The A’s outlasted the Cubs 4-3 in extra innings to claim the
Morgan Hill city championship of the Bronco Division on June
17.
The A’s outlasted the Cubs 4-3 in extra innings to claim the Morgan Hill city championship of the Bronco Division on June 17.
Both teams entered the game with 12-4 record and each team led their respective league in runs scored.
But it was the pitching that stood out in this game.
A’s starter Ryan Mason gave up two runs in the first inning when the Cubs’ Nader Elaskary drew a one-out walk. John Ross followed with a double to right field to score Elaskary. Ross then stole third base and scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
Cubs slugger Ryan Mitchell threatened to add to the lead when he drove a deep shot to right field. A’s right fielder Eduardo Sanchez fired a throw to second baseman Kyle Villa, who relayed it home to catcher Alex Hagiperos to gun down Mitchell at the plate.
The A’s offense responded. Hagiperos led off with a single, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
Andrew Perez followed with a walk, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Jacob Sanchez delivered a two-out single to tie the game at 2-2.
Sanchez stole second and later scored on a passed ball to give the A’s the lead.
Mason then found his groove on the mound, retiring the Cubs in order in the top of the second.
The Cubs tied the game in the third when Sean Silveira ripped a two-out double. Silveira stole third and advanced to home with the tying run on a balk.
The A’s threatened again in the bottom of the second when Hagiperos hit a one-out single and then stole second.
After Perez fouled off several pitches with the count at 0-2, the Cubs’ pitcher Silveira threw a pitch out to catcher Aiden Stycynski, who threw down to third to catch Hagiperos attempting to steal third.
Solid defense by the A’s squelched a Cubs threat in the fourth. Ross crushed a deep drive to the gap in right field, but once again a solid relay resulted in the A’s catcher Hagiperos tagging out Ross at the plate.
The Cubs defense returned the favor in the bottom of the fourth. The A’s No. 3 hitter Kyle Villa hammered an 0-2 pitch deep into the right-centerfield gap. Rounding third, Villa got the wave to go home but Cubs second baseman Ty Gardner relayed home to Stycynski, who tagged out a leaping Villa to prevent the go-ahead run from scoring.
Great pitching and superb defense by both teams stalled drives in the remaining innings.
A’s reliever Martin Salinas entered in the fifth and struck out seven batters over four innings of work.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, Hagiperos drove an 0-2 pitch through the gap on the right side for a single. He stole second to get into scoring position for Perez.
With the count at 0-2, Perez swung at a high and outside pitch and popped it over first base to score Hagiperos for the win and the city championship.
The win gave A’s coach Tim Mason his third city championship in six years, having previously won one in the Pinto and Mustang divisions.
