UNION CITY – With the game between James Logan and Washington-Fremont tied during the top of the fifth inning, first place in the Mission Valley Athletic League was still up for grabs.
That’s when James Logan’s Aeryk Hernandez made as gutsy a call as a coach could make with two outs and sophomore Jordan Medina on third.
“I felt like we needed to try something, so I just said ‘Let’s put this straight steal on and hope that something happens,’” Hernandez said.
“I read the signs and I was in complete shock,” Medina recalled thinking before he sprinted home.
“I was wondering, ‘Am I really about to do this?’”
Washington’s catcher initially appeared to tag the runner out, but the home plate umpire deemed him to be blocking the plate. That gave James Logan a lead in what would eventually become a 5-2 victory.
The victory moves James Logan to 8-0 in the MVAL with seven games left to play, and puts Washington at 5-2 in the league.
Both teams entered the Wednesday perfect in league play, but James Logan has taken control with back-to-back victories over the Huskies.
Washington had enjoyed a five-game winning streak before facing James Logan, which included an upset of then-Top 10 opponent St. Francis.
“The kids fought hard and it was two great games, and Logan just came out victorious,” said Washington coach Michael Sewell, who added that even though the team’s chances of conquering the league are diminishing, winning NCS is still achievable.
Washington scored the first two runs off RBIs by Joseph Dutra and Narayan Venkataramana in the top of the second. At the behest of his coaches, pitcher Jackson Garcia made an adjustment he defined as “letting it fly.”
“I wasn’t trying to place a pitch, like honestly, I was just trying to throw my hardest,” Garcia said.
That fastball-centric strategy worked, with Garcia allowing two hits over the final five innings.
James Logan scored its first run in the second inning off a double by burly senior Micah Billings, and tied the game in the third inning with a sacrifice fly that scored Jesus Vasquez.
Following the tie-breaking steal home, James Logan added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Curtis Haggins singled into left to score one run, and Alejandro Almaguer hit a line drive into that same area to score one more. Garcia closed out the seventh with two strikeouts and a popup to second baseman Yash Gupta.
Following a 2-5 start to the season, James Logan is now in a position to claim its second consecutive league title.
“We like to test ourselves early and see where we’re at,” Hernandez said. “We know that once we get into league, we have to make things happen.”
Source: www.mercurynews.com