Ethan Sanchez hit a soft line drive to third base that was caught just before it hit the ground, ending the Dons hopes of a furious rally that would send them to the CIF City Section Division 1 finals at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. Instead, it will be the Banning Pilots who, with the 3-1 win, will face the Carson Colts at 10:00 am for the D1 crown. Verdugo Hills had their chances throughout the game, but a combination of youthful inexperience and perhaps nerves doomed a Dons team that, as head coach Angel Espindola said pregame, had been playing really good baseball for the last few weeks leading into this playoff run. 

“They were amped, they were nervous,” Espindola said after the game. “They had a little too much adrenaline and it kind of just got the best of them.”

Sophomore catcher Bryan Aquino led off the evening for Verdugo Hills with a loud double into the gap between left and center field. After Sanchez popped a 1-2 offering to the second baseman, the Dons quickly found themselves out of the inning. Junior Anthony Velasquez hit a comebacker on the first pitch to pitcher Oscar Chavez, and Aquino broke for third base on contact. Chavez had the awareness to turn and throw to third, catching Aquino halfway for the second out. Sophomore Cutler Gouger-Fannon also swung at the first pitch, lifting a fly ball to center field. As quickly as they had threatened to score, the Dons turned around to defend.

Verdugo Hills sent their top starter, Sophomore Deangelo Duran, to the mound to start the home half of the opening inning. Duran, as he did throughout the night, labored through the inning, throwing 17 pitches. What he also did was keep the Pilots in check, bookending a full count walk with two strikeouts to keep the game scoreless.

Espindola praised his ace, “He’s a good competitor. He bared down when he needed to and made big pitches. He ended up getting us out (of innings) with strikeouts two/three times with pressure on the bases.”

Duran escaped a jam the very next inning after allowing a 1-out single and a subsequent walk. A wild pitch put runners at second and third with just one out. Duran got Isaac Martinez to hit a shallow fly ball to center field for the second out, leaving the runners in their respective positions. He then froze his opposite number for strike three, getting Chavez looking on three pitches to end the threat.

Duran pitched 6 innings for the Dons, surrendering 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks, while striking out 9 batters on 103 pitches. Chavez, meanwhile, pitched four innings before being relieved by Herrera who closed out the game despite being removed for closer Matthew Gonzalez.

Both teams had traffic on the basepaths the next couple of innings, but the 5th inning proved to be the pivotal moment in the game.

Verdugo Hills threatened in the top half when senior Isaiah Guevarra was hit by a pitch to start the inning. Hasen Macias followed with a perfect bunt. Guevarra, who had taken second base during the at bat, was safe at third. Unfortunately, the Dons ran themselves out of the inning again. Guevarra was out at third on a ball that didn’t leave the infield. Aquino hit into a fielder’s choice and Sanchez grounded out to leave the game scoreless.

Banning, meanwhile, took advantage of their opportunities in the bottom half of the inning. Duran got the first out, but then hit Pedro Ibanez-Eddy with his first pitch. Herrera hit a single into the gap deep enough that Ibanez-Eddy went from first to third. Herrera took second base on the throw. The Dons intentionally walked Jared Nakazawa to load the bases and bring the possibility of a double play to end the inning.

Angelo Duarte came up to the plate having already struck out swinging twice. Duran threw a wild pitch, allowing Ibanez-Eddy to score the game’s first run and Herrera and Nakazawa moved up to third and second base respectively. Duarte then placed a perfect bunt in between the pitchers mound and a charging first baseman scoring Herrera and Nakazawa for a 3-0 lead. Duran stopped the bleeding by getting the next two outs, including a swinging strikeout to end the inning.

Verdugo Hills made their furious rally attempt in the top of the 7th inning. Herrera was pulled in favor of Gonzalez, but that did not last long. Gonzalez walked David Castaneda to start the inning and then hit Miguel Wong with a pitch to put runners on first and second with no outs. Herrera, who had been pitching well, was brought back in to try and shut the door.

Macias was first pitch swinging and hit a ball to center field for the first out. Herrera froze Anthony Ramirez for strike three, and the Dons were down to their final out. Aquino blooped a hit into shallow left center field that fell between three Pilots to score Castaneda. That would be it for the rally as Sanchez’s soft liner to third was caught to end the game.

Despite the future looking bright for this squad, coming so close still stings. “When you’re here, you want to get there (to the Championship). Yeah we’re young but…” With only three seniors on this roster, Espindola and the Dons will look to build on this next season.