Pilar propels Flintridge Prep baseball into second round

GLENDALE — A one-out single from catcher Cole Pilar in the seventh inning delivered the Flintridge Prep baseball team a come-from-behind 4-3 victory over visiting Ventura Foothill Tech in Friday’s first round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs at the Glendale Sports Complex.

Pilar’s hit came with the bases-loaded and scored the final of three consecutive runs for the Prep League runner-up Rebels (13-12), who earned advancement to Tuesday’s divisional second round against No. 3-seeded Desert Christian (19-6).

PHOTOS: Rebels come back against Foothill Tech to advance in CIF playoffs

The site of Tuesday’s game will be determined via a coin flip at the CIF office Saturday morning.

“It was a first-pitch fastball and I was just looking to pick up my team,” said Pilar, who finished two for three with two runs batted in. “Nothing was going our way early and it’s great to get this win.”

Flintridge Prep loaded the bases with no outs on two walks and a critical error. The inning’s first two batters – Kendall Kikkawa (double and two runs scored) and Danny Chiarodit – reached against Foothill Tech starter Dale Starter.

Both runners advanced a bag on stolen bases, which accounted for two of the Rebels’ six swipes on the day.

Foothill Tech Coach Clint Ellison replaced Starr with reliever Andrew Perez, who walked Hamilton Evans (two for three with one RBI and two stolen bases) to load the bases before inducing a harmless fly to right for the inning’s first out.

Flintridge Prep, which started the game 0 for six with runners in scoring position, finished three for four down the stretch.

“It’s rewarding to get this win because these kids battled all year to get this opportunity and it seemed like we had the same opportunities over and over again,” Flintridge Prep Coach Guillermo Gonzalez said. “We finally came through.”

It appeared the upstart Dragons (11-15), who were playing in their first-ever postseason contest in their inaugural year of existence, would win the game at earlier points.

Foothill Tech loaded the bases with one out against Flintridge Prep starting pitcher Robbie Leslie in the sixth inning only to have Leslie respond with a strikeout and a groundout to escape the threat.

In the seventh, the Dragons had runners on the corners with two outs when Leslie coaxed a fielder’s choice at second base to escape the jam.

“I just went back to what coach is always saying, ‘Pound the strike zone and let them hit it,’” said Leslie, who threw 118 pitches and allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits with five strikeouts. “I relied on my defense and they made play after play.”

Flintridge Prep trailed, 3-1, before knotting the contest in the fifth thanks to run-scoring singles from Evans and Pilar.

Foothill Tech didn’t help itself in the fifth or in most of the game, for that matter, as the Dragons committed two of their seven errors in the frame.

“I think it’s a first-year thing and just being nervous,” Ellison said. “Other than that, I’m real proud of these guys. This was our first year and to finish second in league and get the playoffs, that’s special.”

Despite the gaffes, Foothill Tech took a 3-1 lead after scoring two runs in the top of the second on two Rebels’ errors and singles from Perez and Jacob Bridges.

Foothill Tech opened the game with one run in the first courtesy of a run-scoring single from Ryan Tamburri, who was thrown out at second trying to advance.

In the following half inning, Flintridge Prep evened the score at 1 thanks to two Dragons’ errors, which allowed Leslie to score.