HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL : Rheaume Pitches Santana to Win

After a season-long search for the strike zone, Santana right-hander Doug Rheaume zeroed in Tuesday and defeated San Marcos, 6-5, in the first round of the San Diego Section 2-A baseball playoffs at Santana High.

Though he tired in the seventh--San Marcos scored three runs on a two-out double--Rheaume had not walked a batter and allowed only three hits through 6 1/3 innings.

That, more than anything else, is why Santana (19-10-1) will play top-seeded Mission Bay (23-8) in Thursday’s quarterfinals, and San Marcos’ season is over at 13-11-1.

“That was probably my best outing of the year,” said Rheaume, who finished with two walks and eight strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings and improved to 6-5. “I had good control. I could put it anywhere I wanted for six innings.”

Of significance, Rheaume (6-5) had walked 50 batters in 67 innings during the regular season.

Two walks almost cost him Tuesday.

With two outs in the seventh, Rheaume issued his second walk of the inning to load the bases. Aaron Selenak then lined a double into the right-center field gap, leaving only himself on base.

After an infield single by Tony Castaneda moved pinch-runner Manny Vallez to third, Santana Coach Jerry Henson brought in sophomore right-hander Joe Davenport to pitch to Denny McAdams, San Marcos’ No. 3 hitter.

McAdams, a senior pitcher/shortstop, had allowed four runs (three earned) in the bottom of the sixth and was no doubt looking for redemption.

Davenport, however, worked the count to 2-2 before inducing a game-ending one-hopper to third.

“It was a good first six,” Rheaume said. “I just got a little fatigued. Ran out of gas. Walks will kill you.”

With Davenport having a 10-1 record and 1.99 earned run average, Rheaume was actually a surprise starter Tuesday.

Likewise, San Marcos Coach Ron Layton started Ryan Dunne instead of Jeff Huberts, who had pitched nine innings last week, including five Friday. Both are senior right-handers but Huberts had a 6-1 record, and Dunne had not pitched since May 13.

Dunne allowed two runs and four hits in four innings, then Huberts pitched a 1-2-3 fifth before giving way to McAdams.

“We were living one inning at a time,” Layton said.

San Marcos took a 2-0 lead in the second, getting two unearned runs on two fielding errors, four stolen bases and a run-scoring single by Brian Hudson.

Santana tied it in the fourth on doubles by Kimo Henson and Shane Hobbs, a single by Robert Ervin and a steal of home on a first-and-third situation.

Hobbs had the “big” hit in the Sultans’ four-run sixth. After Mike Romo doubled, Henson walked and Ervin reached on an error to load the bases, Hobbs got jammed but managed to loft a single into short right field and two runs scored.

“I got fisted big time,” Hobbs said. “I (made contact) about two inches above my fingers.”

Later, after a walk and a strikeout, Matt Burton drove in two runs with a single to left. Those proved to be big runs with San Marcos’ ensuing rally.