Verdugo Hills claims City Section Division I baseball title
Verdugo Hills, fourth in the Valley Mission League with a 10-18 record heading into the City Section Division I playoffs, completed a remarkable turnaround Saturday, winning its fourth straight playoff game to claim the Division I title with a 3-1 victory over Taft at Dodger Stadium.
Nobody was picking the Dons in this one. They had used their two best pitchers in a 10-inning semifinal victory over top-seeded Sylmar. But coach Angel Espindola had a plan.
“I have some tricks up my sleeve,” he said.
Anthony Velasquez pitched a complete game one-hitter while relying on his defense to make routine plays and manage six walks and just one strikeout. At the plate, the hero was first baseman Cutlor Fannon. He had an RBI double in the first inning and an RBI single in the seventh.
But there was drama at the bottom of the seventh inning. Victor Jara of the Toreadors tied the game at the plate with two outs. He probably hit the hardest ball of the day to deep left field.
“The last one scared me,” Velasquez said as he watched outfielder Moises Rodriguez run out his glove to catch it and begin a victory celebration.
Rodriguez said he “felt all my emotions going through me” as he chased the ball.
“It was surreal,” he said.
Verdugo Hills pitcher Anthony Velasquez threw a complete game in a 3-1 win over Taft at Dodger Stadium.
(Craig Weston / For Time)
Espindola’s best practice moment came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Taft got back-to-back walks from Velasquez with one out. Espindola took to the mound for a pitchers conference.
“Relax,” is what he told Velasquez.
Then Taft threw a double play in the bottom of the inning.
Verdugo Hills defenders more than handled the Dodger Stadium environment. Catcher Miguel Wong threw out a runner who was trying to steal second. Outfielders Rodriguez, Jack Iafrate and Jessie Olmos combined to catch seven balls. And third baseman D’Angelo Duran and shortstop Ethan Sanchez were perfect on ground balls.
As for what happened in the playoffs, Rodriguez said, “We changed our perspective to playing baseball instead of doing baseball. It was let’s have fun.”
