BCHS falls just short in 3-2 loss to Westlake in regional baseball final

Jun. 3—That same magical run that had featured so many big moments this postseason took on a completely different meaning for the Bakersfield Christian baseball team on Saturday.

Trailing 3-2 late in the Southern California Regional Division III title game, the Eagles desperately needed some of that magic to score a run to extend the game and to keep their championship hopes alive.

But try as it might, No. 2 Bakersfield Christian's efforts fell just short and No. 5 Westlake Village-Westlake held on for a 3-2 victory.

"That's what the game came down to," said BCHS coach Mark Ratekin of hits with men in scoring position. "They got the two-out hits, we didn't. We had our chances for two or three innings, and we just couldn't come through."

For BCHS (27-8), which collected the South Yosemite Valley League and Central Section Division II championships this year, the trip to the regional final was the first in the program's history. The Eagles lost in the opening round of the regionals in 2021 after winning the D-IV section title.

"We have a lot to be proud of," Eagles senior Toby Twist said. "We came out, did what we did, just hit a lot of balls right at guys. We just came up short, tough loss, but we'll get them next year, the guys coming up (will)."

Still stinging from the loss, Ratekin tried to put the season and the team's success in perspective.

"It started in September with weights at 6 in the morning," Ratekin said. "I don't think there's another team out there that worked harder than we did. I'm proud of the boys for the season they had. They're going to continue on and be successful.

"We tried to put the toughest schedule possible together to get us ready for this moment. We won our preseason tournament, we won our Spring Break tournament ... the chemistry on this team is unbelievable and that's what got us through the season."

The Eagles had plenty of opportunities to score runs on Saturday, but failed to get that timely hit when they needed it most. Hits in key moments was something that had become the team's trademark this season, along with solid defense and good pitching.

In the seventh, facing 6-foot-4 right-hander Nate Johnson, Bakersfield Christian hit the ball hard twice while trying to ignite a late rally, but both line drives by Trent Martin and Twist were right at Westlake second baseman Wesley Nanas, the final of which ended the game.

"It feels great," Westlake coach Wally Barnett said. "That was a great team over there that we saw. We knew what we were in for, and we just came out ... It's an unbelievable feeling."

Bakersfield Christian stranded seven players, including two in the third and the bases loaded in the fourth, producing just one run despite five hits and two walks during that stretch.

In each of their first three threats, the Eagles started their rally with two outs, and each time Warriors starter Joshua Doyle worked himself out of trouble.

Mason Brassfield singled with two outs in the second, but Chris Hernandez flew out to leftfield to end the inning. In the third, Luke Mann singled and was doubled to third by Martin. After Twist walked to load the bases, Logan Templeton struck out.

Trailing 2-0 in the fifth, Hernandez singled, moved to second on a walk to JD Webb and scored on a double by Shaine Heriford to cut the lead to one run. But with two runners in scoring position, Doyle got Mann to fly out to end the inning.

"Our pitchers got the job done," Barnett said. "They threw the strikes when they needed to and the defense made the plays when they needed to."

BCHS made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth when Diego Sanchez was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and Brassfield followed with a walk, ending Doyle's day. Both runners moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch by reliever Jesse Beer.

But Deakin Brinkley's attempted squeeze bunt resulted in an out at home plate. Brassfield scored to cut the lead to 3-2 on a ground out by Webb, but Heriford grounded out to end the inning.

"We just worked really hard for this and to have this outcome kind of sucks," Twist said. "We just need to keep our heads held high and keep working, and keep doing what we do.

Hernandez was solid on the mound for the Eagles most of the day. He retired the first nine batters he faced before getting in trouble in the fourth.

He hit lead-off batter Dillon Marrisett, who was bunted over to second. One out later, Kaden Youmans, Will Kaczynski and Ethan Bulgar followed with two-out singles to drive home two runs and give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.

"They're a good team, and it was a great run with the boys," Twist said. "I couldn't thank any of them anymore, they did everything they could. It was a great run."

Westlake added another run in the sixth with two more hits off Hernandez, who exited with 91 pitches after 5 2 / 3 innings, allowing three runs on five hits with a walk, a hit batsmen and five strikeouts. Brassfield closed out the sixth with a strikeout and pitched a scoreless seventh to keep the game close.

"This town has been unbelievable, 700 to 800 people at a game," Ratekin said. "Probably a few more tonight, but we're proud of the school, we're proud of the community, we just hope we represented well."