When Rio Hondo Prep took the field at UC Riverside on Saturday evening in the CIF-SS Division 6 title game, Pasadena area baseball programs had already gone 0-3 in championship games earlier in the day.
Poly and La Canada were both shut out and Marshall was dominated in a 10-run defeat.
RHP seemed to keep the trend going when Costa Mesa scored four runs in the top of the first inning.
To their credit, though, the Kares got three runs in the bottom half of the first, four more in the second and a run apiece in the fourth and sixth innings.
Rio Hondo Prep would then held off a late Mustangs’ rally and claimed a 9-7 victory to earn the D-6 title.
Any championship is forever special for those involved, but this 2019 squad will go down as the first to ever secure a (CIF) baseball championship for Rio Hondo Prep.
Costa Mesa had the potential tying runs in scoring position when sophomore Jack Van Cleve got the final out.
Senior Evan Foor started on the hill for RHP, and as mentioned, the Kares’ captain got off to a very rocky start.
But as he’s done his entire career, he dusted himself off, got back on the mound and competed.
In all, Foor went five innings, allowing seven runs (six earned) on nine hits.
He walked two and fanned a pair of Mustangs’ batters to earn the win.
Foor clutched up at the plate as well.
He went 2 for 4, including a double, he scored once and had a game-high three RBIs.
Jack Van Cleve came on in the sixth and kept Costa Mesa off the scoreboard over the final two innings to earn the save and secure the championship.
Van Cleve allowed just one hit, didn’t walk anyone and fanned two.
Riley Mitchell, Cameron Chapman, Duke Kirby and Omar Munoz had two hits apiece for the Mustangs.
The Costa Mesa foursome combined for four RBIs and five runs scored.
Omar Munoz went the first 1 2/3 innings for Costa Mesa and was saddled with the loss.
Munoz surrendered seven runs on five hits.
He walked three and fanned a pair of RHP batters.
David Gonzalez came on with two out in the top of the second inning for the Mustangs.
Gonzalez went 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits.
Cameron Chapman went the final two innings.
Chapman surrendered one run on two hits.
He didn’t issue a walk and struck out three Kares’ batters.
Jake Lang did what great leadoff batters do.
He singled and scored a game-high three runs.
Anderson Lang doubled and scored and Ryan Olivas singled and scored for the D-6 champs.
Alex Vazquez had a big game as well.
Vasquez went 2 for 4, walked, scored twice and had an RBI.
Bryant Flores walked, doubled, had a pair of RBIs and scored once.
Van Cleve wasn’t just huge on the mound, the star sophomore also singled, doubled and drove in two runs at the plate.
Quotable:
RHP senior Evan Foor: “It was pretty tough seeing four (runs) go across that early, but our mindset was to relax, take a deep breath and go one pitch at a time. It felt awesome to compete with my brothers for the last time. There is no better feeling than winning our school its first ever baseball championship. Words can not express what we’re all feeling right now. I was also glad to have done my part at the plate. I am so proud of this team and how they battled the entire season.”
RHP senior Jake Lang: “It’s the best feeling in the world. It was a team effort and we all played a part. I would describe the feeling as pure joy, the kind that stats with you forever. Jack is clutch as can stay calm in the most intense moments of a game. All we can do now is to give all glory to God and thank him for such an amazing opportunity.”
RHP sophomore Jack Van Cleve: “I knew I needed to relax and just throw strikes (over the final two innings) and do what I’ve done all season. I got nervous when the two runners got on, but I knew my defense had my back, as they have all season.”
RHP junior Alex Vazquez: “Even when they scored early, I had faith in Evan that he’d battle and when we got three back, the dugout was just crazy. We create our own energy by putting the bat on the ball and making things happen. I am so proud of this team, because we competed throughout and every person had a role in us becoming champions.”
RHP sophomore Anderson Lang: “It felt great. We were down in the beginning but we never lost energy, always stayed positive, and bought into the game plan the coaches had prepared. We loved each other and wanted to win it for each other and send the seniors out with a bang and fulfill our coaches and our dream.”
Box Score:
CM: 4-0-0-1-2-0-0-(7)
RHP: 3-4-0-1-0-1-X-(9)
Win: Evan Foor
Loss: Omar Munoz
Save: Jack Van Cleve
3B: Omar Munoz (CM), Duke Kirby (CM)
2B: Cameron Chapman (CM), Kyle Anderson (CM), Bryant Flores (RHP), Evan Foor (RHP), Jack Van Cleve (RHP), Anderson Lang (RHP)
Records: Costa Mesa (15-12); Rio Hondo Prep (18-7)
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