Rebels fall in extra innings
ARCADIA — A few minutes after the Flintridge Prep baseball team suffered arguably its toughest loss of the season, Coach Buzz Cook briefly addressed his players in short right field.
His message to Rebels was straight to the point.
“I told them that they could be disappointed with the outcome, but by no means should they be disappointed with the effort,” Cook said following Flintridge Prep’s 5-4 Prep League road loss in 11 innings against Rio Hondo Prep on Thursday afternoon. “We did a lot of things well and I’m happy with the effort they put in.”
Rio Hondo Prep improved to 3-5, 1-3 in league, while Flintridge Prep dropped to 2-7, 1-3.
Flintridge Prep rallied to tie the game at 3 in the top of the seventh on a single by Cole Rademacher. In the 10th inning, Flintridge Prep center fielder Daniel Enzminger threw out Sean Cowell at the plate to prolong the game.
Unfortunately for the Rebels, they couldn’t extend their fortunes any longer, as the Kares won the game in the 11th on an error by the third baseman with two outs and the bases loaded.
With one out in the 11th, Rio Hondo’s Ty Loomis reached on an infield single and was forced at second on a grounder by Ryan Wiley. Wiley then stole second before Flintridge Prep reliever Scott Tsangeos intentionally walked Dave Drain. Wiley and Drain each moved up a base on a wild pitch before Tsangeos intentionally walked Isaac Holguin to load the bases. Jake Holguin then hit a grounder that ticked off the third baseman’s glove, allowing Wiley to score the winning run.
“That’s baseball,” Cook said. “Now, we have a chance to regroup and shore some things up.”
Tsangeos, who relieved starter Karlsen Termini to begin the seventh, said the Rebels could build off some things they did well Thursday.
“We had that comeback in the seventh to tie the game and we left it out on the field,” said Tsangeos, who struck out three and allowed three hits in 4 2/3 innings. “It was a fun game, but it would have been nice to win.”
Flintridge Prep tied the game at 3 on a single to right by Rademacher that scored Andrew Mahoney, who pinch ran for Termini after Termini doubled with one out. Rademacher finished with three hits and reached base in all five plate appearances.
Rio Hondo Prep nearly won the game in the seventh when it loaded the bases with one out. However, Flintridge prep catcher Dylan Arya picked off Wiley at third on a squeeze bunt and Tsangeos got Jake Holguin on a force out to third to send the game into extra innings.
The Kares took a 1-0 lead in the second on a bases-loaded walk to Nate Tayco with two outs.
Flintridge Prep took a 2-1 lead in the third on back-to-back run-scoring singles by Rademacher and Tsangeos.
Rio Hondo Prep tied the game at 2 in the third on a wild pitch by Termini and took a 3-2 lead on a run-scoring double by Cowell.
