Carlsbad’s Troublesome Third Gives Escondido Tie for Title

Joe Pimental, Carlsbad’s baseball coach, was not mincing words Thursday after watching his team lose, 4-1, to Escondido and give away a share of the Avocado League championship.

“They just want to play with both their hands around their throats,” Pimental said of his players.

What was Pimental talking about? Maybe this:

In the top of the third with one out and runners on first and second, Escondido’s Gerald Cabral chopped one back to the mound. Pitcher Scott Karl fielded it easily enough, but when he wheeled and tried to get the runner heading for second, he threw the ball into center field. John Cabral scored from second. Neil Small, who was on first, hustled to third.

After Gerald Cabral took second on a groundout, Brian Frank came up and whistled one along the grass to first baseman Jeff Myers. But Myers didn’t get his glove down, and the ball skipped between his legs and down the right-field line. Small and Cabral scored, and Frank took second.

Jeff Hopkins greeted Karl by chopping a pitch down the third base line. Third baseman Jeff Jarrard leaned over to field it, but he didn’t get in front of it, and the ball bounced into left field, allowing Frank to score Escondido’s fourth run.

That gave Escondido a three-run lead--a lead that was in jeopardy in the fifth when Carlsbad loaded the bases with no outs.

“When it comes down to that,” said Robert Erp, Escondido’s pitcher, “I just try to bear down, try to throw a little harder.”

He did. He recorded the first out by enticing Myers to swing at strike three on a pitch that was over Myers’ shoulders. Karl then hit a hard grounder to first, hard enough that Mitch Anderson was able to scoop it up and make the play at the plate to retire Ron Bynes. Erp then got Jeff Westbay on another groundout.

Because Carlsbad (19-9 overall and 12-2 in league play) had previously defeated Escondido (20-5, 12-2), a playoff game will be held today at 3:15 p.m. at Palomar College to determine which team gets the first-round bye in the upcoming San Diego Section playoffs.

In other Avocado League games:

Oceanside 7, El Camino 6--Oceanside (12-15, 4-10) scored in the eighth to defeat El Camino (4-22, 0-14). The Pirates’ Kenya Hunt was five for five.

Rancho Buena Vista 11, San Pasqual 5--Rancho Buena Vista (15-11, 8-6) tied San Pasqual (17-9, 8-6) for third in the league. Kevin Lippert went two for three with a triple and two RBIs for the Longhorns.

San Marcos 14, Ramona 3--Toby Lehman hit a two-run home run and a three-run home run for San Marcos (8-16, 7-7). Teammate Gordon Sanchez hit a grand slam. Ramona finished 10-12, 5-9.

Palomar League

Mt. Carmel 15, San Dieguito 5--Byron Klemaske pitched a three-hitter to improve to 13-1. Mark Van Aelstyn had five RBIs for No. 1 Mt. Carmel, which finished league play undefeated at 12-0 (23-2 overall).

Fallbrook 4, Orange Glen 1--Wade Pearson went three for four for Fallbrook (16-10, 5-7). The Patriots dropped to 12-15, 4-8.

Torrey Pines 2, Poway 1--Torrey Pines (13-11-1, 6-6) scored in the bottom of the 11th to tie Poway (11-12. 6-6) for third in league.

Metro Conference

Mar Vista 9, Bonita Vista 7--Mar Vista (11-13, 9-5) tied for second with Sweetwater and will advance to the playoffs as the league’s second representative based on its head-to-head competition (2-0) with the Red Devils. Tim O’Neal went three for five with four RBIs for Mar Vista. Bonita Vista finished 12-16, 6-8.

Sweetwater 3, Montgomery 0--Isaac Bruce (7-3) pitched a one-hitter and struck out seven in shutting out Montgomery (9-15, 4-10). Larry Meza was three for four with an RBI for Sweetwater (14-11, 9-5).

Castle Park 13, Hilltop 6--Juan Beltran (8-3) was the winner and went two for two with two RBIs for No. 6 Castle Park (25-5-1, 11-3). Hilltop dropped to 8-16, 11-3.

Southwest 2, Chula Vista 1--Fernando Ontiveros (4-4) allowed just four hits and struck out 12 for Southwest (12-116-8). Chula Vista finished 9-16, 7-7.

Coronado 9, Marian 0--Andy Strasser (4-4) went the distance, striking out eight en route to a three-hitter. He also went two for four with two RBIs. The Islanders are 13-10, 8-6. Marian finished 8-16, 5-9.

Softball

Madison 4, Patrick Henry 3--Madison (20-6) scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to defeat Patrick Henry (15-7) in a City Eastern League playoff game to determine the league’s No.1 playoff spot. With one out in the seventh and Madison trailing, 3-2, Jennifer Booker singled. Winning pitcher Natalie Hurlburt (10-4) doubled and Kim Lester was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Michelle Sergott and Toi Poole each walked to force in the tying and winning runs.