JSerra defeats El Camino Real, 10-8, in Boras Classic semifinal
Lions advance to Boras Classic final
It was one of those intriguing matchups only possible in a spring baseball tournament. San Juan Capistrano JSerra, ranked No. 1 in Southern Section Division 1, took on the No. 1 team in the City Section, Woodland Hills El Camino Real, on Thursday night in a semifinal game of the Boras Classic.
Lately, there haven’t been too many pitchers successful in dealing with JSerra’s top of the batting order featuring Royce Lewis (UC Irvine commit), Davis Wendzel (Baylor signee), Chase Strumpf (UCLA signee) and Lyle Lin (Arizona State signee).
“One through four is special,” JSerra Coach Brett Kay said.
A seven-run second inning appeared to give JSerra an insurmountable lead. But no lead is safe against a veteran Conquistadores team. Kay was forced to turn to his “emergency” pitcher, Lin, who went from catcher to relief pitcher in the bottom of the seventh with a 2-0 count and the tying runs on base.
He got a forceout, strikeout and groundout to save JSerra’s 10-8 victory and set up a championship game against Manhattan Beach Mira Costa on Friday at 6 p.m. at Santa Ana Mater Dei. Mira Costa got four RBIs from Will Proctor in a 9-6 win over Riverside North.
“There was a little bit of panic and we didn’t want to have a monumental collapse,” Kay said in turning to Lin, who hadn’t pitched all season but was always intended to be used as a closer at some point this season.
Kay gave credit to El Camino Real (13-3) and Coach Josh Lienhard.
“I have so much respect for that team,” he said.
JSerra (10-1) jumped on Jordan Berg for seven runs in the second. Colton Hector and Lewis had RBI singles and Wendzel had a three-run double. El Camino Real got back into the game with the help of JSerra miscues. The Conquistadores scored five runs in the sixth, aided by two-run doubles from Justin Katona and Jake Baer.
“They battled,” Lienhard said. “We could have called it in down, 7-0.”
JSerra’s hitting attack is about to add another bat to the lineup. USC signee Brady Shockey, out for weeks because of a broken bone in his hand, made a pinch-hitting appearance.
El Camino Real will have a third-place game Friday, then get ready for the start of West Valley League play next week.
Twitter: @LATSondheimer
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