High School Baseball: Sage Hill edges Estancia in 10 innings
At Sage Hill School, Chris Goul is known as the senior who’s on his way to MIT. He’s known as a very smart kid.
But it didn’t take a genius to know what he had to do with the game on the line, two out, in the bottom of the 10th inning with his teammate, junior Conner Bock on second base
Goul knew he just had to put the ball in play, and that he did. With an infield single that led to an error Bock came around to give the Sage Hill baseball team an emphatic 9-8 win over Estancia Tuesday at Sage Hill.
“This win says that we’re willing to battle,” Goul said. “No matter what, we’re going to keep going, even if we don’t have innings that don’t go our way.”
As the nonleague game stretched into the 10th inning it was evident both teams wanted the win. Even though Estancia lost, the Eagles found positives in hanging in there and extending the game.
They were down, 7-6, in the top of the seventh before sophomore Jake McIntyre produced a two-run single to right field with two out. The big hit brought in sophomore Tyler Ross and sophomore Jeff Alai.
McIntyre went three for four with three runs batted in.
“He just works his butt off,” Estancia Coach Nate Goellrich said of McIntyre, known as “Mac.” “He’s goofy and says goofy things sometimes, but he’s a great kid. He’s come through for us. He works so hard. We have 11 guys working hard.”
Junior Connor Brown, who threw a no-hitter last week for Estancia (2-4), had three hits, including a double to go with one RBI and one run scored.
Bock was one of the stars for the Lightning (5-4). He smacked a solo home run, his fourth of the season, over the right-field fence in the third inning. It was part of a three-run third inning that gave Sage Hill a 7-2 lead.
But Estancia responded with three runs in the top of the fourth, as Ross and Alai doubled to contribute.
The Eagles are a young team with four sophomores and one freshman who start, Goellrich said.
That did not diminish the Lightning’s victory.
They mobbed Goul at first base after his walk-off infield single.
“They are a bigger school,” Bock said. “We are small, private school from Newport Coast. To get a win against them is a big deal. It’s fun to battle. We’re over .500 now. The team is really excited now about the rest of the season.”
Sage Hill Coach Dominic Campeau had been concerned about the Lightning in tight games. Of their four losses, three have been by one run.
So Campeau was proud of the full-team effort. Senior Kellen Ochi, who contributed as a pitcher, along with senior Parker Reposa (two stolen bases), Goul and senior Brian Slaughter scored one run each. Sophomore starting pitcher Brett Super scored three runs and belted an RBI double in the third.
Estancia also has three one-run losses.
Goellrich said he knew the game against Sage Hill would be a battle and said it was a great game to get ready for league play.
The Eagles open Orange Coast League play against Calvary Chapel Friday at 7 p.m. at TeWinkle Park in Costa Mesa.
The Lightning have a doubleheader against Saddleback Valley Christian Saturday in San Juan Capistrano and will then start Academy League play at Brethren Christian on March 24.
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Nonleague
Sage Hill 9, Estancia 8
SCORE BY INNNINGS
Estancia 011 301 200 0 – 8 17 4
Sage Hill 133 000 100 1 – 9 9 2
Rodriguez, Torres (3), Ross (6) and Mullison; Super, Ochi (5), Bock (8) and Bush. W – Bock. L – Ross. 2B – J. Brown (E), Boaitey (E), C. Brown (E), Ross (E), Alai (E), Super (SH), Slaughter (SH), Pelc (SH). HR – Bock (SH).