COMMUNITY COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Fontana’s in Form, but Rancho Santiago Isn’t

Mike Fontana almost provided a big lift for Rancho Santiago when he pitched a complete game on one day’s rest in a Southern California Regional baseball game Sunday at Los Angeles Pierce College.

Unfortunately for Fontana, he had no control over the Dons’ offense, which failed to provide any runs, and Rancho Santiago lost to Pierce, 1-0.

The loss ends the season for Rancho Santiago (30-13), and Pierce (33-6-1) advances to the State tournament that starts Saturday at the Riverside Sports Complex.

Fontana (12-1) had one of his worst outings of the season Friday, when he allowed 11 hits and seven runs in six innings against Mt. San Antonio, but Rancho Santiago rallied for a 9-7 victory.

Rancho Santiago lost to Pierce, 5-4, Saturday and came back to beat Mt. San Antonio, 11-2. Rancho Santiago would have needed to win twice Sunday to advance.

Pierce’s run came in the sixth inning. Joey Arnold walked and went to third on a one-out single by Jason Cohen. The ball was hit hard up the middle but bounced off Fontana’s leg and into left field.

Brian Smith hit a soft liner toward center that went off the glove of second baseman Octavio Medina for a single, allowing Arnold to score.

Fontana allowed six hits and struck out nine. He raised his single-season strikeout total to 117, a Rancho Santiago record. But clearly, Fontana would have taken a victory instead.

“It’s unbelievable,” he said about the loss. “My arm felt fine, I was ready to go to the 10th had we tied it . . . I still think we’re the best team in Southern California.”

Rancho Santiago had good chances to score in the second, eighth and ninth innings, but couldn’t against Pierce’s Chris Brown (9-3), who allowed nine hits in going the distance.

Chris Lugo and David Gonzalez had two-out singles in the ninth, but Derek Brown flied to right for the final out.

Rene Arias had a pinch-hit double to open the eighth, but was thrown out at third on a sacrifice attempt by Medina. Medina advanced to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a fielder’s choice. But pinch-hitter Marco Perez grounded out to end the inning.

Steve Thobe opened the second with a single and stole second. After a fly out, Gonzalez lined a ball off the glove of third baseman Cohen that went for a double. Thobe started back toward second and could only reach third on the play.

Brown flied to medium right but Arnold made a strong throw to get Thobe at the plate.

“They made the big play when they threw the guy out at the plate,” Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said. “We have not been a good offensive club and that hurt us all year.”