Bonita Vista Keeps Playoff Hopes Alive by Beating No. 7 Castle Park, 4-2

There were a number of motivational factors that helped host Bonita Vista defeat No. 7 Castle Park, 4-2, in a Metro Conference baseball game Thursday.

“We were determined to win from the beginning,” said Teddy Ehrhardt, Bonita Vista center fielder.

“We wanted them bad,” said pitcher Randy Abshier (8-1), who threw a 4-hitter.

Part of the motivation came from Castle Park’s Sergio Hicks, who pitched a no-hitter against Bonita Vista the last time the team’s met.

Bonita Vista was further fueled by the fact that Castle Park (21-4-1, 10-2 in conference play) already had clinched the Metro Conference championship, and the Barons (16-8, 6-5) were scrambling for an at-large berth in the San Diego Section playoffs.

Also, Bonita Vista was out to prove it could win against a left-hander as Castle Park started lefty Joe Carrillo.

“We wanted to stop feeling sorry for ourselves when a left-hander is on the mound,” said Bonita Vista Coach Ron Pietila. “It seems like we don’t fare well against left-handers.”

More motivation came in the top of the third, when Pietila and Castle Park Coach Bob Korzep had a loud disagreement over an interference call.

Korzep, who was coaching third base in front of the Bonita Vista dugout, thought Bonita Vista first baseman David Tappan interfered with a Castle Park runner.

“He (told his runner) to step on the first baseman’s hand and kick him in the face,” Pietila said. “He went on and on.”

Korzep refused to comment after the game.

Castle Park fell behind, 2-0, in the first on Tappan’s two-run double but rallied.

Juan Beltran singled home Chris Sykes, who had walked, in the fourth to cut Castle Park’s deficit to 2-1. And David Husted scored in the fifth on second baseman Matt Dickson’s error to make it 2-2.

But the Barons collected four of their six hits in the fifth and sixth innings to chase Carrillo and improve their playoff hopes.

Ehrhardt led off the fifth with a triple and scored on Craig Caglin’s sacrifice fly to center field.

In the sixth, John Soloman singled, Casey June doubled and Ehrhardt singled, producing another run to make it 4-2.

“We’re together now,” Abshier said. “There’s so much team unity right now.”

Abshier, a 6-foot 3-inch, 190-pound senior who has gone the distance in six of eight starts, threw mostly fastballs and never allowed more than one hit in an inning.