Friday's CIF-SS baseball roundup: Oaks Christian outlasts Rio Mesa in Div. 3 opener
Will it be The Hit or The Catch that Royce Clayton Jr. will remember most about his first playoff game?
Actually, it's the win the matters most.
"Just wanted to do whatever I could to help us win," says the Oaks Christian senior center fielder. "It's a big win for us and one we really wanted."
Clayton made two game-changing plays to help propel visiting Oaks Christian to a heart-pounding 8-6 victory over Rio Mesa in the opening round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 baseball playoffs Friday.
He smacked a two-run home run that unlocked a 6-6 tie in the top of the seventh and produced a sprinting catch in deep center field that ended Rio Mesa's prodigious four-run comeback in the bottom of the sixth with the go-ahead run on second base.
All this drama, and it was merely Round 1.
"A loss like this is always going to hurt," said Rio Mesa head coach David Soliz. "But I told my players how proud I was of them after the game. Stay confident and keep battling, that's what I told them. That's what they did."
Oaks Christian coach Royce Clayton Sr. applauded both teams.
"I told my players that (Rio Mesa) is going to keeping going after it," he said. "They're too well coached to lay down. Our guys responded well. Royce comes up with the big hit and we bounce back and hold on."
Oaks Christian, which finished in a three-way tie atop the Marmonte League, got clutch performances up and down the lineup.
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Elijah Clayton tagged a pair of doubles, picked up an RBI and scored one run, and was on board in all five plate appearances; Thomas Farmer rapped a two-run double; and Christopher Tampoya notched a pair of singles.
Royce Clayton Jr. finished with a double, sacrifice fly for an RBI and the game-winning, two-run homer in the seventh. Patrick Chute opened the inning by reaching first base when he was hit by a pitch.
"Just wanted to hit the ball hard somewhere and move the runner to second," said Royce Clayton Jr. "I got a fastball and was able to drive it. A great feeling to come through for the team."
It was Clayton's second home run of the season and his first in a playoff game. Same for Elijah Clayton, both sons of the coach.
"I had some nerves coming in," said Elijah, who drew three walks along with his two doubles. "First playoff game and something we all really wanted this season. Really a great experience."
The Lions improve to 17-11 and will host No. 2-seeded Kaiser in the second round on Tuesday.
Oaks Christian built a 6-2 lead, only to have host Rio Mesa battle back with a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth. Michael Garcia and Adrian Baldovino slashed back-to-back two-run doubles to pull the Spartans even.
One out later, Mario Franco drove a deep drive into center field that appeared ready to plate Baldovino and give Rio Mesa the lead. Instead, Clayton snared the liner to keep the score deadlocked.
"If that gets through, it changes the complexion of the game," said Soliz. "Give (Clayton) credit. He made the play."
Baldovino had a single, double, two RBIs and scored one run; Hunter Cervantes had a pair of hits; Damian Valdez rapped a double; and Franco and Aiden Demello each had RBI singles.
Baldovino, a senior center fielder, said the Spartans never wavered with their confidence.
"We always believed we could come back," he said.
He managed to stay focused in his clutch at-bat in the sixth.
"I wanted to be early with my swing," he said. "I felt I had been late earlier in the game. I wanted to be aggressive and attack."
Rio Mesa, which ended up third in the Pacific View League, ends its season at 15-13.
With the game tied at 2-2, Oaks Christian seemingly took command with four runs in the top of the fifth. Four consecutive baserunners to start the inning included Farmer's two-run double.
With one out to open the bottom of the sixth, Rio Mesa mounted its rally.
A walk and base hits by Cervantes and Alejandro De Arcos were followed by consecutive two-run doubles from Garcia and Baldovino.
After all the offense, Oaks Christian freshman pitcher Ty Hanley entered the game in the bottom of the seventh and secured the victory with a 1-2-3 outing.
Division 1
A season after winning the CIF-SS Division 2 championship, Thousand Oaks fell in its Division 1 opener Friday as the Lancers suffered a 4-0 shutout loss to host La Mirada.
Division 3
Hunter Watkins allowed one hit while striking out five in five scoreless innings, Carter Johnson pitched two innings to pick up the save, and Zack Day, Zach Mora and Conner Hilbert each had a hit and an RBI to lead Grace Brethren to a 3-1 win over host West Torrance in a first-round game Friday.
The Tri-Valley League champion Lancers will play at Charter Oak in a second-round game Tuesday.
Agoura jumped out to a 3-0 lead after four innings, but Charter Oak scored two runs in the fifth and sixth innings and added one in the seventh to defeat the visiting Chargers 5-3 in a first-round game. Jake Price had a two-run single for Agoura, which won a share of the Marmonte League title.
St. Bonaventure lost 6-0 at Dos Pueblos in a first-round game.
Division 5
Ty Weeks allowed four hits and a run in five innings, Gavin Morales pitched two scoreless innings for the save and was 2 for 3 with an RBI at the plate, and Nathan Silva finished 2 for 3 with an RBI to lead the Buena to a 2-1 victory over visiting Calvary Chapel-Santa Ana in a first-round game Friday.
The Bulldogs (18-8-1), who finished second in the Pacific View League, will host Salesian in a second-round game Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:15 p.m.
Alejandro Huezo pitched a five-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts to lead Knight to a 1-0 win over Santa Paula in a first-round game Friday. Bryce Zavala, Tyler Antwine, Julian Perales, Anthony Cuevas and Joshua Chavez had hits for the Citrus Coast League champion Cardinals.
Division 7
Mathew Carpintero finished 3 for 4 with a home run, Chris Rodriguez had a homer and two RBIs, Jeremiah Garcia was 2 for 2 with two doubles and two RBIs, and Ismael Robles went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI to lead Hueneme to an 11-1 win at Valley Christian-Santa Maria on Friday.
The Vikings will host Ojai Valley, which beat Cobalt 8-0, in a second-round game Tuesday.
Andrew Lajoie pitched six solid innings and Matt Rios had an RBI but Santa Clara lost 3-1 at Wiseburn Da Vinci in a first-round game Friday.
Loren Ledin is the Prep Editor for The Star. He can be reached at loren.ledin@vcstar.com or 805-437-0285.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Friday's CIF-SS baseball roundup: Oaks Christian outlasts Rio Mesa
