From Staff Reports: When Palos Verdes scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning of their CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game with Maranatha at Stengel Field in Glendale, the Sea Kings ended a streak Friday that is now a new and official CIF State record. Maranatha ace Dawson Netz had gone an insane […]
From Staff Reports:
When Palos Verdes scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning of their CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game with Maranatha at Stengel Field in Glendale, the Sea Kings ended a streak Friday that is now a new and official CIF State record.
Maranatha ace Dawson Netz had gone an insane 59 consecutive innings without surrendering a run.
But here it was, the first round of the CIF Division 3 playoffs, and the No. 1 seeded Minutemen were potentially nine outs away from their magical season being over.
To make matters worse or at least more ironic, Palos Verdes made the epic decision that hurling a plethora of pejoratives Netz’ way would somehow aid their cause.
And while he admits it annoyed him a tad, Netz got out of the fifth-inning jam doing what he does best, which is striking out a pair of batters.
It was now up to the MHS offense to do their part, and they answered the bell in a big way.
Maranatha scored nine runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and earned the 10-2 victory over the obnoxious Sea Kings.
Netz went six innings and allowed those two runs on five hits.
The junior right hander walked one and struck out six on 93 pitches to improve to 9-0 on the season.
Netz also had two hits at the plate, one run scored and an RBI on a suicide squeeze bunt in that nine-run fifth inning.
He actually ended up on second base unchallenged because Palos Verdes had lost their composure and nobody was covering the base.
Maranatha’s offense out-hit Palos Verdes, 13-5, and the Minutemen extended their current win streak to 16 games.
Erik Anderson had two of the Sea Kings’ five hits on Friday.
Max Blessinger doubled twice from the leadoff spot, had one RBI and scored once for the Minutemen.
Blessinger leads the area in average (.510) and hits (45).
Casey Popham started the fifth-inning and finished 2 for 3 with a pair of runs scored and RBIs.
Niko Khoury had a pinch-hit blast in the sixth inning to rub some salt in the Palos Verdes’ wound.
But as not to lose their swag, I guess, the Sea Kings still, trailing 10-2, decided it was still appropriate to talk trash as Khoury jogged around the bases.
Brock Vradenburg went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, and both Sal Tabullo and Nick Iverson had one hit, a run scored and an RBI apiece.
Ten different MHS batters collected at least one hit, including Cam Slessor, Ben Guess and Dante Campione.
Charles Acker pitched a scoreless seventh inning for Maranatha.
The Minutemen will travel to Simi Valley on Tuesday to take on Grace Brethren in the second round.
The Lancers (17-8) defeated West Torrance, 2-0, in their first-round game on Friday.
Quotable:
Maranatha coach Matt Shupper: “It never crossed my mind that we were going to lose the game. We were getting on with two outs and not in situations to score runs. When Dawson gave up the two runs, he handled it well. He regrouped and got out of the inning by striking out two batters. Once we got the lead, I went over and told him we can’t give them back the lead and he looked at me and said, they’re not getting the lead back. I give a lot of credit to Casey Popham, who got us started in the fifth inning.”
Maranatha pitcher Dawson Netz: “A few things piled together and they got a couple runs. It was annoying, because I didn’t want to let me team down and they were talking a lot of (trash). After we got out of the inning and then scored nine in the bottom of that inning, my only concern was making sure my arm was warm after such a long half-inning. I think after the fifth inning, we had a sense of this being unacceptable. We can’t let this happen. We knew we’d get on the board and it had to be now. We stood in our own way. But I think this will serve us well as a wake-up call that anything can happen and each pitch and at-bat matters in the playoffs.”
Maranatha second baseman Max Blessinger: “I had a gut feeling (during the top of the fifth inning) that this season wasn’t going to end like this. The next inning, Casey (Popham) got us started and we got a couple runners on and we kept going and going. I think it’s good we got the taste of a late comeback because we’ll be down again, and know we can score and execute late.”
** Side Note: Even though it was a designated home game, Maranatha had to play at Stengel Field in Glendale, because of the Taylor Swift concert this weekend at the Rose Bowl. Stengel Field is where Crescenta Valley plays its home games.
Box Score:
PV: 0-0-0-0-2-0-0-(2)
MHS: 0-0-0-0-9-1-X-(10)
Win: Dawson Netz (9-0)
Loss: Michael Pilato (1-6)
HR: Niko Khoury (M)
2B: Max Blessinger (M) 2
Records: Palos Verdes (18-11-1); Maranatha (23-4)
