San Diego Section Baseball Playoffs : Disputed Game Complicates Picture for Bonita Vista

On Tuesday afternoon in the first round of the San Diego Section 3-A baseball playoffs, Bonita Vista High School scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Valhalla High, 4-2.

That was Tuesday. Two days later, because of a protest and subsequent appeal by Valhalla Coach John Marlow, that game still is not official.

Bonita Vista Coach John Gibbs said his team is ready to meet Mount Carmel in the 3-A semifinals today at 3 p.m. at the University of San Diego.

But Marlow is not ready to concede defeat. If Yogi Berra were around, he’d have to amend his saying. This game wasn’t over when it was over.

Here’s what’s happened:

During the sixth inning of Tuesday’s game, with Vahalla leading, 2-1, Marlow attempted to replace center fielder Bobby Runeborg with Jon Perez. But Marlow had failed to list Perez on his lineup card and home plate umpire Tom Wall ruled that Perez could not play.

Marlow put the game under protest, saying there was no such rule stating that Perez could not enter the game.

As it turned out, Marlow was correct.

Kendall Webb, the San Diego Section commissioner, upheld Marlow’s protest Wednesday morning but ruled that the protest had nothing to do with the game’s outcome. After Marlow’s protest, Bonita Vista scored three runs to take a 4-2 lead.

“He said it was his judgment,” Marlow said. “I don’t think he knows a lot about baseball. The umpire’s mistake caused a long delay and the momentum of the game changed. Momentum means a lot in a game like that.”

After learning of Webb’s decision Wednesday, Marlow appealed to a CIF committee headed by Marian High Vice Principal Dan Ramos.

“When a coach wants to appeal a decision made by the commissioner, he must have his school principal put it in writing,” Ramos said. “Once I see this, I have no choice but to form a committee to decide on the matter.”

Ramos said the committee, which would be made up of three or four principals from area schools, will meet this morning.

If the committee overturns Webb’s decision, Valhalla and Bonita Vista’s game still will not be over. Ramos said the game probably would be finished today before the semifinals, if necessary.

“We’re down to our third strike, but we’re not out yet,” Marlow said.

In the other 3-A semifinal at 3 p.m. today:

Mira Mesa (16-13) vs. Santana (24-2) at Grossmont College. This game matches the last two section 3-A champions. Santana won the championship two years ago and Mira Mesa won the title last year. Santana is ranked No. 1 in the county this season. Mira Mesa, behind two home runs by Mark Robert, beat Fallbrook, 9-7, in the first round. Santana needed an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth from Dale Henson to edge Sweetwater, 2-1.

In the 2-A semifinals at 3 p.m. today:

University (15-10) vs. San Marcos (15-9) at Palomar College. San Marcos, seeded second, knocked off Castle Park, 8-2, in the first round. The Knights reached the semifinals a year ago, losing to eventual champion Hilltop. University, the City Western League runner-up, beat San Diego, 9-4, in the first round.

Escondido (16-11) vs. Mission Bay (20-6) at Mount Carmel High. Mission Bay, the No. 1 seed, has relied on pitching. The Buccaneers got a two-hitter from Rusty Filter Tuesday to beat Hoover, 6-1. Escondido has been hot. The Cougars, after a slow start, finished second in the Avocado League, then rallied for a 9-6 victory over Southwest in the first round Tuesday.