San Diego Section Baseball 1-A Championship : Sherman Throws 2-Hitter to Lead Francis Parker, 3-1

Three outs from a San Diego Section 1-A baseball championship Friday, Francis Parker High School pitcher Marc Sherman was also three outs from his first complete game and shutout of 1986.

Sherman didn’t get the shutout, but two out of three wasn’t bad. He pitched a complete-game two-hitter as Francis Parker won its second straight championship by defeating Imperial, 3-1, at the University of San Diego.

Imperial’s last-inning run came without the benefit of a hit. Tim Doyle reached on a one-out fielding error by third baseman Kirk Sampson. Doyle advanced two bases on consecutive wild pitches by Sherman and scored on Tom Waggoner’s ground out to short.

“I was getting excited because I wanted to win,” Sherman said. “I was trying to let them hit the ball but slipped, I guess.”

Sherman, a sophomore, struck out eight and did not allow a hit after the fourth inning.

He was in danger only once, allowing a runner to reach third with one out in the second. However, he struck out the next two batters.

Since Sherman had not pitched a complete game, shortstop Willie Beamer warmed up on the sidelines in the later innings in case he was needed in relief.

“If we get four or five innings out of Marc, we usually go to Willie,” Coach David Glassey said. “Today, Marc was pitching so well that it was his game.”

Francis Parker (16-6-1) scored its runs in the first two innings by using aggressive baserunning and being selective at the plate.

In the first inning, Craig Hammett hit an infield single and stole second. Sampson then walked. The runners executed a double steal with Hammett scoring when the catcher’s throw to third went into left field. Sampson, who went to third on the throwing error, scored on Beamer’s two-out single.

In the second, David Book walked and stole second. Derry McIntyre then drew a walk. The two runners executed another double steal before walks to Hammett and Sampson forced in a run.

“We like to run,” Glassey said. “We got away from it in the middle of the season. I told them (the players) before Tuesday’s game to start getting on and running again.”

Imperial (14-4-1) stole one base, but even that may have worked against the Tigers. When Bobby Enders stole in the second, Francis Parker catcher Pietro LaGreca made a strong throw to second base.

“My catcher took away any running they would do with his throw to second,” Glassey said. “Even when they had runners on first and third, they wouldn’t try to go because my catcher had gunned the ball down there.”

The way Sherman was pitching, Imperial didn’t have many runners get in a position to steal.