SANTA ROSA - 10th seeded Benicia scored two runs in the fourth inning to take a one-run lead and never looked back as they defeated Maria Carrillo 6-2 to win their second section title in the last three years, adding a North Coast Section title to go with the Panthers' Sac-Joaquin Section title from two years ago.
Alex Soto, in his first season as head coach, was very emotional after the win, fighting back tears.
“I am just so proud of this team, with what they’ve done throughout the season. I am so thankful for that, and thankful to be able to watch my son win a second section title,” Soto said. "They're a family."
“It’s never easy to lose the big game, and this is two years in a row for us. But I was glad to have a shot to win this big game,” said Maria Carrillo head coach Sam Bruno.
Jayshaun Wise ripped a two-run single to score Zion Judkins and Aaron Jenkins to turn a 3-2 lead into a 5-2 lead for the Panthers in the top half of the fifth inning to break the game open.
Bryce Veller got the start for Maria Carrillo. He got through the first inning unscathed but ran into trouble in the second. After giving up a leadoff double to Jenkins, he retired Wise and Jaxton Bates, but a high chopper that hit the lip of the infield off the bat of Richard Mealy was enough to bring home Jenkins for the Panthers' first run.
Veller ended up going four and two-thirds innings, giving up eight hits, three earned runs and no walks.
Peter Templeton took the ball for Benicia. He breezed through the first two innings before running into trouble in the third. After a walk and an infield hit, Kody Kent would get an infield hit of his own, scoring Connor Charpiot all the way from second to tie the game at one apiece. Then, with two outs, Veler layed down a suicide squeeze and caused Templeton to throw the ball away and scored Bryce Cannon, who was intentionally walked.
The Panthers responded right back in the top of the fourth. After singles by Bates and Wise, Mealey lifted a sacrifice fly to right scoring Wise to tie it back up at two. A single by Justin Zimmer put them back on top 3-2.
After four innings of three-hit, two-run ball, he gave way to Nate Freeman.
“Peter was solid tonight. He didn’t want to come out of the game. He’s a real competitor,” said Soto.
Freeman would dominate the last three innings of the game, allowing only two base runners and striking out four batters.
A key inning was in the bottom of the fifth. With Benicia up 5-2, Maria Carrillo got two base runners on, one on Veler reaching on an error, and Cannon hitting a single. Eva Magelitz was called out on strikes on a controversial pitch that ended the Puma rally.
“We just couldn’t get the big hit today. Give credit to them (Benicia). They got hits with guys on base and we didn’t,” said Bruno.
Maria Carrillo left 10 guys on base, and had runners on base in every inning.
“We spend so many hours working on the little things and with seven sophomores on the team, we will continue to grow as a program,” said Bruno.
Benicia finished 16-11 overall, while Maria Carrillo fell to 19-10 after their second straight loss in the NCS D2 Championship. Last year they fell 4-3 to Alameda in the championship.
