POWAYPOWAY —
The San Diego Southwest lineup features five four-year starters who won exactly three games as freshmen.
“Now we’re CIF champions. It’s crazy!” said ace pitcher Adrian Sanchez.
One of those four-year starters, Sanchez tossed a six-hitter with nine strikeouts as the top-seeded Raiders (26-9) defeated No. 3 Mt. Carmel 5-3 to win the San Diego Section Division IV title Saturday at Poway High.
For the past three years under coach Dallas Fialkowski, the Raiders’ motto has been “Trust the Process,” and now they own the first baseball banner in the 43-year history of the school.
“We just progressed as a team, and we became a family,” senior shortstop Diego Ruiz said. “This is just unbelievable.”
Sanchez (12-1) came in with a 0.95 ERA and cruised through five innings with seven strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
Trailing 4-0, Mt. Carmel (16-16) got three runs (two earned) in the sixth on singles by Mateo O’Sullivan, Jacob Keliikoa, Ryan Murphy and Parker Campana and an error.
“Sanchez threw lights out,” Mt. Carmel coach Keith Johnson said. “He’s been great all year.”
The Raiders led 4-0 over the Sundevils (16-16) after two innings. Aldo Canedo (walk) and Sanchez (single) scored the first two runs on a fielder’s choice grounder by Ruiz and a throwing error. In the second, Diego Corrales (single) and Arian Tirado (walk) both scored on a sharp single to center by Raul Bojorquez.
Corrales pushed across the final run in the sixth on a bunt single with the bases loaded.
Southwest also featured stellar fielding plays by Ruiz at short, Corrales in center, Tirado in left, Jorge Martinez at third and Canedo at second on a final over-the-shoulder catch to end the game and set off a wild celebration by the first-time champs.
Lindgren is a freelance writer.
