Oak Park Revives in Time, 9-8 : After Loss to Lowly Bishop Diego, Eagles Pounce on Moorpark

Oak Park High pulled out of its funk on Friday at just the right time.

The Eagles, who lost to last-place Bishop Diego earlier in the week, found themselves trailing Moorpark, 8-4, with one out in the seventh inning. They then scored four runs to tie the game and won it two innings later, 9-8.

Eagles Coach Mark Jacobs was ecstatic.

“I’ve been here five years, and this has to be the most gratifying win,” Jacobs said.

“We should be 5-0, but this team really wants to win this year. They played hard today and they stuck together as a team even when we were down.”

Oak Park, which took a half-game lead over Fillmore in the Tri-Valley League, improved its record to 4-1, despite a shaky start.

Moorpark, which fell to 2-3 in league, jumped all over starting Eagles pitcher Paul Obedencio in the first inning.

After leadoff hitter Willie Gutierrez singled and Rich Camacho sacrificed him to second, Tim Rothanzl stroked a single to score Gutierrez, then scored from first base on pitcher Oscar Oviedo’s double to right-center field.

In the bottom half of the inning, Oak Park’s Jason Ornstein scored from third base on a wild pitch and the Eagles trailed, 3-1.

In the top of the fourth, Oviedo, who went 3 for 4, hit a single through the legs of shortstop Ornstein and later scored on a passed ball by Obedencio. With men on second and third, John Aguirre’s bunt scored Tom Johnson and Dave Romero sacrificed Chuck Sullenbarger to put the Pioneers ahead, 6-1.

The Eagles, however, responded with three runs of their own. Wally Sweeterman, who had walked and gone to third base on a double by Scott Daley, scored on Ross Lloyd’s sacrifice. Daley then scored from third on another sacrifice, this time by Obedencio. Darrell Hall pulled Oak Park to within two runs, scoring from second on his brother Duane’s RBI single.

Obedencio, who gave up four hits, struck out two and walked one for Oak Park, was relieved by Zach Lundin in the fifth inning, but the Pioneers managed to score another run on two straight errors by the Eagles to go up, 7-4.

Oviedo, who gave up seven hits, struck out two and also walked one for Moorpark, switched positions with right fielder Aguirre, who pitched brilliantly for the Pioneers until the seventh inning.

When Moorpark added another run to its lead in the sixth inning, the Eagles started hitting off Aguirre.

Wellner doubled and scored on a single by Ornstein. After Wally Sweeterman was hit by a pitch, Daley hit a double down the third base line, putting runners on second and third. Aguirre then threw a pitch in the dirt that went to the back stop and Sweeterman scored. With Oak Park trailing, 8-7, Pioneer Coach Norm Chung then sent Aguirre back to right field, put Oviedo at third base and had third baseman Mike Litel try and end the inning.

The strategy backfired. Ross Lloyd stroked a line drive single to right field, scoring Daley and sending the game into extra innings.

In the bottom of the ninth and one out, Sweeterman hit a shot off the bottom of the fence in left-center field that went for a double. Daley appeared to be thrown out on a ground ball hit to second baseman Rich Camacho, but the throw to first base went through Dave Romero’s legs and Daley was safe while Sweeterman moved to third.

With two strikes, Lloyd swung and missed on strike three, but catcher Tim Rothanzl let the ball get away and Sweeterman came in for the winning score.