GILROY—It was a back and forth game between Gavilan and Cosumnes River in the CCCAA Northern California Regional Playoffs opener. If one team got a hit, the other would answer. A big defensive play by either side was matched in the next inning. Neither team could gain the edge—until the top of the ninth inning, that is.
The Hawks scored four runs—two of which came off a home run from Tyler Blake—to beat Gavilan 6-2 Friday at home. The victory gives Cosumnes River a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series heading into tomorrow’s potential doubleheader.
“This is a resilient group,” Gavilan coach Neal Andrade said. “Even in the bottom of the ninth I’m sure my dugout (was) thinking ‘hey, we can still get this done.’ It didn’t happen today, but they’re competing and that’s what we’ve done all year.”
A pitcher’s duel erupted through the first seven innings. Matt Oxner led Gavilan on the bump, allowing two runs on eight hits through seven innings. He was electric in the first two innings, recording three of his four strikeouts to make quick work of the Hawks. Even though the magnitude of this game was greater than anything Gavilan has faced in the last three decades, Oxner said he didn’t treat it any differently.
“Of course it’s been 36 years since we’ve made playoffs, but it was just another game,” Oxner said. “They’re a good hitting team—a very good hitting team.”
Consumes ace David Smith was just as good. He was a mirror image of Oxner in terms of stats, the only difference being the Rams’ pitcher allowed a homer.
What did make the difference, however, was errors. Gavilan committed three in the game to Cosumnes’ one, including an error that allowed the Hawks’ Trevor Rey to score in the top of the seventh to give his team a 2-1 lead.
The lead didn’t last long as Gavilan got the score right back.
Peterson led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to centerfield. Tyler Slayday hit a sac bunt to move him over and Peterson beat the throw to reach third on a Rex Lagman ground out. An error by the first baseman allowed Bryant Cid to reach first and Peterson to score, tying the game at 2-2.
“It was a well pitched, well defended game for the most part on both sides,” Andrade said. “There was a couple key defense blunders that effected both teams. We had one or two too many that hurt us.”
Gavilan jumped on the Hawks right out of the gate. Centerfielder Cid beat the throw to first to get on base and was bunted over by Tony Amaral. A single from John Forestieri put Rams runners on the corners and Cid scored off a long sacrifice fly from Erik Barron to give Gavilan a 1-0 lead.
Cosumnes answered with a solo homer from Alex Fitchett in the top of the third that tied the game at 1-all.
Both sides had their chances to take control as Gavilan stranded runners in scoring position in the second, fourth and sixth innings. Unfortunately for the Rams, a few baserunning errors made for easy outs for Consumnes.
The Hawks also stranded runners in the third, fifth and sixth innings, thanks to stellar defense from Gavilan.
The Rams got the 6-4-3 double play for two quick outs in the top of the fifth. But that didn’t deter Cosumnes as it threatened after a walk and an error put a runner at third. The threat was quickly erased as first basemen Forestieri made a beautiful grab in foul territory to end the inning.
In the top of the sixth, third baseman Peterson turned what would normally be a basehit into the third out, stretching out to make a diving catch to end the inning.
Lagman led Gavilan at the plate, going 2 for 3 with a stolen base. Forestieri was 2 for 4 as was Cid, who also had an RBI and run scored.
The first pitch for Game 2 is slated for 11 a.m. Saturday at Gavilan. Flamethrower Barron will get the start for the Rams as they look to take the series to three games.
If that happens, Andrade said he’ll need everyone to be ready, including pitchers Oxner, Justin Tantog, Gabe Katich and DJ Renteria who all threw today.
“We’re going to have use everybody tomorrow. It’s all hands on deck,” the Rams coach said.
“I’m a little sore right now,” Oxner added. “But I feel like I’ll be good tomorrow.”
