Santa Clara, Fillmore Coaches Miss Conclusion of 13-Inning Deadlock

In 19 years at Fillmore High, Tom Ecklund said he had never been thrown out of a game.

“I can’t say that much,” Santa Clara Coach John Wood said.

But both coaches were thrown out of Tuesday’s Frontier League game at Santa Clara, which ended after 13 innings with the score tied, 3-3.

In the top of the sixth inning, Ecklund was thrown out after he argued a call where two of his runners were called out on a play that including runner’s interference. Wood, in his first year at Santa Clara, was ejected during the bottom of the seventh for arguing a called third strike.

Both teams squandered scoring opportunities in the 13th. Fillmore (10-3-1, 5-2-1 in league play) failed to score despite two Santa Clara errors.

Santa Clara, meanwhile, stranded Justin Villa at third base as Drew Levy and Andy Maciel struck out to end the game.

Chris Macias did not allow a hit until the sixth inning for Santa Clara (8-4-1, 6-1-1). In nine innings he allowed three hits, struck out 10 and walked 10.

Fillmore starter Jaime Duran allowed only a first-inning single in eight innings. He struck out nine and walked six.