three runs with the key hit coming off the bat of Smith to drive in two. Just as in the previous inning, the Angels got out of trouble.
Hill, who came in to catch, fired a strike to Campagna at third base to catch the runner.
With the score 7-6, the Angels put the game away in the bottom of the inning. With the bases loaded and one out, Grove lined a double to right field, driving in all three runners. He advanced to third on an error. Guidry followed with a triple, scoring Grove. After a Gomez double and Brant reached on an error,
Johnson closed the door in the seventh inning, striking out two. The Cardinals and Angels finished tied for first in the regular season, and it was fitting that they played in the championship game.
