DIVISION III BASEBALL : Combs’ Timely Performance Sends La Quinta to Another Final

Practice was winding down early this season when La Quinta Coach Dave Demarest pulled senior pitcher Steve Combs aside and broke the bad news.

Combs had finished second to sophomore Joe Garcia in a two-way battle for No. 2 in the Aztecs’ rotation. The second starter on La Quinta’s Southern Section Division III runner-up last season, Combs all of sudden found himself facing lots of bench time and, he thought, a wasted final season.

Sensing he needed a lift, Demarest encouraged Combs to keep his head high because the Aztecs would need him to deliver down the road.

Combs’ patience finally paid off.

His clutch hitting and relief pitching sparked La Quinta, which rallied for a 4-3 victory Tuesday over Corona in the Division III baseball semifinals at Norco High.

Combs’ two-strike, two-out, pinch-hit double to right field drove in the tying run for La Quinta in the top of the seventh inning. The Aztecs took their only lead one batter later when Panther pitcher Mike Darr gave up the winning run on a balk.

Combs retired Corona in order in the bottom of the seventh to send La Quinta to the championship game again. The Aztecs lost to Tustin, 3-2, last season at Anaheim Stadium.

“I knew I’d get my chance sooner or later,” said Combs, who picked up his second save. “Coach always told me he’d need me for something like this, but this is just amazing.

“To come up with that hit and close the game. Wow.”

Second-seeded La Quinta (27-3) will play West Torrance (25-6) for the title Saturday at Cal State Fullerton. West Torrance beat Whittier La Serna, 10-4, in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

Had it not been for Combs, La Quinta would be watching the final.

He pinch hit for Jim Livernois (14-3), who relieved Garcia in the sixth inning and drove in the Aztecs’ first two runs of the game with a fifth-inning single. Livernois, could not bat after he injured his wrist while stealing a base in the fifth inning.

Darr (1-1), pitching in relief of Ed Hurtado, opened the inning by walking leadoff hitter Charlie Tuggle. Tuggle went to second and C.J. Livernois, Jim’s younger brother, was safe at first when a throw by Corona first baseman Johnny Owens to nail Tuggle at second pulled shortstop Ryan Darr, Mike’s younger brother, off the bag.

Mike struck out the next two batters to get to Combs.

After La Quinta took the lead, all that stood between Combs and the hero’s role were the Panthers’ Nos. 8, 9 and 1 hitters. They didn’t stand a chance. Combs got a strikeout and two ground outs.