Rio Mesa Walks by Hueneme

Jess Sanchez’s last pitch Friday was low, and with it went his team’s high hopes for an undefeated Channel League baseball season.

The pitch, delivered in the seventh inning with the bases loaded, two out and a three-and-two count, forced home the deciding run and Rio Mesa High defeated Hueneme, 3-2, at Rio Mesa.

The comeback victory boosted the Spartans (16-2, 7-1 in league play) into a first-place tie with Hueneme (13-8, 7-1). Rio Mesa, ranked second in the region by The Times , and the Vikings, ranked fifth, each have six league games remaining.

Sanchez (6-2), who played shortstop in the first six innings, replaced starter Pedro Cervantes after a leadoff single by Richard Martinez in the seventh.

Paul Ayala, the Spartans’ next batter, bunted and Sanchez threw to second base for the apparent start of a double play.

However, shortstop Lee Lewis didn’t catch the ball, which skipped off his glove and into center field. Martinez advanced to third and Ayala to second on the play, and Ernie Borjas followed with a walk.

After a forceout at home, Sanchez struck out No. 9 batter Jason Ulmer for the second out.

Sanchez got ahead 1-2 on Tyrone Nunnery but threw three consecutive balls, the last in the dirt, to force home Ayala with the winning run.

“All I was telling myself was, ‘Pitch a strike, pitch a strike,’ but I overthrew a fastball,” Sanchez said.

Rio Mesa, a traditional league power, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth when Adrian Gascon walked, moved to second on an errant pickoff throw by Cervantes and scored on a single by Martinez. The Spartans had only three hits.

Hueneme, which last won a league title in 1981 and finished 5-18 last season, pulled ahead in the fifth, 2-1, on a two-run home run by Sanchez.

Rio Mesa tied the score, 2-2, in the fifth. Borjas walked and was replaced by pinch-runner John Gonzalez, who advanced to second on a passed ball and scored on a single by Ulmer.

Hueneme, which has won six of its eight one-run games this season, stranded eight runners. The Vikings had the bases loaded with one out in the third, but Sanchez struck out and Robert Avila lined out to center field.

“Getting their No. 3 and No. 4 hitters in that situation was a turning point,” Rio Mesa Coach Richard Duran said. “It settled down [starter Greg Ramirez] and it gave us an opportunity to stay in the game.”

Cervantes allowed one hit and two runs--one earned--in four innings.

Ramirez (7-0) allowed eight hits and struck out eight.