Casa finds a way to win Gauchos escape Analy's bases-loaded bottom of 8th to win, remain close in SCL race

SEBASTOPOL -- Casa Grande is a veteran baseball team that knows how to win close games, a trait that comes with long-term success.

The Gauchos are the four-time defending North Coast Section 3A champs and they have won the Sonoma County League five of the past six years. Analy is a young team looking to make its mark. The Tigers are learning on the job, and that may have been the difference Friday.

The Gauchos pushed across a run in the eighth inning and then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the inning to beat Analy, 4-3, and put themselves in position for another run at the SCL title.

Both teams trail league-leading Sonoma by two games with seven games remaining. Casa improved to 12-4 overall and 8-3 in league, while Analy dropped to 12-5 and 8-3.

With one out in the top of the eighth, Scott Harkin beat out a roller to deep third and advanced to second when the throw sailed past first base. Harkin went to third on a wild pitch. Nick Lorenzini followed with another grounder to deep short to score Harkin with the winning run.

Joe Maloney walked with one out in Analy's eighth, Jackson Stogner worked Harkin, the Gauchos third pitcher, for a walk. Patrick Lowry picked up an infield hit on a shot that looked headed to left field, but was knocked down by shortstop Jordan Braa.

The Tigers, who have games remaining with Casa and Sonoma, looked primed for the comeback win with No. 3 hitter Isias Alcantar at the plate. Alcantar hammered the first pitch from Harkin right at Braa, who started the game-ending double play.

"This was a total team effort," said Casa coach Paul Maytorena. "We needed this win for our team chemistry. If we go on and do something this year, we may look back on this one."

Dino Cristiani made his first relief appearance with five shutout innings to pick up the win. Harkin received the save. Stogner, who threw the final inning in relief of starter Nick Mutz, got the loss, but deserved better. Two of the Tigers' three errors came in the final inning.

"Hats off to Cristiani and Braa," Maytorena said. "Cristiani did his job and Braa saved us a run with a great stop at short, and then started the double play. He came in to play short when we brought in Harkin to pitch."

Said Cristiani: "Relief pitching is a little different, you do get some adrenaline going. You know you have to come in and shut people down. This is a huge win. Now we have to win out and hope Sonoma loses a couple, so we can win the SCL again."

Spencer Finkbohner started for Casa and went three innings, allowing all three Analy runs. Finkbohner narrowly escaped a serious injury in the first inning when Alcantar smashed a drive up the middle that hit him on the calf. After several practice tosses, he continued and was able to get out of a bases-loaded situation with a strikeout.

Mutz, a hard-throwing right-hander went seven innings, giving up three earned runs. He fanned nine, but also walked four and had four wild pitches. Casa's first three runs were set up by wild pitches.

"He was probably a little fired up, he normally has good control," said Analy coach Steve Miller. "Stogner did a nice job for us. He throws strikes.

"We are a young team. We have only six seniors. Sometimes in the heat of the game . . . well you have to keep things in perspective, these are high school players. We couldn't have asked for a better opportunity than we had in the bottom of the eighth."

Miller said he expects the SCL race to go down to the wire. "This SCL is a tough league. It's going to be a mix of teams before its said and done. It will be the last team standing. I like out chances."

Casa led 2-0 after scoring single runs in the first and second innings. In the first, Kevin Nadell led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch. He scooted home on a nice piece of hitting by Cristiani, who lofted a sacrifice fly to center. Designated-hitter Nick Lorenzini tapped a slow roller past Mutz to drive in Braa in the second.

Analy got one run back in the third on an RBI-single by Nick Barnes, who got the benefit of a bad-hop on his grounder to second. Then the Tigers got even in the fourth.

With Jordan McCall at first with a single, Maloney ripped a triple to left and then scored when Stogner rolled a single to right.

Stogner had two hits, as did Lowry and Barnes. Taylor Berenyi had a double for the Tigers. Nadell, who Maytorena calls a "firecracker, the guy who makes us go," had a pair of singles for the Gauchos.QUICK RECAP

Everyone knows the SCL baseball routine. Casa Grande starts a little slow, catches fire and peaks in time for the NCS 3A playoffs. Friday's game between Casa and Analy was everything expected, Casa winning 4-3 in eight innings. Analy won the first meeting, 9-7. Casa and Analy are both 8-3 in league and trail league- leading Sonoma by two games. Casa is now 12-4 and Analy 12-5, and both are likely headed to the NCS 3A playoffs.