Bryan Melara / Roundup
If one word could describe Pierce’s baseball season, resilient would be the word, due to their consistent ability to bounce back from adversity.
Unfortunately, that resiliency was nonexistent throughout the playoffs.
From losing streaks to injuries, the Brahmas have had their share of misfortunes this season, yet they were able to improve last years record by three games (36 games played this season, 42 last year) while making the playoffs after a three year drought.
Although they didn’t win the conference, No. 12 Pierce (25-13, playoffs included) still had the best overall record in the Western State Southern Conference after finishing tied for third last season.
Sophomore outfielder James Wharton who led the team in home runs with 16 and Runs Batted In with 50 last season was redshirted, after battling knee problems and catching the H1N1 disease before the season began.
Typically it takes a head coach more then one season to develop a winning formula, be that as it may in his first year as head coach John Bushart led Pierce to playoffs.
Going into the post season Pierce knew they would face a daunting task in advancing, mainly because of El Camino College’s pitching staff, which had a team Earned Run Average of 3.06 in the regular season.
In game one the Brahmas faced No. 5 El Camino’s Andrew Pulido (6-4, 2.70 ERA in the regular season).
Pulido dominated the Brahmas in nine innings, giving up two runs on eight hits, while striking out nine.
The Warriors got on the board first as Pierce starter Carlos Gonzalez (7-4, 3.09 ERA in the regular season) walked designated hitter Drew Rodela with the bases loaded to give El Camino the, 1-0 lead in the first inning.
Pierce responded in the top of the second, as third baseman Matt Moreno hit a lead off double and eventually scored on outfielder Zach Gilula’s single, to even the score.
The, 1-1 tie would be the closet Pierce would get in game one, as Gonzalez “wasn’t sharp,” according to Bushart, going 7.2 innings, allowing seven runs on 11 hits.
Gonzalez wasn’t the only player that struggled in Brahmas game one playoff lost, as Pierce went 8 for 34 with a team batting average of .235.
Leadoff hitter, Zachary Wagner had three of the Brahmas eight hits in game one and was the only player with more then one hit.
“Our plate approach wasn’t real good,” said Bushart. “I don’t think we had quality at-bats, like we’ve had.”
Another reason for their game one struggles was their inability to capitalize with runners in scoring position, leaving a total of eight men on base.
“We were a lot jumpy in game one,” said second baseman David Whetstone prior to game two. “We need to stay with a good approach and let the count get deep.”
Sadly for the Brahmas, their plate approach didn’t alter as they struggled in the batter’s box yet again in game two.
Ryan Santhon (6-4, 3.91 ERA in regular season) who was “Pierce’s anchor down the stretch,” according to El Camino coach Nate Fernley, started game two.
His counterpart, highly scouted Kyle Petter (11-0, 1.74 ERA in regular season) struck out the first batter he faced in the first three innings, as several college and pro scouts watched in amazement from behind home plate.
In the fourth inning with two outs and El Camino’s center fielder Josh Thompson at third, Petter who led El Camino in home runs with eight and RBIs with 40, dug in.
On a 2-2 count, Santhon struck out Petter with a wicked curveball that dropped about five inches to get himself out of the jam.
In the seventh inning with Moreno at third and two outs, catcher Ryan Gasparra struck out swinging as his playoff misfortunes continued, going 0 for 3 with three strikeouts in game two.
With eight innings in the books, the 278 fans in attendance, witnessed a pitcher’s duel as neither pitcher had allowed a run.
In the ninth inning, Petter stepped up to the plate with a chance to help his own cause. He did not disappoint
, as he hit a one out triple.
“He’s been doing it for us all year, he’s a gamer” said Thompson about Petter’s heroics. “It’s like he was made to play this game.”
El Camino third baseman, Chris Vopinek who went 2 for 3 in game one with a home run, hit a bloop single with the infield in, that dropped just between Wagner and a diving Christian Ornelas, scoring Petter for the, 1-0 Warriors’ lead.
“I did what I could, I just couldn’t come up with it,” said Wagner about his effort to catch the ball.
In the bottom of the ninth as Pierce played for their season, Whetstone hit a leadoff single.
First baseman, Nick Rodarte followed and hit a ground ball to El Camino second baseman John Hein, who tried for the double play and was successful as Whetstone was called out at second on a controversial interference call.
Bushart, immediately came out to argue the call with the second base umpire.
“I thought it was a bad call, plain and simple,” he said. “He missed the call.”
Chants like “put your skirts back on,” were heard from the Pierce section as they were still irate from the interference call.
On the El Camino side, spectators verbally assaulted Whetstone with chants like, “you dirty mother[expletive].” As they believed his slide to break up the double play was dirty.
Tears, silence and togetherness was the scene in the Brahmas dugout after the lost.
El Camino dog piled on the pitcher’s mound as if they had just won the state championship, despite just advancing to the second round.
El Camino will face No. 14 Palomar College who swept their series against No. 3 Oxnard College outscoring them 28-15, winning game one, 17-5.
Pierce outfielder Travis Forbes went 0 for 7 in the series, after leading the team in hitting with a .424 average, six home runs and tied with Rodarte in RBI with 43.
The heart of the Brahmas lineup went a combined 5 for 21.
Game two starters, Santhon and Petter averaged more then a strikeout an inning. The umpire’s tight strike zone, may have contributed to the low number of strikeouts by each starter.
Both starters had stellar outings for their respectable team.
“They matched each other pitch for pitch,” said Bushart. “Those are two great left-handers, that pitched great games,”
Santhon, pitched better then great as he threw his first career complete game, allowing one run on six hits and striking out five.
“He’s a good pitcher,” said Thompson who went 1 for 3 against him. “No lefty has taken us that deep in the game, without us really hitting him.”
Petter threw his fifth complete game of the season allowing no runs on four hits and striking out six.
“He didn’t everything I did but better,” said Santhon. “He got the best of us.”
Despite having gone 5-1 in the regular season against left handed pitchers, Pierce couldn’t figure out either lefty they faced in playoffs, hitting a combined .215.
Five was a significant number for the Brahmas this season.
The clubs longest winning streak was five as was their losing streak.
Five was also the number Pierce lost game one of the playoffs by, to the No. 5 seeded El Camino College Warriors.
Both pitchers in the playoffs for Pierce, recorded their fifth lost of the season.
Pierce got further then expected by most, as they didn’t make the top 20 on the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association’s Southern California Pre-Season Poll.
Sophomores Gonzalez, Rodarte, Whetstone, Moreno, Gasparra, Wagner and Gilula, all played their final game as Brahmas Saturday.
“It was fun, win or lose It was definitely the funnest season I’ve ever had,” said Wagner.
Bushart is confident that Santhon will only continue to get better.
“He’s only a freshman, he’s got real big plans ahead of him, so he’s just gonna continue to work hard and get better,” he said.
Saturday’s lost marks the first time Pierce lost a game this season when the opposing team scores one run.
Bushart will attempt to do something next season that hasn’t been done since the 2006, 2007 seasons when Bob LoFrano was head coach. Make playoffs in consecutive seasons.
Pierce College third baseman Matt Moreno sulks with his head in his hands after losing to El Camino College 1-0 on Saturday, May 8 at El Camino College. Pierce was eliminated after losing two games in the State Playoffs against El Camino College. (David Schub / Roundup)
