BASEBALL: Christopher Can't Rally Past MVC

The Score: Monte Vista Christian 5, Christopher 2

The Star: Monte Vista Christian’s junior second baseman Danny Saporito earned top honors with his legs and his bat.  In top of the fifth inning, Saporito used his speed to steal two bases.  He could have stolen home but instead waited while the squeeze play developed around him.  The Mustangs led the game 3-1 after that series of events and eventually went on to defeat Christopher High 5-2 on Friday afternoon at Christopher High in Gilroy. Saporito finished the game going 2-for-2 with two stolen bases and scored three runs. 

MVC sophomore outfielder Zander Fischer-Tellez also had a nice day, striking a key base hit en route to the Mustangs road victory. Fischer-Tellez stroked a hit to right field that scored both Lukas Miller and Saporito.  Tellez’s two-run knock proved to be the biggest hit of the game for Monte Vista Christian, giving  them a 2-1 lead that they never relinquished.

Christopher High starting pitcher Brandon Irby and infielder Brandon Pickens both did their best to keep their team in the game against the playoff-bound visitors from Watsonville.  Irby pitched six innings and was able to hold the dangerous offense of Monte Vista Christian to only five runs.  As for Pickens, his top moment came in the sixth inning as he knocked in the only RBI of the day for the Cougars.

The Turning Point: Down a run after one inning of play, MVC designated hitter Lukas Miller came through in a big way to get his club going. Miller hit a double up the middle, then thanks to a walk, Saporito came aboard and gave the Mustangs a pair of runners. Sophomore Fischer-Tellez  followed with a deep shot to right field that scored both Miller and Saporito and gave the Mustangs a 2-1 lead.

The best chance for the Cougars to hop back into the game came in the sixth. Thanks to some clutch hitting and a pair of errors by Monte Vista Christian, Christopher was able to load the bases with only one out in the inning. Pickens then stepped up into the box and delivered a base hit that scored Robert Driscal.  One run came in, but the MVC defense ended the threat with stingy defensive play and closed out the ball game for good in the seventh.

The Quotes: I was really pumped to play Christopher because we wanted to go into the playoffs with a win,” Monte Vista Christian’s junior second baseman Danny Saporito said.” I work on a base running with my coaches and I just wanted to get into scoring position and help my team when ever needed.”

Some clutch hitting helped the Mustangs finish the regular season with a nice road victory.

“After fouling a ball off I looked and saw Danny on second and Lukas on third, then I got a nice pitch and I knew right when I hit it that it was going to fall for a base hit,” Monte Vista Christian’s sophomore outfielder Zander Fischer-Tellez said.

Christopher’s 2011 season ended on Friday with a 5-2 defeat, but the coaches and players were happy with the progress made over the long haul of the spring season.

“This season started off good with games against Gilroy. We weren’t play together then, we were just playing baseball and on talent alone,” Christopher head coach Ryan Dequin said. “The kids really grew from not knowing how to play the game to knowing how to play together at the end.”

Christopher junior Brandon Pickens drove in one run during a brief Cougars rally in the late innings.

“I was excited going up to the plate with a chance for the RBI. You always want to be that guy that hits the RBI that will turn the game around,” Christopher’s junior infielder Brandon Pickens said.

Christopher starting pitcher Brandon Irby was effective in his final start of the year despite ending up on the losing end of the score sheet.

“Everything that my coaches were telling me to throw was working and that was just awesome. Even my curve ball was working,” Christopher starting pitcher Brandon Irby said. “The defense behind me was a definitely a big lift. It made me relax knowing that they had my back.”

What's Next? Monte Vista Christian will move on to the Central Coast Section playoffs.  The seeding will be coming out on Saturday afternoon.

Christopher finishes the season 10-18 overall and 8-10 in league play. The young school finished fourth in the Monterey Bay League standings.

Bottom Line: Monte Vista Christian will compete in the Division III bracket and hopes to host a first round game next Wednesday or Thursday. The Mustangs have the veterans and the pitching depth to make some noise in the playoffs.

Still just a baby, the Christopher High program took major strides in 2011. The Cougars finished in fourth place in league and played the top two teams in league very tough along the way. Great things are surely ahead for the budding program.

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