Redondo left no doubt who the top team in the Bay League is this season after sharing the Bay League championship with Mira Costa last year, but the Sea Hawk’s celebration was held to a minimum.
Redondo refused to give Mira Costa another opportunity for late-season heroics capturing the title outright Tuesday with a 4-2 victory at Mira Costa.
Although Redondo (26-1, 9-0) clinched the crown, there remains a lot on the line when the rivals square off Thursday at Redondo in the regular season finale. Game time is set for 3:15 p.m.
“Going into last year’s series in the same situation and losing twice was painful,” Redondo coach Jeff Baumback said. “It took us a little bit to get over that. Being swept at the end of the regular season leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. This was a great win for us and to lock it up takes a little bit of stress off of us going into Thursday’s game, but we want to go undefeated.”
While the senior-laden Redondo team will be celebrating Senior Day, Mira Costa (23-6, 6-3) will attempt to secure a playoff spot with a second-place finish.
A Mira Costa loss, coupled with a Peninsula victory over Palos Verdes, would leave all three teams tied for second place. Coins flips would determine which two teams would need to play each other on Friday for the third – and final – automatic playoff from the Bay League.
Senior right-hander Sean Reynolds hurled a complete game for Redondo, battling through jams and limiting the potent Mira Costa offense to two runs. Reynolds retired the last nine of 10 batters finishing with five strikeouts while giving up six hits.
“That was one of the tougher games I’ve had this year,” Reynolds said. “To come in and win on their field to take sole possession of the Bay League is big but we’re not done. We want to go 10-0 in league then we can look ahead to the playoffs.”
“Sean’s been great for us all year,” Baumback added. “He’s come a long way after not pitching much for us last year.”
Mira Costa jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Matt Bessera singled in Reese Alexiades in the first inning but Redondo responded with two runs in the top of the second inning.
After Jacob Springman singled and took second on a balk, Ricky Martin sacrificed Springman to third who later scored on an error. Jason Dicochea’s RBI single put the Sea Hawks ahead by one run.
In the top of the third inning, Danny Zimmerman scored what would be the winning run when he blasted a solo home run over the right centerfield fence after being out in front of a curveball on the first pitch.
“I was ready for it,” Zimmerman said. “He threw a fastball right over the plate and I was right on it. I’m just glad we don’t have to share [the Bay League championship] this year.”
Redondo added an insurance run in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Charlie Perkins but Mira Costa right fielder Ty Conrad kept the Mustangs within striking distance throwing out two runners at the plate for the second and third outs of the inning.
Alexiades scored both runs for Mira Costa, the second coming on a double by Andrew Arteaga.
Thursday’s game expects to be a pitchers duel when Mira Costa’s Trevor Franklin (7-1, 1.38 ERA) takes on Zimmerman (4-1, 1.89 ERA) who was the ace of the Sea Hawk staff when they made their CIF championship run last season.
Redondo is ranked No. 1 in CIF-Southern Section Division 3 while Mira Costa holds the No. 7 spot. The Mustangs moved up two positions after defeating Davis 7-4 to win the Boras Classic on Saturday at UC Berkeley.
“Mira Costa is really good, there’s no doubt about it.” Baumback said. “They have pretty much the same record as us. They have a few more losses but have played a few more quality teams and winning the Boras Classic was a big deal. These are probably two of the best teams Redondo and Mira Costa have ever put on the field.”
Playoff brackets will be released Monday at cifss.org.
