Barstow Baseball: DSL schedule begin with 11-inning win

BARSTOW — Spring break had to wait, and that was OK with the Barstow High School baseball team.

The Aztecs (4-4, 1-0 Desert Sky League) were set to coast to a win in the seventh inning when a Granite Hills comeback extended the game another four innings Thursday afternoon.

The Aztecs were finally able celebrate a 9-8 win and commence spring break when a botched pickoff throw to first base brought home sophomore pinch runner Daniel Rodriguez in the 11th inning.

“It was just a great game,” Barstow starting pitcher Freezy Smalls said. “All the words are pretty much on the field still.

“(The wait) was definitely worth it. Now going into the next game, we know we got it from the first inning to the 11th inning. We are going to fight and we’re going to battle.”

Granite Hills pitcher Andrew Disbrow’s pickoff attempt at first base sailed wide left, ricocheted off some fencing and drifted into shallow right field in the bottom of the 11th inning, giving Rodriguez time to score the winning run.

“It was a set play,” Granite Hills coach Tyler Scurlock said. “We were trying to make something happen there. They had the count, (two runners on base) and one out. We didn’t execute it the way we wanted it to.”

First baseman Eric Osterman retrieved the ball and slipped as tried to throw home. Barstow coach Sean Sers initially held up Rodriquez, who began the play at second base, at third but waved him home once he saw Osterman falling. As Rodriquez crossed home, the Barstow dugout flooded onto the field with inside-out rally caps and mobbed Rodriquez.

“Every inning we were up,” Smalls said. “They weren’t yelling so much over there on the other side, but we were up for every pitch.”
Smalls had revenge on his mind all week. He was the starting pitcher when Granite Hills (2-4-1, 0-1 DSL) beat Barstow 15-8 in the San Gorgonio Tournament. Smalls finished the March 8 game with the loss, three errors and 21.00 ERA.

“It felt really good,” Smalls said. “That was definitely my top priority this week.”

Smalls pitched seven innings, struck out seven and nearly came out with the win Thursday.

“Their pitcher was definitely better this time around,” Scurlock said. “He worked the ball well around the plate.”

Barstow had a 7-3 lead heading into the seventh. Figuring the Aztecs had a comfortable lead to let his pitcher work with, Sers opted to keep the senior pitcher in even as the Cougars put two runners on.

“With a four-run lead I said, ‘Let’s let him finish,’ ” Sers said. “His pitch count wasn’t very high and he had an opportunity to win the ball game.”
Disbrow extended the game with a three-run home run to right field. Smalls continued to pitch and completed the rest of the inning without allowing another run. Jaccob Muir replaced Smalls to begin the eighth and struck out four in four innings.

In the top of the 11th, it looked like the Cougars were on their way to completing the rally they started in seventh. Christian Griffiths reached base when the Aztecs bobbled an infield popup. Griffiths eventually made his way home thanks to Disbrow’s double to give the Cougars an 8-7 lead, their first of the game.

“We were in the ball game for all 11 innings,” Sers said. “That’s the one thing we’ve been preaching during the course of the year. However many innings we play, we’ve got to be in the game mentally.”

Granite Hills 000 102 400 01 — 8 8 2
Barstow 103 030 000 02 — 9 12 4

King, Disbrow and Griffiths; Smalls, Muir and Moorman. WP — Muir; LP — Disbrow. 2B — Sanchez (B), Madero (B), Disbrow. 3B — Maes (B). HR — Harrison (B); Disbrow (G).

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