Sports
Hedges Helps JSerra Rally Past Palm Desert for Baseball Tournament Title
Catcher hits three-run home run during 10-run fifth inning for Lions, who defeat Palm Desert, 11-9, in the Lerner Bracket championship game of Newport Elks Tournament.
At a time in the spring when many baseball players are still working to break in new gloves, JSerra seems to have already found its rhythm. The Lions overcame a three-run deficit against Palm Desert on Friday evening with a ferocious offensive outburst in a 11-9 home victory.
JSerra scored 10 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on its way to winning the Lerner Bracket championship game of the Newport Elks Tournament. The season-opening tournament featured three Lions' comebacks from deficits of two runs or more.
“Our guys have stepped up to the challenge,” JSerra coach Brett Kay said. “For us to come back in big-time situations really shows me what kind of character they have right now.”
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Palm Desert’s pitching didn’t allow the Lions (5-0) much production at the plate before the decisive fifth-inning scoring avalanche. The two-time Desert Valley League champions gave up one run over the opening four innings, which JSerra manufactured with a bit of small ball.
Senior captain Clay Williamson dropped a perfectly-placed squeeze bunt to bring home Grant Davis from third base. Davis, a senior infielder, put himself in position to score with a the Lions’ first double of the contest and would add a triple in his third plate appearance.
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Palm Desert pitcher Kaz Halcovich held his composure and settled in for the next few innings. The USC-bound right-hander mowed down JSerra’s lineup in order to finish the fourth and his team responded in the next frame.
The Aztecs (3-2) put patience to work in the top of the fifth, forcing their way onto the basepaths with walks. Halcovich pushed the third run of the inning across the plate when he became the fourth Palm Desert batter issued a free pass by the Lions pitching staff. JSerra surrendered 12 walks by the end of the game.
“We walked far too many batters tonight,” Kay said. “We knew we’d have to use a lot of pitchers tonight, but it’s something we’ll definitely have to improve on.”
Ryan Hipshman was the first of six Lions players to take the mound on Friday. The platoon of pitchers became necessary when designated starter Keaton Siamkin was scratched late because of an unspecified injury.
Palm Desert extended its lead to 4-1 in the fifth inning when Ryan Garvey scored on a sacrifice fly.
Halcovich returned to the mound moments later, hoping to keep JSerra’s batters at bay. Instead, he found himself handing the ball over to coach Darol Salazar before a single out was recorded.
JSerra third baseman Trent Boras, who will join Halcovich as a member of USC’s freshman class this fall, proved to be the offensive catalyst. The senior laced a double down the left-field line to begin the Lions' charge in the bottom of the fifth.
After hitting the following batter, Joey Ponder, with a pitch, Halcovich was replaced by Jonathan Serven. The junior pitcher was quickly greeted by JSerra catcher Austin Hedges, who promptly launched a streaming line drive over the left-field wall and knotted the score at 4-4.
Hedges is considered the nation's best high school catching prospect by many pundits, and was the main attraction for the handful of Major League Baseball scouts in attendance. His teammates built off his blast, tacking six more runs to the scoreboard in the fifth.
Junior outfielder Tanner Bily buried the Aztecs in a 7-4 hole with a two-run double, and JSerra scored three runs on a Palm Desert throwing error. Not only had the Lions rallied after losing a 1-0 lead, the hosts feasted on their opponent's pitching staff.
The Aztecs used four pitchers to record three outs in a fifth inning that included 10 runs and eight hits off the bats of JSerra.
"It says a lot about our team and our heart that we could just get [the lead back] right away," Hedges said.
Added Kay: “You could just feel the momentum swing when we continue to score runs. It was huge. Our offense can do a lot of great things.”
Desert's Garvey, who is the son of former Dodgers great Steve Garvey and currently committed to play collegiate baseball at USC, sent a towering shot over the left-field fence for a grand slam in the top of the sixth, cutting the Lions‘ lead to 11-8.
The senior center fielder had one more opportunity to bring the Aztecs back in the contest’s final at-bat. Garvey struck out watching a fast ball fly by on the outside corner, courtesy of the arm of Lions pitcher Trevor Charpie.
Charpie, a junior, picked up the save in his third appearance of the week. Trey Ferketic picked up the victory for JSerra, which begins its journey through the talent-laden Trinity League next Friday at Servite.
"Tonight is a great stepping stone," Kay said. "Palm Desert is a good ballclub; every team we played in this tournament was a good ballclub. We talk a lot about manning up and getting better every day. I'm happy about how we're playing, especially now that we're going right into a big league test against Servite."