Substitute Sparks Win for Village Christian

When one thinks of a high school baseball player who bats ninth and plays right field, one usually does not picture a superstar. The image is more like a player whose main responsibility to the team is dragging the field after the game.

And, sure enough, Village Christian’s Mike Nesmith, who batted ninth and played right field for the Crusaders on Friday night at BlueBird Stadium in Burbank against Western Christian, was seen manicuring the infield after the game.

Funny thing was, it was in the role of the hero.

Nesmith, in his first start of the year, made a dramatic, diving catch of a long line drive by Western Christian’s Chad Theetge, killing a bases-loaded rally in the fifth inning. The catch enabled the Crusaders (8-5-1, 2-2-1 in league play) to rally and defeat the Alpha League leaders, 3-2.

“He doesn’t make that play and we go home with a 5-1, 5-2 win,” Western Christian Coach Reese Mitchell said, shaking his head. “He made a nice catch.”

Leading, 2-0, the Fighting Lancers had loaded the bases when Nesmith made the momentum-turning play.

“Coach always tells us, ‘If you’re gonna dive, you better catch it,” Nesmith said. “I just ran over and caught it.”

But Nesmith’s role in the game wasn’t just defensive. After reaching on an error, he scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh, coming around from third base with two out when shortstop Jeff Horn’s attempt to force Royce Farrar, who had doubled in the two tying runs in the fifth, sailed into right field.

The loss overshadowed a strong effort from Western Christian right-hander Cody Christiaens (4-2), who allowed just four hits and looked nearly unhittable--until his defense committed the only two errors of the game in the final inning. The miscues gave Western Christian (10-6, 3-1) its first loss of the league season--primarily because of a player who usually doesn’t play.

“We’ve just been rotating guys out there in right,” Village Christian Coach Mike Henzie said. Friday night just happened to be Nesmith’s turn.