Corcoran Gets Chaminade Out of the Woods

Ted Corcoran’s home run trot almost ended at first base.

The Westside tournament Red Division semifinal game Friday between Taft and Chaminade highs came to a confusing conclusion after Corcoran, Chaminade’s sophomore first baseman, had apparently given the Eagles a dramatic 7-6 victory with a towering solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning.

But Corcoran, a husky left-handed hitter, was forced to wait anxiously, hands on hips, feet on first base and eyes on both umpires, as the officials held court with both coaches near the mound.

Corcoran’s home run had caromed back onto the field and was retrieved by right-fielder Joel Montano, forcing Corcoran to scurry back to first base.

Had Corcoran’s blast banked off the 50-foot-high right-field screen at Chaminade? Or had it hit the trunk of one of the giant eucalyptus trees just beyond the screen?

“I heard tree branches the whole time, so I figured it had to be gone,” Corcoran said. “I was positive it was out, but I wasn’t about to get thrown out this late in the game. I thought it might be just a single.”

It was worth more, the umpires ruled, and Corcoran circled the bases.

The score then settled, Chaminade (3-1) had completed a stunning comeback, scoring four times in the inning on back-to-back home runs to advance to today’s 11 a.m. championship game against Channel Islands at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Westwood.

With one out, runners at first and second and Chaminade trailing, 6-3, junior Aaron Weiss, another left-handed hitter, blasted a home run over the right-field screen to tie the score.

“Three runs down,” Weiss said simply. “I knew this was the game and I had to go deep.”

Weiss’ home run came on the first pitch from starter Eddie Soto and knocked the junior right-hander from the mound.

Right-hander Mike Krasner (2-1) then entered the game, which didn’t last much longer.

Until the seventh, Taft (3-2) had done a good job of stifling Chaminade rallies. Catcher Carey Wilbur had thrown out four baserunners and had Corcoran pegged trying to steal home in the first inning, but Soto was charged with a balk and Corcoran scored.

Taft capitalized on three Chaminade errors in the first two innings and when shortstop Benji Belfield smacked a two-run double in the second, the Toreadors led, 4-2.

Chaminade scored a run in the third, but Taft extended its lead with two runs in the sixth.