Posted May. 25, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Updated May 25, 2015 at 10:23 PM
LODI – There are times that a play in the field or an at-bat can help shape the outcome of a baseball game. Jared Holzer had one of each Monday in Brookside Christian’s thrilling 7-6 come-from-behind win over Roseville-Valley Christian for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VII championship at Zupo Field.
Valley Christian (19-13) had scored three runs in the fifth inning and reclaimed a 5-4 lead when Corey Cater came to the plate. Cater already was 2 for 2 with a two-run double and with a runner on second, he hit a two-out towering shot deep into the left-field corner. Holzer chased it down and caught it in stride to end Valley Christian’s rally.
“That was a great hit,” Holzer said. “I just saw it right off the bat and it had to be caught because if it wasn’t, that would have been bad.”
Holzer came to bat in the bottom of the inning and hit a towering shot of his own, but this one was to center and it tied the Lions’ center fielder in knots. The ball fell safely to the ground and Holzer had a bases-loaded triple to give the Knights (23-5) the lead for good.
“That was awesome,” Holzer said of his triple. “I was just able to come up clutch.”
Leadoff batter Chris Maes was 2 for 4 with an RBI, but it was his relief pitching that saved the game. He took the mound with no outs and a runner on first in the top of the seventh. An error and a walk followed to load the bases. Maes fielded a bunt attempt and threw home for the force, and then struck out the next two batters to secure the section championship blue banner.
“It was kind of scary,” Maes said. “Being a junior and then having to come in and close out this game. We have been working hard for this and it is just crazy – unbelievable – that we did it.”
The Lions have won the last four section banners and six of the last seven and had the ball bouncing their way at the beginning when Brookside Christian was hitting the ball hard, but right at people.
“It has been a long time coming for this school,” Knights coach George Tovar said. “We are fortunate and thankful that we came out on top.
“I had to wonder because in the beginning we were hitting the baseball really hard, but we were hitting it right at people. I was just hoping we could turn it around and we got a couple to go over their heads and that was it. We kind of struggled with our pitching but we came through when it needed to be done.”
P.J. Cardiasmenos pitched into the seventh for Brookside Christian and was tagged with all six runs, striking out four and allowing seven hits.
“It was crazy,” Cardiasmenos said. “My best friend and catcher Thomas Wilson came here our sophomore year and we ended up losing by one to this team in the section championship, so it was nice to win it this year.
“All of us seniors are going to separate colleges and we have been playing baseball together since we were 4 or 5 years old, so for our last game to win the section was something special.”
Cardiasmenos doubled to lead off the sixth inning and came home on a Maes single for what proved to be the winning run.
“Coach called a hit and run,” Maes said. “I was just trying to put the bat on the ball and not hit into a double play. I just executed and kept my eye on the ball.”