LE GRAND — Just five batters into his first ever playoff start and Carlo Del Real was doing damage control.
The strike zone proved elusive for the Le Grand freshman as he tried to get loose in cold, windy conditions.
With Woodland Christian already up 1-0 and two more runners in scoring position with one out, the right-hander began to find a rhythm.
Del Real recorded consecutive strikeouts to escape the 37-pitch opening frame with minimal damage.
It was just what the Bulldogs needed as the veteran squad settled down and began applying pressure on a young Cardinals team.
A five-run second inning quickly turned things around and Le Grand cruised to a 6-2 Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI play-in game victory on Monday afternoon.
Le Grand will face Bradshaw Christian at Galt Community Park on Thursday in a first-round game.
"The cold and the wind may have been a factor, but mainly I just couldn't throw strikes to start the game," Del Real said. "As the first inning kept going, I was finally able to find the strike zone.
"I was just lucky it happened in time to hold them to one run."
Le Grand (18-9) wasted little time picking up its starter.
Ricky Martinez manufactured a run to tie the game in the bottom of the first.
The senior catcher led off the inning with a walk and quickly moved to third on a stolen base and wild pitch.
Del Real knocked him in with an RBI ground out.
After a solid start in the first, the Cardinals' youth started to show in the second.
The freshman-heavy roster began to tighten up a bit in the field as Le Grand applied some offensive pressure.
Alex Bucio started the rally by legging out an infield single. He moved to second when the third baseman's throw got away.
Mario Zavala reached on another throwing error to put runners on the corners.
WC pitcher Anthony Castaneda almost got out of the jam unscathed after inducing consecutive ground balls right back to him. But Daniel Guizar walked to load the bases and Martinez laced a two-run single to give Le Grand its first lead.
A dropped third strike extended the inning and allowed Guizar to score from third to make it 4-1. Del Real capped off the rally with a run-scoring single.
"I think playing Mariposa and Waterford our last two games really helped us be playoff ready," Le Grand coach Aaron Martinez said. "We maybe had some first-inning jitters, but we shook them off quickly.
"We had a freshman on the mound, so getting that early lead was big. I think it really settled him down."
Del Real certainly did that.
The kid they call Bambi struck out 10 and allowed just two base runners over the next four innings.
He ran out of gas a bit in the sixth as Woodland loaded the bases with three straight one-out singles.
Del Real answered with a couple ground outs to hold the Cardinals to just one run again.
Aaron Salcido overcame a couple wind-aided errors in the seventh to shut the door on WC and seal the victory.
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