BERKELEY, CA - Despite the situation in the bottom of the sixth inning on Tuesday evening, it was an easy decision for Freedom coach Ken Evanson to issue an intentional walk to Berkeley's Michael Dixon. The walk loaded the bases, moving the potential winning run into scoring position, but Freedom sophomore pitcher Brian McBroom got the ground ball he needed two pitches later, enabling the Falcons to hold on for the 2-1 victory in the first round of the North Coast Section Division I playoffs.
"It was certainly an easy call to walk (Dixon), because we did not want the game to be decided in his hands," Evanson said. "It also put a force at all bags, and we liked our chances better in that situation."
The decision worked out, as Justice Paraiso-Caceres hit a ground ball to Kyren Paris at shortstop, who delivered the ball to Andrew Neil for the force out at second base, ending the threat in the bottom of the sixth. Berkeley put runners on the corners in the bottom of the seventh, on an error and a hit by pitch, but McBroom got Tucker Andrew to pop up to Paris at short, ending the game in favor of the 14th-seeded Falcons.
Freedom took an early lead over three-seed Berkeley in the top of the third, when Paris reached on a walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on Dario Gomez' ground ball to third base. The Falcons added to the lead in the top of the fifth, all of it happening with two outs.
Gomez singled to left on a 2-1 count, and then stole second. Once again, the extra base worked in Freedom's favor, as Andrew Neil singled to right, allowing Gomez to score and put the Falcons ahead 2-0.
"Our overall team speed is what makes us a hard team to face. It is a huge asset and one of the primary reasons we won this game," Evanson said. "Getting into scoring position without sacrificing outs is a huge asset for this team."
Berkeley scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth, when Dixon led off the inning with a solo home run. It was his second hit of the game, but each at-bat prior to the intentional walk occurred with no one on base.
"Facing Dixon with no one on base for most of the game was huge. He is a big threat every time he is up," Evanson added. "(Brian) McBroom was outstanding on the mound. He worked ahead and forced contact. His ability to pitch inside is what made him effective."
McBroom went the distance for the Falcons, scattering eight hits. That means Neil, another sophomore standout on the mound for Freedom, will take the hill in the quarterfinals against sixth-seeded Amador Valley, who beat Dougherty Valley, 2-1.
