San Marcos rallies past Dons to grab share of Channel League title
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Heart of a champion!
San Marcos trailed for most of the game but erupted for 6 runs in the top of the seventh inning to beat rival Santa Barbara 10-5 and earn a piece of the Channel League championship.
The Royals share the title with Dos Pueblos who won at Oxnard. Both teams are 10-4 in league but San Marcos swept DP so the Royals will be the top-seed from the Channel League in the upcoming CIF-SS playoffs.
Trailing 5-4 the Royals loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh inning and tied the game on a bases loaded walk issued to Gunner Martinez.
Pat Foster drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder’s choice to first but the Dons did not record an out on the play.
So with the bases still loaded and just one out, Levi Monson grounded to first base and the throw came home beating the runner but the umpire said that catcher’s foot was not on the plate for the force and it was 7-5 Royals.
(Game of inches as the runner is called safe and soon afterwards the Royals break the game wide open in the seventh. Entenza Design).
Quinn Melton followed with a two-run single to right field and Mason Crang finished off the scoring with an RBI fielder’s choice.
Miles Herbert closed out the Dons (11-14) and the Royals (16-11) celebrated another Channel League title, their fourth in the past six years.
The Dons Jetner Welch hit a first inning home run and Max Weddle added a 2-run triple in the fourth inning as Santa Barbara built up a 5-2 lead.
But the Royals chipped away scoring a run in the fifth on a hit batter with the bases loaded.
Melton ripped a single in the sixth inning and Pat Foster, who was running on the pitch, scored all the way from first base to bring the Royals within 5-4 and San Marcos finished off the comeback an inning later.