Chaminade takes advantage of a break

If ever a team looked destined for defeat, it was West Hills Chaminade on Tuesday afternoon. The Eagles trailed Encino Crespi by three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, and on the mound was the reigning Southern Section Division II player of the year, Ryon Healy, who had struck out seven, given up one hit and boasted a 13-0 career record.

But everything changed when Healy summoned Coach Scott Muckey from the dugout while throwing warm-up tosses. Healy left the mound because of discomfort in his arm and went to first base.

“When Ryon Healy comes out of the ballgame, one of the best players in Southern California, that was our opportunity to come back,” Coach Frank Mutz said. “We had to take advantage, and we did.”

In the sixth inning, Brando Tessar hit a two-run home run against John Kearns and Ryan Kramer followed with a home run to tie the score. And Chaminade (4-2) won it in the eighth inning on Brandon Rapoport’s suicide squeeze to pull out a 4-3 victory in a Mission League baseball opener.

“This was a huge win for the program,” said Tessar, who struck out nine in seven innings and had a single in the eighth inning to put the winning run in scoring position.

One of the keys to the Eagles’ victory was making sure Healy didn’t beat them. Mutz twice ordered Healy intentionally walked, including the seventh inning when Crespi (5-1), ranked No. 2 by The Times, had the go-ahead run at third base. But Tessar struck out Kevin Williams and got Michael Hubbard to ground out.

Tessar said Healy told him his arm “got a little tight and he didn’t want to push anything.”

“I hope he returns quick because he’s a great kid,” he said.

Tessar also won a bet from Healy, his future Oregon roommate. The two had been texting each other the day before trying to decide what the wager would be. It turned out the loser would have to make dinner or buy dinner for two weeks next fall.

“I’m going to be eating good,” Tessar said.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com