Vikings’ 35-Game League Win Streak Ends in Loss to Eagles
It took three years and 36 league games, but most of all it took some clutch power hitting by El Segundo for St. Bernard finally to lose a Camino Real League game. The Eagles hit three home runs and capitalized on six Viking errors to win at St. Bernard’s Father Dunphy Field, 9-6. El Segundo, now 12-3 overall and ranked second in the CIF 2-A poll, moved into a first-place tie with St. Bernard with a 5-1 league mark.
The Vikings’ last league loss was to Cantwell in 1986. They went on to win a CIF Southern Section-record 35 straight in the league before running into El Segundo, newcomers to the Camino Real.
The Vikings, 11-3 overall and ranked third in the 2-A poll, took a 3-0 lead in the first inning when first baseman Dan Melendez sent a 3-and-0 fastball over the right field fence with two men on. Melendez later hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth. The Pepperdine-bound senior, hitting .541 with seven home runs and 20 runs batted in, also pitches and has a 5-0 record.
“I like it better when (Melendez) is on my team,” said El Segundo Coach John Stevenson, who coaches the Viking slugger during the summer. “I guess it was my decision to pitch to him.”
After Al Ibarra gave up a solo home run in the second inning to Eagles junior Ken Talanoa, El Segundo took advantage of Viking errors in the third.
With one out, frosh shortstop Grant Hohman booted a ground ball, then took a bad hop off his chest, which at first appeared to be an inning-ending double-play ball. A bloop single loaded the bases for sophomore first baseman Danny Manjarrez. Manjarrez blasted a fastball over the center-field fence, giving the Eagles a 5-3 lead.
St. Bernard Coach Bob Yarnall said his team’s shakiness was not due to the streak, because the consecutive-win record had been broken.
“They made the routine plays and we didn’t,” said Yarnall. “You’re not going to win if you make six errors.”
Junior Mark Lewis increased the Eagle lead to three runs with a solo home run in the fourth inning, but Melendez’s second homer brought the Vikings to within 6-5.
In the top of the sixth, after Jeremy Carr had walked, St. Bernard left fielder Bobby Waller misplayed two fly balls, loading the bases. Catcher Garrett Quaintance doubled off relief pitcher Chris Richardson, scoring two runs. Manjarrez then smacked a run-scoring single, and the Eagles led 9-5.
Viking Sean Dunbar, who bats ninth, hit a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Eagle pitcher Rick Clark walked Jeff Richardson and Melendez but settled down to get the last three outs, recording his fifth win in as many decisions.
Stevenson said his players were not motivated to break the streak, or because the teams had not met since 1972. “The incentive was we were 4-1 and they were 5-0,” he said.