Baseball:
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
Two days before he took the mound against Torrance in the CIF-SS Division 2 title game at Cal State Fullerton, Dylan Goff’s teammates exuded their utmost confidence in the Etiwanda junior.
They told this reporter that Goff throws a lot of strikes, that he’s a great competitor, and they said the EHS right-hander possesses an innate ability to remain calm throughout even the biggest of games.
And on Saturday night, Goff proved his brothers right in a 6-1 victory over Torrance.
Goff allowed just an unearned run on six hits.
He didn’t issue a single walk and struck out nine to improve his personal record to 11-0.
It took Goff exactly 100 pitches to finish what he started, and 71 went for strikes.
Already trailing by three runs, Torrance got on the board on a freak play in the top of the fifth inning.
Evan Saito hit a line drive to right field, which was misplayed, and allowed him to sprint towards third base.
The errant relay throw made it possible for Saito to come all the way around for what turned out to be the Tartars lone run on Saturday.
Torrance’s best chance to get back into the game came in the top of the sixth inning.
After a single and hit batter, the Tartars had the tying runs on base with no outs.
The Torrance dugout and fan base got very spirited at the opportunity of potentially catching the Eagles.
Goff and Brady Ebel, however, would bring the Tartars’ optimism to an end.
Angel Gonzalez hit a ground ball to third, which Ebel snagged, calmly touched the base with his foot, and then threw a bullet to get a force out (and double play) at second.
Goff would then break the Tartars’ spirit by getting Matthew Chaivez looking for the final out of the sixth.
Mason Martinez and Nathan Torres had two hits apiece for the Tartars.
The Etiwanda offense would get three third-inning runs off Aidan Irvine and three more against Brock Mayer in the bottom of the sixth.
Parker Sobiesiak doubled to lead off the bottom of the third, and one batter later, he came around to score on an Austen Roellig double to right-center.
Armando Briseno tripled to score Roellig and the Eagles led 2-0.
Ebel’s blooper behind the third base bag fell in fair territory for a single, and it allowed Briseno to score the inning’s third run.
After Goff got out of the sixth-inning jam, the Eagles put the championship away with three insurance runs.
Tyler Shigenaka singled and then Abraham Zapata followed with a pinch-hit single.
Etiwanda loaded the bases when Tyler McEvoy was hit by pitch.
Sobiesiak and Roellig had back-to-back sac fly’s to score Shigenaka and Zapata, which extended their lead to 5-1.
Ebel reached base on an error and that allowed McEvoy to score the Eagles final run of the game.
Roellig had a big night, going 3-for-3, with a double, sac fly, two RBIs and a run.
Briseno walked, tripled, scored and had an RBI.
Shigenaka walked, singled and scored.
Sobiesiak doubled, scored and had the sac fly.
Freddie Capacete and Mike Harrison had one hit apiece in Saturday’s victory.
Oh, and just a sidenote, Don Furnald won his second career CIF-SS championship in the last five years, and keep in mind, there wasn’t a 2020 season.
Below the stats are some game highlights and interviews with Coach Furnald, Dylan Goff, Austen Roellig, Brady Ebel and Parker Sobiesiak.
Up next: EHS won’t get their first round opponent for the CIF State playoffs until Sunday, May 29.
Box Score:
T: 0-0-0-0-1-0-0-(1)
E: 0-0-3-0-0-3-X-(6)
Win: Dylan Goff (11-0)
Loss: Adam Irvine
3B: Armando Briseno (E)
2B: Parker Sobiesiak (E), Austen Roellig (E)
Records: Torrance (25-6-1); Etiwanda (25-8)
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