LAFAYETTE – Acalanes had made a living out of winning close, low-scoring games this season, so as the first couple innings ticked by without a run, there was no doubt that the game fell right into the Dons’ wheelhouse.
But visiting Heritage turned the tables by scoring first, breaking another tie in the sixth and then putting the game away with three runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat the higher-seeded Dons in the North Coast Section Division I quarterfinals, 5-1.
Heritage threatened in the first inning, getting runners on the corners, but Acalanes pitcher Logan Hurd induced a ground ball to second base to escape the inning. Heritage pitcher Reece Dexter promptly walked the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the first, but also picked one off first and retired the next two batters. Dexter got himself into a little trouble over each of the next two innings as well, hitting the first two batters he faced in the second and allowing back-to-back singles to open the third, but each time he did not even allow a runner to reach third.
“We knew going in that they had great pitching and thrive in low-scoring games, but we had also said from the beginning of the year that those were the kinds of games we wanted to be in as well,” said Heritage coach Kevin Brannan. “We got into a little trouble early, but getting out of it each time seemed to just continue to build confidence both with Reece and with our team in general, knowing that if we could escape those innings, we could then make something happen on our end.”
Sure enough, Heritage scratched one across in the top of the third, after Hurd plunked Chaz Myers and then walked Ryan Jackson. Casey Turturici singled to load the bases with one out, and Keith Jones came through with a sacrifice fly to right field, deep enough to score Myers with the first run of the game. Eddie Burns then replaced Hurd in relief and got the third out of the inning.
Dexter shook off his slow starts to each inning in the fourth, striking out the side, and then retired the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth. The Dons, however, responded with their own game-tying rally, on back-to-back singles by Davis Diaz and Cole Murgia, aided by a misplay in the field. Jeff Heinrich then took the mound for the Patriots, slamming the door with a strikeout.
“Reece gave us a great start, and Jeff was absolutely nails in relief,” Brannan said. “He came in during a tough situation, and dominated each batter he faced.”
Meanwhile, Heritage regained the lead in the top of the sixth on a double by Ryan Troye and a run-scoring single from Bryce Arana. The Patriots then put the game away in the top of the seventh, and they did it against Acalanes ace Nick Kresnak. Three straight singles by Tom Rover, Myers and Jackson loaded the bases with no outs, and back-to-back walks to Turturici and Jones forced in a pair of runs to make it 4-1.
Michael Castelli came on for the Dons and got the first out on a strikeout, but then walked Arana to force in the final run of the game. Heinrich retired Acalanes in order to finish the game, setting down the final seven batters he faced to earn the win.
“We really stayed composed at the plate and approached each at-bat with a calm confidence late in the game,” Brannan added. “Now it’s time to break through that wall at the next round.”
Heritage advances to the semifinals for the fourth straight season, but the Patriots have yet to reach the section title game. They will play at Amador Valley on Tuesday.
Division I roundup
Jack Snook made Luke Palfalvi’s second-inning RBI groundout stand up as he blanked Clayton Valley, 1-0, leading Amador Valley to the quarterfinal victory. Snook allowed just hits and no walks, striking out five and facing just two batters above the minimum.
Josh White and Kyle Harrison locked horns in a pitcher’s duel more befitting the section title game, with Harrison and De La Salle prevailing over Monte Vista, 2-1, thanks to Charles McAdoo’s two-run double in the bottom of the second inning. White allowed just four hits, but Harrison struck out 10 and escaped multiple jams to earn the win.
De La Salle will host Foothill in the semifinals, after the Falcons cruised past Dougherty Valley, 10-3. Jake Gebb struck out five in a complete game effort for Foothill, while Joe Scalzo went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs. Ryan Stemplinger went 2-for-2 with an RBI triple in the win, while Philip Liu led Dougherty Valley with his 3-for-4 day at the plate.
