Extra-Inning Thriller Keeps Cougars Alive

Brennan Jackson had worked through jams before, but nothing like this.

The Capistrano Valley pitcher faced runners on second and third and no-outs in the bottom of the eighth inning of the Cougars’ Southern Section Division I baseball semifinal against Fontana Miller Tuesday night at Blair Field in Long Beach.

A run would mean the end of Capistrano Valley’s season, and things didn’t look good with the heart of the order coming up for the Rebels.

But Jackson escaped the inning unscathed and Brad Davis hit a home run to center field in the ninth as the Cougars won, 1-0, in nine innings, to reach their second consecutive championship game.

Capistrano Valley (22-8) will face Long Beach Millikan (22-9) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Dodger Stadium and attempt to become the first team to win back-to-back Division I championships since Fountain Valley in 1994 and ’95.

Miller (22-8) looked like it had the game won in the eighth when Sam Lopez hit a leadoff double and took third on Eddie Rodriguez’s single to shallow center field.

But Capistrano Valley Coach Bob Zamora ordered his infield to move in, and the move worked to perfection. Oscar Diaz hit a hard grounder to shortstop Adam Sorgi, who threw home to Davis to get Lopez. Then Miguel Padilla grounded to first baseman Kyle Mowery, whose throw home got Rodriguez. Angel Santiago grounded out to end the threat.

“It was the most nerve-racking situation I’ve ever pitched in,” said Jackson, who struck out four and allowed six hits over eight innings. “I was just trying to throw strikes.

“They could have won it by squeezing the guy [from third base] in, but they chose to swing. They messed up.”

In the ninth, Davis hit a hanging slider on an 0-2 count just to the left of the 400-foot marker in center.

“The first two pitches, I was swinging as hard as I could,” said Davis, who will call Blair Field home next year while playing for Long Beach State. “On the third pitch, I shortened up my swing and he hung a slider.”

Capistrano Valley freshman closer Jason Corder worked a perfect ninth for his fourth save.