L.A. Baptist Catches a Break on Errant Throw : Baseball: Wilson pitches four-hitter, Knights win title with unearned runs, 2-0.

Locked in a pitchers’ duel that would decide the Alpha League championship, L.A. Baptist High’s John Wilson and Village Christian’s Jason Robitaille gave similar performances but got different results Friday.

Both right-handers went the distance and faced 26 batters without allowing a walk. But it was Wilson who charged off the mound to celebrate a 2-0 victory and a third consecutive league title for L.A. Baptist (18-2, 9-0) and Robitaille who sat slumped in the dugout, done in by a pair of unearned runs.

A two-out throwing error in the third inning by Crusader third baseman Brian Agnor allowed Jon Wada to score from second base and Bryan Gant to move from first to third. A wild pitch by Robitaille brought home Gant.

Despite his unfortunate breaks, Robitaille (7-1) managed to stay upbeat.

“(Agnor) said after the game that he let me down but I’ve never heard anything so absurd,” said Robitaille, who pitched a three-hitter and struck out three on a mixture of fastballs and curves.

“He’s a sophomore and you can’t expect him to make all the plays. I’d like him to, but he’s been great all season.”

Village Christian (16-3, 7-2) had its chances.

With two out in the third, David Gustafson reached first on an error, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch that L.A. Baptist catcher Marc Lacson threw into shallow left field. Gustafson broke for home but was gunned down by a throw from left fielder Gant to Lacson, who blocked the plate and applied the tag.

Village Christian had runners in scoring position only twice after that, stranding one at third in the fifth and another at second in the seventh.

Those were the only opportunities Wilson (8-1) would give the Crusaders (18-2, 9-0). Relying on guile as much as power, the 6-foot, 190-pounder kept Village Christian off balance by using a biting slider and first-pitch changeups to complement his fastball.

“If you can keep batters off balance you don’t have to throw 95 m.p.h.,” Village Christian Coach Brian Gibson said of Wilson. “Pitching is really just changing speeds and hitting locations, and he did that.”

Despite his mastery of the Crusaders, Wilson said he remained tense until the last out.

“Getting ahead in the count early was a big help for me but I wasn’t comfortable with the lead,” said Wilson, who pitched a four-hitter and struck out two. “When we win we usually win big. I knew I had to get the job done because there wasn’t much of a cushion to sit on.”