ANGELUS LEAGUE BASEBALL : Servite Rebounds to Defeat Mater Dei in Extra Innings

After losing to Mater Dei High School in extra innings Friday, Servite High School bounced back on Saturday, beating the Monarchs, 5-4, in nine innings in an Angelus League baseball game at Mater Dei.

Rob Walker pitched 3 2/3 innings of shutout relief and first baseman Blaine Patriquin singled home the winning run to give Servite (9-5, 3-3 in league) its only victory of the season over Mater Dei (10-4, 4-2) and keep the Friars’ league title hopes alive.

“If we had lost today, we would have just been thinking about making the playoffs,” Servite Coach Mike McNary said. “But we’re only one game out now. It’s just out of our hands because we’re done with Mater Dei.”

Mater Dei beat Servite in the teams’ first two meetings.

Servite led, 4-2, in the sixth inning when starting pitcher Cliff Mierendorf began to tire. With one out and the bases loaded, Mater Dei threatened to blow the game open after Ricky Ellis tied the score, 4-4, with an RBI single. That was it for Mierendorf.

McNary brought in Walker, who got the Friars out of the jam with a strikeout and a pop-up.

Walker retired 11 of the 13 batters he faced to earn the victory and keep Servite even until the ninth inning.

Servite catcher Ryan Boucher led off the ninth with a single to left. After the next batter, Chad Rolish, struck out trying to sacrifice, McNary decided to turn Boucher loose on the bases.

“We knew we had to force the issue with Mater Dei,” McNary said. “We have to make things happen by running and putting pressure on the defense.”

With Patriquin at the plate, Boucher stole second for Servite’s fourth stolen base of the game. Boucher then forced a costly balk from Mater Dei starter Sean Sutton and advanced to third.

With one out, the Monarchs moved in their infield. Sutton jammed Patriquin, but the Friars’ first baseman fought off the pitch and blooped it over Mater Dei first baseman Jim McCarthy’s outstretched glove. The ball landed inches onto the outfield grass.