Rancho Santiago Lets Lead Slip, but Wins

There was no referee on hand to raise the beleaguered arm of the winner, but after Rancho Santiago and Los Angeles Harbor met Sunday at Citrus College, it might have been appropriate.

“I feel like I’ve been through a 12-round heavyweight fight,” Dons Coach Don Sneddon said after the four-hour game. “We got knocked down a few times, they got knocked down a few times, but we got the last punch in.”

The knockout was supplied by shortstop Tony Zuniga, who singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Seahawks, 15-14, after the Dons blew a six-run lead in the top of the inning in the Southern California baseball playoffs championship game.

Rancho Santiago advances to defend its state title, beginning Saturday in Fresno.

With two outs, Zuniga reached over the plate and slapped Angel Castellanos’ pitch over Domonek Prince’s head in right field, driving in Joe Secoda with the winning run.

The Dons (36-12) opened a 12-6 lead with eight runs in the fifth inning, capped by Mike Brambilla’s grand slam to center.

But three relievers couldn’t hold a 14-8 lead in the ninth, and Harbor tied the score when Jose Niebla doubled home two runs. Dane Cowling, who led off the inning with a pinch-hit single, then hit a bouncer up the middle. Zuniga made a diving stop and threw to third, catching Niebla off the bag after a wide turn. Derek Baker threw home and Brambilla tagged out Niebla to preserve the tie.