SD Prep Sports
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Crusaders finish runner-up in Division IV baseball final
By Phillip Brents
SAN DIEGO, May 29, 2001 -- Marian Catholic finished second in this year’s San Diego Section Division IV baseball playoffs following Tuesday’s 5-4 loss to Francis Parker at San Diego State University’s Tony Gwynn Stadium. The second-seeded Crusaders ended the season 19-13.
The division championship title was Francis Parker’s seventh overall in school history but the first since 1994. Marian Catholic was making its sixth consecutive trip to a division championship game and was seeking to secure its fourth straight division title.
The fourth-seeded Lancers, who finished the season 22-5-1, never trailed in the contest, which featured 15 hits and 16 players left on base — 10 by the runner-up Crusaders. The win was the 10th in a row for Francis Parker.
Jason Habel, one of four Lancer pitchers in the game, received credit for the victory to finish 3-0 on the season. Teammate Ian McKinley earned his third save of the season after putting an end to a Marian Catholic rally in the top of the seventh inning.
Francis Parker led 5-1 before the Crusaders closed the margin to one run after scoring once in the fifth inning and adding two more runs in the sixth inning.
Ismael Salas, the state’s all-time home run leader, finished the game 2-for-3 with a walk. He doubled off the wall 360 feet from home plate in the fifth inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly-out by teammate Memo Siqueros.
In the sixth inning, Jorge Palluada (3-for-4) singled and scored on a RBI single by Salas. Cesar Serrano notched Marian Catholic’s other run in the frame after scoring on a fielder’s choice.
The Crusaders advanced to Tuesday’s division title game after blanking Bishop’s, 2-0, in last Saturday’s semifinals. Sophomore Fernando Castillo (5-4) allowed four hits to record the shutout.
Francis Parker advanced after scoring an 11-1 rout of Midway Baptist. Aaron Sanchez led the Lancers with four RBI while Jeff Goodall (8-1) and Habel combined on a one-hitter in the game that was called after four-and-a-half innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Marian edged Horizon Christian, 7-6, in quarterfinal-round play on May 24 as Siqueros beat out an infield single to score Serrano.
Midway Baptist topped Calvin Christian, 3-1, in the first round of Division IV play as Loren Webb went 3-for-3 with two doubles and then defeated top-seeded Christian, 6-3, to move onto the semifinals as Webb contributed one RBI and struck out six batters in a complete game performance.
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Bonita Vista used a 10-strikeout performance by Sean Warlop and a nine-hit attack to edge Granite Hills, 7-6, in the opening round of the Division I playoffs on May 22. Montgomery, which tied the Barons atop the Mesa League standings for best league record, was the victim of 10 strikeouts in its 1-0 loss to Rancho Buena Vista the same day.
Bonita Vista saw its season end in the quarterfinals following a 2-1 setback to Vista as winning hurler Kevin Brogan pitched a two-hitter.
Eastlake ended its season in the Division II quarterfinals after dropping a 5-2 contest to visiting Oceanside.