Senior Nick Feidler leads Mustangs’ comeback from a 1-6 deficit with a home run, triple and two RBIs
by Dan Smith
The Mira Costa Mustangs used big innings to come from behind in three of their four playoff games, leading up to the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 Championship game against Agoura at Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, May 30.
The Mustangs had to come from behind in wins over Arlington, Redondo Union, and Dos Pueblos. Could they do it again against an Agoura (23-14) team that had only allowed two runs in their four playoff games?
The answer was yes. The Mustangs (25-12) scored five runs in the fifth inning on their way to a 9-7 victory, bringing home their second ever CIF baseball crown and first since 1953.
The big hit came from senior catcher Kellan Finn, whose two-out, bases-loaded triple drove in three runs to pull Costa within one, and chased Chargers’ starter Donovan Anthony, who had given up just one run through four innings.
The next batter, senior shortstop Miko Hodzic, singled against Agoura reliever Colton Junge to score Finn and tie the game 6-6.
“We’ve talked to them about playing the game – all 21 outs,” said Mira Costa head coach Andy Diver. “This group is gritty; they never quit. We’ve got it instilled in them; we push them to keep fighting.”
After Mira Costa closer Connor Collins sent Agoura down in order in the top of the sixth, Mustang designated hitter Nick Feidler broke the deadlock, driving a Junge breaking ball over the left field fence – the only home run hit in six CIF games at Goodwin Field this weekend – for a 7-6 lead.
The next batter, senior Joaquin Scholer, was hit by a pitch, and Agoura turned to reliever Calen Meyer. Meyer gave up back-to-back doubles to Connor Collins and Austin Olness, the latter driving in two runs for a 9-6 lead.
In the final seventh inning, the Chargers’ Braden Oliver doubled off Collins, then scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly. Collins then got Zack Greene to fly out to right field, clinching the victory and the celebration was on.
Anthony, who came into the game with a 0.53 ERA and 71 strikeouts, kept Mira Costa in check early, apart from one run in the third inning. After Feidler tripled to right center, he scored on a Scholer groundout.
Compounding their early troubles, two errant pickoff throws by Costa’s sophomore starter Grayson Thomas (who pitched five scoreless innings in their 12-0 semifinal win over St. Francis) helped the Chargers get out to a 4-1 lead. Thomas was replaced in the fourth inning by junior Emiliano Ortiz.
“We kind of shot ourselves in the foot early on,” said Diver. “We made some errors, gave up some walks, but we’re resilient and battled through it.”
Ortiz walked the first two batters he faced before Oliver hit one off the left centerfield wall, scoring Kaden Graves and Colton Mellinger, putting Costa in a 6-1 hole.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Mustangs offense tried to get going, putting runners on the corners with two outs, but third baseman Mellinger caught a high hop over his shoulder and threw out the Mustang’s Carter Rivera to end the threat.
Ortiz shut down Agoura in the top of the fifth, setting the stage for Collins, who picked up the win.
The baseball title caps a remarkable spring sports season for the Mustangs. The school has won six CIF championships this month: boys’ volleyball, lacrosse and track and field; and girls’ lacrosse and beach volleyball.
