The Buccaneers used a big 5-run sixth inning to overpower the Chieftains for a 7-4 victory Friday, April 18, at Clairemont High. Senior combination Robbie Santos on the mound and Nick Croce behind the plate earned the complete-game victory.
“Our offense took a little while to get on-track and to get our lead-off batters on base,” said head coach Greg Farrar. “But we got some hits strung together and stole a lot of bases (7) on their young catcher.”
Santos allowed two runs in the first inning but then settled down and started getting outs.
The Bucs scored in the fourth inning when Dillon Baxter drove a sacrifice fly to deep center that scored Evan Taylor from third.
In the decisive sixth inning, Croce got on base with a bad throw to first. Baxter singled to move Croce to third. Then big freshman DH Robert Phiakeo singled to score Croce. Sophomore Eric Espinosa followed with a double to score Baxter and John Lopez, running for Phiakeo. Espinosa scored on a bad pick-off throw. After Jesse Moore got on base, Brian Segun doubled him in off the center-field fence.
Mission Bay scored again in the seventh when Croce drew a lead off walk and stole second and third. Then Phiakeo singled to drive him in.
Clairemont rallied in the bottom of the last inning for two runs, but Farrar stayed the course with Santos who got the final outs from the bottom of the Chieftains’ batting order.
“Santos is usually a closer for us, but he was throwing strong all afternoon,” Farrar said. “It was a good chance for him to throw a whole game.”
Earlier in the week, the Bucs split a pair of games with La Jolla. In the winning effort at Mission Bay Wednesday, April 16, Santos hit two home runs. La Jolla had a 5-run sixth inning but the Bucs rallied with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull out the 7-6 victory. Phiakeo had the game-winning RBI. Moore got the win from the mound in relief.
“La Jolla is a much-improved team this year,” Farrar added. “I told them it was a must-win game. Now we have a two-out-of-three record over them ” that can be important for the playoffs (seedings).”
The Bucs improved to 15-8 (4-1) while UC went to 7-10 (0-5).
The Bucs next host Point Loma Friday, May 2, at 3 p.m.
Mission Bay will host Coronado May 7.
Mission Bay baseball information is available from Farrar at (858) 273-1313 ext. 353 or www.missionbayhigh.com.