RIVERSIDE — Isaac Quihuis had plenty of time to come up with a plan before he stepped into the box with the score tied and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth inning.
Quihuis flared a 1-1 pitch to right field to bring home the go-ahead run and help the La Sierra baseball team clinch at least a share of the River Valley League championship with a 4-2 win over Arlington on Wednesday.
“I really didn’t say a lot to Isaac at that moment,” La Sierra coach Ryan Highstreet said. “He has been a four-year starter and has been in that spot before. I had complete confidence in him.”
La Sierra (20-5, 9-2 in league) loaded the bases with one out in the top of the ninth inning. Alex Gamez drew a leadoff walk, and Mason Potter smacked a one-out double to left-center to put the Eagles in business.
Arlington coach Tim Kleveno elected to intentionally walk La Sierra leadoff hitter Andrew Gamez to load the bases and set up a force out at every base. Kleveno also summoned Ryan Cole to the mound.
There was a lengthy delay, as the coaches and umpires discussed a defensive substitution made by Arlington. That enabled Cole to throw more than the usual number of warm-up pitches, but it also allowed Quihuis to get a good look at Cole’s entire repertoire.
“He threw a lot of balls while he was warming up, so I just wanted to make sure I got a quality pitch to hit,” Quihuis said. “It feels amazing to come through like that. I enjoy being in those situations. I want to be that guy who gets the winning run across the plate.”
La Sierra added an insurance run as Potter scored on an RBI groundout by Jesse Espinoza.
Taer Rodriguez retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to close out the game. Rodriguez pitched three scoreless innings of relief, allowed only one hit, and picked up the victory.
Wednesday’s game was a pitchers’ duel from the start, as Arlington’s Jake Khasaempanth and La Sierra’s Preston Anderson worked through the opposing lineup with little trouble.
Arlington (15-10, 6-5) broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kael Corridan put down a squeeze bunt with one out, and Cole was able to elude the tag at the plate for the first run. Jayden Sanchez beat out a throw to first base for a two-out infield single that scored Khasaempanth.
La Sierra immediately answered back. The Eagles scored the first run after two fly balls were dropped in the outfield and later tied things up when Quihuis scored on a sacrifice fly by Anderson.
“I think we just had to trust one another,” Andrew Gamez said. “There was never a moment when we doubted we were going to win. We played hard until the final out of the game.”
Khasaempanth allowed two unearned runs in 7 2/3 innings before hitting the pitch limit. Anderson took a no-hitter into the fifth inning and allowed two runs on two hits in six innings.
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