In a game that went into extra innings in a controversial manner, Braden Ruiz hit a walk-off home run for Mater Dei in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Monarchs defeated Oaks Christian 2-1 in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 first-round playoff game.
Oaks Christian took a 1-0 lead in the first inning at Mater Dei and retained it until the bottom of the seventh inning.
Mater Dei’s Dylan Wetzel was on second base with two outs in the seventh when Ruiz hit a ground ball that was fielded by the Oaks Christian first baseman, who made the throw to the pitcher covering first base.
The initial call was an out that would have ended the game.
Mater Dei coach Richard Mercado requested the umpires convene to discuss the play, and the call was reversed to rule that Ruiz was safe, apparently because the pitcher missed the bag.
Wetzel rounded third and scored on the play, which would tied the score.
This is the video of the play with two outs in the seventh. Home plate umpire reversed call at first. Mater Dei ended up tying game vs. Oaks Christian. pic.twitter.com/WcF4d22T5g
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) May 6, 2023
Oaks Christian coach Royce Clayton, a former MLB shortstop, argued that Wetzel should not have been allowed to score because Oaks Christian players paid no attention to Wetzel’s sprint to home as the players believed the third out had been recorded.
The umpires again convened and determined that Wetzel’s run counted because if it was initially a correct call at first base that Wetzel was so far down the third-base line that Wetzel would have scored.
All of that made it 1-1, forcing extra innings.
Mater Dei (17-11-1), which is No. 5 in the Orange County Top 25, will play at Santiago of Corona (16-12) in the second round Tuesday. Santiago defeated Kaiser of Fontana 6-5 on Friday.
Mater Dei beat Santiago 8-3 in the Boras Classic South tournament last month.
In Division 2:
No. 20 Capistrano Valley Christian 7, Temecula Valley 1: Michigan State-signed senior Hunter Long gave up only two hits and struck out 11 in six innings and Anders Nilsson drove in two runs for the host Eagles (21-10).
Capistrano Valley Christian is home against top-seeded Aquinas (23-4) in the second round Tuesday. Aquinas is No. 6 in CalHiSports.com’s state rankings.
No. 23 Ocean View 10, Crescenta Valley 0: Spencer Johnson pitched a shutout for the host Seahawks (19-10).
Sebastian Aparicio had three hits and scored three runs. Mulavai Levu drove in three runs. Peyton Perry had two hits, drove in two runs and scored two runs.
Ocean View will be home Tuesday against Quartz Hill (25-4) in the second round.
In Division 4:
Northwood 7, St. Bonaventure 0: Rylan Littlejohn had two hits and drove in three runs for the host Timberwolves (17-10). Robert Bangs allowed one hit with eight strikeouts in five innings pitched for Northwood.
Canyon 11, Oak Hills 2: Brycen Brunswig and Cohen Gomez hit hone runs and Gomez was the winning pitcher for the visiting Comanches (16-12).
Canyon will be home against Northwood in the second round Tuesday.
Brea Olinda 5, Ramona 4: The host Wildcats (14-12-2) scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to get the win.
In Division 6:
Los Amigos 7, Dunn 3: Juan Gutierrez struck out seven in seven innings pitched and Xaiel Esteves had two hits and an RBI for the visiting Lobos (14-9).
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