Heritage's best baseball season ever ends in CIF quarterfinals
Heritage High catcher Gavin Copeland checks another baserunner after tagging out Cameron Estes at home plate. (Photo credits: Kristi Jo Agui...
By Doug Spoon, Editor
Heritage High School’s most successful baseball season ever came to an end Friday in a 3-0 loss to Paraclete in the CIF-SS Division 4 quarterfinals.
Making it to the CIF quarterfinals for the first time, the Patriots ended their season with a 20-4 record. Heritage had won 18 consecutive games before Friday, including a 12-0 record in winning the Sunbelt League title.
Heritage starting pitcher Andrew Banda gave up just one run in five innings, scattering five hits and striking out four while walking one. The only run the visiting Spirits scored off him came in the second inning. Daniel Munoz, who had reached base on a fielder’s choice, came around to score on a double by designated hitter Bryan Peck.
Peck advanced to third on a wild pitch, but Banda struck out Hunter Logan and Cameron Estes to escape further trouble.
In the fifth inning, with the score still 1-0, Banda gave up a single to left field by Estes. On a bunt by Gabriel Gonzales, Heritage first baseman Logan Hayes threw to third to retire Estes. Leadoff batter Jacoby Madise bunted Gonzales to second, but Banda got the next two outs on a fielder’s choice and fly ball to left to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Heritage batters collected just five hits off Paraclete starter Hunter Edwards and reliever Peck. The Patriots' best chance to score came in the fourth inning, when Randy McClain and Josh Martinez led off with singles. McClain was picked off third by Paraclete catcher Trevor Shepherd, however, and after an infield single by Gavin Copeland, Edwards retired Nathaniel Helton and pinch hitter Anthony Fraund to end the inning.
Paraclete completed the scoring on a two-run single by Logan Reese in the seventh inning.
Despite the loss, several Patriots players finished the season with impressive numbers. Freshman outfielder Johnny Alley finished with a .426 batting average and 22 RBI. McClain hit .410 with 2 home runs and 13 RBI. Gabe Kristall hit .400 with 11 RBI. Sebastian Mandujano hit .333 with 18 RBI.
Helton posted a 7-2 pitching record and 2.18 ERA. Aiden Ramos was 4-1 with a 2.37 ERA. Banda was 3-2 with a 0.75 ERA and Dylan Montgomery posted a 1.68 ERA.
Randy McClain waits for the pitch during Heritage High's CIF playoff game on Friday.
Heritage's Randy McClain dives back to third base as Paraclete's Daniel Munoz prepares to take the throw.
Patriots first baseman Logan Hayes takes the throw ahead of Paraclete baserunner Logan Reese.
