Smith Gets 6 Hits as Montclair Prep Wins in 10

Nobody could blame Montclair Prep’s J.R. Smith if he developed a case of Rodney Dangerfield Syndrome. When you are 5-6, 160, and play behind power hitters like Frank Charles and Jeff Light, it is not a position that breeds great respect.

Smith doesn’t mind the lack of notoriety. All he wants to do, he says, is contribute to the team’s success.

On Friday, Smith did more than contribute to Montclair Prep’s 12-4, 10-inning win over Fillmore in the Southern Section Small Schools Large Division quarterfinals. He had a day that Charles and Light dream about.

“This was probably the best performance I’ve ever had,” said Smith, who had six hits in six at-bats and earned the win in relief. “I’m thrilled I got the hits, but I was just trying to help keep the team in the game.”

The only thing that didn’t go right for Smith--who started the game at shortstop before becoming the third Mounties pitcher after starter Scott Hauser and Light--was a two-out, two-run double by Fillmore’s Larry Roberts to tie the game at 4-4 in the ninth.

Montclair Prep took a 4-2 lead in the top of the inning on a two-run double by Charles, who had five RBI’s. Light, who came in at the start of the eighth inning, opened the ninth by issuing a pair of walks. After Charles’ errant pickoff throw advanced the runners to second and third, Smith struck out the next two batters before Roberts lined his first pitch to the gap in right-center.

“I thought I was going to get out of it,” said Smith (3-1). “The first two batters helped me by swinging at bad strikes, but I made the next pitch too good.”

The Mounties, meanwhile, had been held in check--well sort of--by Fillmore lefty Willie Leighton, who scattered 13 hits through the first nine innings.

“He did a great job,” said Montclair Prep assistant Mike DeMartini. “For him to shut us down the way he did, I can’t say enough about him.”

While he was tiring in the ninth, Leighton (10-2) clearly ran out of gas in the 10th. After retiring the first batter, Leighton gave up a walk and a single by Wayne Nogosek. Then P.C. Shaw grounded a single to right field to drive in pinch-runner Mike Howard from third base for the game-winning run. Montclair Prep went on to score seven more times in the 10th.

“I thought I’d get the bunt sign,” Shaw said. “Coach Pressman showed a lot of confidence in me. It was sort of surprising. I was 0 for 4 before that and didn’t hit the ball well.”

Smith then gave himself some breathing room by singling in another run for a 6-4 lead. When Pat Huston’s base hit brought home Shaw, Leighton was lifted. However, reliever Jaime Alamillo allowed a two-run single by Light and a three-run homer by Robbie Briggs to turn it into a rout.

“I’ve been telling everybody for years how good J.R. Smith is,” said Pressman, whose tenure as coach of the Mounties after 12 years has been extended for at least one more game. Top-seeded Montclair Prep (22-4) will meet Tehachapi (20-3) in Tuesday’s semifinal.

“Smith is the backbone of our club,” Pressman said. “He solidifies our infield, is our stopper in the bullpen and has an explosive bat for someone his size. He’s worked real hard and he had a day like this coming.”