Defensive gems swing momentum to Los Banos in Sac-Joaquin Section playoff win over Colfax

Los Banos High School’s baseball team was in desperate need of a spark.

The Tigers got off to a less-than-ideal start Monday afternoon, spotting Colfax a three-run lead in their Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV play-in game. With the Falcons threatening again in the third inning, Los Banos was looking for a moment of individual brilliance to rally behind.

Shortstop Brevin Welch provided two, gunning down back-to-back runners at the plate to close the top of the third. Riding that momentum, the Tigers sent 15 batters to the plate in the bottom half of the inning. Los Banos scored nine runs and didn’t look back in a 14-4 victory.

No. 8 Los Banos (16-8-1) advances to take on No. 1 El Dorado at 7 p.m. Thursday at Tony Zupo Field in Lodi.

“Those two defensive plays were huge,” Tigers coach Pat Fuentes said. “We were a little rattled to start the game, but the guys came in fired up after keeping them off the board in the third. If they score a couple in that inning, who knows what we do the rest of the way.

“Instead, we kept the game close and all of a sudden put a few hits together. It became infectious after that.”

The victory was Los Banos’ first in the playoffs since 2011 and atoned a bit for last year’s 10-1 drubbing at the hands of Oakdale in a play-in game.

The way No. 9 Colfax started, it initially looked like it could be more of the same. The Falcons (12-12-1) used a wild pitch and an infield single to score two runs in the first inning. A Los Banos error extended the second inning and allowed a third run to score on another wild pitch.

DJ Lomeli singled in a run for the Tigers in the bottom of the second, but Colfax got right back in business in the third with a hit batter and a double by Anthony Ahrens-Lemus (2 for 3, 2 RBIs) to put runners at second and third with one down.

Los Banos starter Chris Corral got the grounder he was looking for, as a drawn-in Welch fielded it and fired home. Welch’s throw was high, but catcher Tyler Wilson made a nice leaping grab and applied the tag in time. Welch was called right back into action when Colfax tried to steal second on the next pitch. Instead of throwing to second, Wilson hit a charging Welch. The runner on third broke for home, and Welch cut him down at the plate to end the inning.

It was only fitting Welch would get the ensuing rally started, doubling to open the third. Corral flipped a ball off the end of the bat to score Welch and later came home on a Wilson single to tie the score.

Los Banos didn’t stop there.

Alec Barcellos (2 for 2, 2 runs) and Lane Mallonee also drove in runs before the bases cleared on Kevin Spencer’s two-run single and a throwing error to the plate. Vinny Greco (2 for 2, 2 runs, 3 RBIs) capped the nine-run rally by getting beaned with the bases loaded and then put away the game with a two-run double in the fourth to help invoke the 10-run mercy rule.

“It obviously wasn’t the start we wanted, but I think we all knew there was a lot of game left,” Greco said. “We started chipping away at their lead and got some momentum going. Everybody started feeding off of it, and next thing you know we’ve broken it open.

“This means a lot to the guys that were here last year. We weren’t just content to be here, and we can’t be content with one win. We want this ride to go for as long it can.”

This story was originally published May 11, 2015 at 10:35 PM with the headline "Defensive gems swing momentum to Los Banos in Sac-Joaquin Section playoff win over Colfax."