Hart’s 3rd Close-Call Victory Closes Encounters With San Gabriel, 4-3

The first time Hart High’s baseball team met San Gabriel in Foothill League play three weeks ago, San Gabriel huffed and huffed but lost a three-run game.

The second time the Indians played San Gabriel, the Matadors puffed and puffed before losing Tuesday’s extra-inning, one-run game.

And Friday at Hart, when the two teams met for the third and final time, San Gabriel nearly blew the undefeated Indians’ house down before form prevailed in the shape of a 4-3 Hart win.

Friday’s close encounter of the third time was enough impetus for Hart Coach Bud Murray to think about escorting San Gabriel to its team bus to make sure the Matadors would leave Hart alone, once and for all.

“That’s not such a bad idea,” Murray said with a chuckle. “I think San Gabriel is our toughest competition.”

Strange, considering that the Matadors are currently 1-6 in league play as opposed to Hart’s 5-0 record (15-0 overall).

The Matadors received a superb pitching effort from Danny Patterson, whose only real mistake came in the fifth inning when he surrendered the game-winning hit to Hart first baseman Ray Gardocki. The single up the middle scored Darin Tsukashima from third and broke a 3-3 deadlock.

Hart scored three times in the first when San Gabriel third baseman Danny Bachman threw away a ground ball hit by Casey Burrill to score Tsukashima and Lance Migita. Burrill scored when Chris Vasquez followed with a single to right.

Of Hart’s four runs off Patterson, only one was earned, a fact not lost on San Gabriel Coach Bill Young, who was upset by the first-inning throwing error.

“You tell me how a kid can throw for 2,000 yards with that hand in football season,” Young said in reference to Bachman, San Gabriel’s quarterback in the fall, “and then turn around and not be able to throw the ball across the diamond.

“You take that away and we have a 3-1 win.”

But it may be no coincidence that Hart transformed San Gabriel’s miscues into another victory.

“I think a lot of teams are in awe of Hart right now because of their 15-0 record,” Young said. “Credit Bud with that. He’s got his team playing so that they force you to make mistakes and then take advantage of them.”

Still, Murray finds fault with his team, criticizing the Indians for what he sees as a lack of effort.

“No one out there is playing hard besides Robby Davis and Migita,” a disgruntled Murray said. “I wish I knew what the problem was, but I’d rather have a bunch of kids go 10-5 who broke their tail for me.”

Even Murray could not overlook the relief work of Chris Matkin, who redeemed himself after Tuesday’s shoddy performance in which he blew a five-run seventh-inning lead. The senior right-hander (5-0) returned to the mound Friday and threw 3 innings of scoreless ball to pick up the win in relief of Burrill, who allowed three runs and walked six in 3 innings.

Matkin also received a measure of revenge in the seventh, snuffing out a brewing San Gabriel rally by striking out Mike Monson and Richard Felix, who touched him for a single and a home run, respectively, Tuesday.

Had to feel great, didn’t it Chris?

“I didn’t even know who they were,” Matkin said nonchalantly. “So it wasn’t that big of a deal.”

While Matkin may not remember those two, one can be sure that Hart remembers San Gabriel. And wishes the Matadors a fond farewell.