May 17, 2000

Senecas top SJCC in extras

It took eight innings for Calvert to put away Fremont St. Joe Tuesday.

The Senecas held off a 5-4 scare entering the bottom of the seventh inning, then got a little help from the Crimson Streak pitcher in the bottom of the eighth.

Matt Gabel walked Calvert's Robbie Ritzler to begin the bottom of the extra-inning. An error by the St. Joe defense and a single loaded the bases. That set the stage for Jon Raitz.

The tension-filled moment came to an anti-climax as Gabel tossed four straight balls to Raitz, walking home Ritzler and the game.

The Senecas had eluded the loss when Bart Fisher singled home the tying run in the bottom of the seventh.

"The dramatics should have came in the bottom of the seventh. We should've scored another run." Calvert coach Rick Demith said. "We had a couple of snafus on the bases that cost us a couple of runs. We had a guy thrown out at third and another thrown out at the plate in the seventh."

A three run homer in the third by Joe Harvey and a solo shot by Fisher in the second were overshadowed by the late game dramatics.

"We needed to concentrate on hitting better and we did hit the ball better," Demith said. "We started to get in rhythm and get ready for Friday."

Tim Brodman (3-1) pitched the entire game for the Senecas and took home the win. Gabel walked a total of nine players en route to the heartbreaking loss.

Calvert faces Crestline in the District Finals Friday.