By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor Neither Damien’s Zach Kirby or La Salle’s Jeff Daley deserved to lose on Wednesday night. Both held the opposition scoreless through seven innings in a nonleague battle at Arcadia County Park. Damien, though, got one eighth-inning run to outlast La Salle, 1-0, but it was the way the Lancers lost […]
By BRIAN REED-BAIOTTO, Sports Editor
Neither Damien’s Zach Kirby or La Salle’s Jeff Daley deserved to lose on Wednesday night.
Both held the opposition scoreless through seven innings in a nonleague battle at Arcadia County Park.
Damien, though, got one eighth-inning run to outlast La Salle, 1-0, but it was the way the Lancers lost that had both sides acknowledging how cruel the outcome was for Daley.
The La Salle right hander went 7 2/3 innings before being replaced by James Barnard with runners in scoring position.
Damien’s Gilbert Gonzales, standing at third base and with two outs, jogged home when Barnard unleashed a wild pitch to the backstop.
La Salle looked like it might engineer its own eighth-inning drama too.
Zach Kirby walked Victor Scalzo to start the bottom of the eighth inning, which put the Lancers potential tying run on base with no outs.
Jeff Daley moved Scalzo over with a bunt and then Kirby struck out Henry Kavanaugh.
Damien wasn’t going to allow La Salle’s best player, Ethan Patrick to beat them, so they intentionally walked Patrick, which put the potential game-winning run on first with two outs.
Kirby, however, ended any and all drama by getting Luke Heiberg to fly out to left field.
The Spartans’ right-hander went all 8 innings for the victory, surrendering five hits, walking a pair and striking out eight.
Daley allowed just three hits, walked one and the La Salle senior struck out seven.
Daley’s defense didn’t do him many favors and the Lancers weren’t able to take advantage of a runners on second and third scenario with no outs in the bottom of the second inning.
Andy Garriola had two of the Spartans’ three hits.
James Barnard had two of La Salle’s five hits.
Henry Kavanaugh and Mark Daley both singled and Ethan Patrick tripled for the Lancers.
The Lancers were 3-0 on the young season in extra inning games, with two victories in 8 innings and another in 10 before Wednesday night’s setback.
La Salle will take on Moorpark on Monday at noon in the Don Lugo Tournament and then the Lancers will face Glendora on Tuesday at 3.
Quotable:
La Salle coach Eddie McKiernan: “Jeff goes out there and competes like he’s a division one pitcher. He kept them off-balanced all night and I couldn’t be more proud of his effort. We had some opportunities that we weren’t able to take advantage of, but I am proud of the effort. We played pretty well as a team, and that’s what I’m looking for as we go forward.”
La Salle pitcher Jeff Daley: “I felt confident in all my pitches and my unorthodox movement worked wonders today with half the stadium screaming at the umpire. I knew I had to stay low in the zone and get some spin on the ball to be effective against a program like Damien.”
La Salle shortstop Ethan Patrick: “Jeff pitched an outstanding game. He kept us in it the entire game. It was definitely one of the best pitching performances that I’ve seen Jeff have.”
Box Score:
Damien: 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-1-(1)
La Salle: 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-(0)
Win: Zach Kirby
Loss: Jeff Daley
3B: Ethan Patrick (LS)
Records: Damien (3-5); La Salle (7-4)
