State Community College Baseball Tournament : Rancho Santiago Rallies to Defeat San Mateo, 2-1

Rancho Santiago College used an experienced arm and an inexperienced bat to advance in the state community college baseball tournament Saturday morning in Long Beach.

Sophomore right-hander Mike Schwabe (13-1) pitched a five-hitter as the Dons scored single runs in the ninth and 10th innings to defeat No. 1-seeded San Mateo, 2-1, at Blair Field.

The victory advances No. 4 Rancho Santiago into the third round of the winners’ bracket against No. 2-seeded College of the Canyons, which defeated Sacramento City, 10-0, Saturday.

The teams play today at 2 on Blair Field. Sophomore right-hander Chris Shiflett (7-2) is scheduled to start for the Dons (33-8).

Rancho Santiago’s inexperienced bat belonged to freshman Ted Flores. He singled in the winning run in the 10th after replacing sophomore Ruben Gonzalez, who was removed for a pinch-runner after walking in the ninth. Gonzalez, who leads the Dons in home runs (15) and RBIs (65), had struck out in his first three at-bats.

The Dons had runners on first and third with two out in the 10th when Flores grounded a 2-2 pitch up the middle to score Frank Appice with the winning run.

“I wasn’t nervous up at the plate,” Flores said. “I told coach that any time he needed me, I would be ready. It just felt so good to get that hit.”

Flores had only played in 11 games and had just 11 at-bats before Saturday.

Flores’ hit came off losing pitcher Ron Ash (5-4). Ash replaced freshman starter Paul McClellan in the 10th after Mitch Swalley led off with a single.

Appice tried to bunt the runner to second, but Ash threw Swalley out.

The Dons tied the score at 1-1 in the top of the ninth on an error. With the bases loaded and two out, designated hitter Brent Reese hit a high chopper to third that looked as if it would end the game. But first baseman Greg Turtetaub was handcuffed by an apparently good throw from third baseman Mike Friedland and dropped it, allowing the tying run to score.

Both teams struggled through the first seven innings with only one runner reaching third base for either team. The Bulldogs scored their run off Schwabe in the bottom of the eighth. Friedland singled, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by shortstop Doug Williams.

Williams opened the bottom of the first with a single. After two outs, he was on third and tried to steal home as Schwabe worked from a windup. Catcher Chris Chase was able to take the pitch, a called strike, and tag out Williams.

“He (Schwabe) was strong today,” Don Sneddon, Rancho Santiago coach, said. “He was pumped coming in and did a good job. If we are going to win this thing, he’ll have to pitch again.”

After the loss to Rancho Santiago, San Mateo (31-9) played Long Beach City on the campus field at Cal State Long Beach and was eliminated from the tournament, 11-4.

The 37th state tournament continues through the weekend with the championship game Monday.