Savanna wins road league game over Magnolia after controversial call
For the Anaheim Independent
In what was an exciting league game from start to finish, the Savanna Rebels (6-4) pulled out a one run victory over the Sentinels of Magnolia 5-4. A bang-bang play in the bottom of the seventh inning, in which the second base umpire called two Sentinels out after a sacrifice bunt and hard slide, squandered the Sentinels bid for a walk off win.
Savanna pitcher Nathan Mathias pitched admirably in relief for the win with four and a third innings of shutout baseball allowing three hits and getting Magnolia to ground into two double plays in both the third and fourth innings. Magnolia Sentinel pitcher Gerardo Adame pitched a complete game going seven innings allowing thirteen hits and five runs.
The Sentinels (4-5) played great defense as well with a diving catch from center fielder Fragoza Giovanni in the top of the fifth inning and two of the three Savanna runners thrown out at second base by catcher Ryan Ortega in the top of the seventh inning to keep the game at a one run deficit.
The second inning was action packed with the Rebels scoring three runs on five singles and one walk with Rebel senior Joseph Rivera starting off the action with a single and finishing the game 4-for-4 with three singles, double, stolen base and one RBI. Savanna catcher AJ Kennedy had a huge triple in the fourth off the Green Monster and scored the winning run off of a Rivera single.
The Sentinels responded with four runs in the second inning and showed great plate discipline taking six walks and a hit by pitch, but could not get the clutch hits with runners in scoring position in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings. The hitting star for the Sentinels was Fragoza Giovanni with a key two out, two run single in the second inning and a sacrifice bunt which led to the controversial call in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After an Adame single, Giovanni hit a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher who then threw to second base for the out and after a hard slide by Adame, in which the umpire ruled Adame slid with his cleats up, the umpire called out the runner at first and foiling any attempts for a Sentinel comeback. The Magnolia shortstop Jordan Thompson than walked and a grounder to short by Kevin Ramirez ended the game and a Savanna Rebel celebration ensued.
After the umpire’s ruling, Magnolia Sentinel coach Marcelo Miranda stormed out of the dugout to question what the umpire saw. Miranda quotes,” the umpire stated he saw cleats in the air and he has a responsibility to protect the players.”
A tough loss for the Sentinels of Magnolia and a great league win for the Rebels of Savanna, but the real winners were the fans for a wonderful afternoon of Orange County High School baseball.
After a weekend of tournament baseball for Magnolia and Savanna, league play continues with the Rebels playing at the Falcons of Santa Ana Valley (0-10) and the Sentinels playing at the Knights of Katella High School (4-4) on April 13th at 3:15 pm.
