When all was said and done, senior pitcher Luke Bailey did a back-flip on the mound to celebrate the Granite Hills Eagles’ 3-0 victory over the Patrick Henry Patriots in last Friday’s San Diego Section Open Division championship game at SDSU’s Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Bailey could be excused for the showmanship after striking out 10 batters and handcuffing Patrick Henry’s offense on just two hits. After striking out the final batter to end the game and cement the top-seeded Eagles into the section record book as the first team to go undefeated through section play, Bailey literally and figuratively flipped head over heels to the delight of his teammates, who promptly greeted him on the mound in celebration, carrying him along in the championship procession nearly into the outfield. A 24-0-2 record would have a tendency to elicit such an adrenaline rush. “I just tried my best,” said Bailey, who improved his season record to 12-0 with a 1.03 earned-run average and 75 strikeouts in 68 innings. “I knew I could do this. I wanted to play in this game from the start of the season. This team was like no other team I had played on before.”
The game appeared headed for a scoreless finish with double lines of zeroes dominating the scoreboard until the defending Grossmont Hills League champions finally broke the stalemate in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Brenden Lewis, one of the team’s top hitters, stroked a double to lead off the inning. Senior Trevor Smith followed with a base hit to place runners at the corners. Senior Tommy Entreken stepped up to the plate and was hit by a pitch to load the bases. There still were no outs in the frame. That prompted a pitching change on the part of the No. 6 Patriots.
Junior Brady Gunn came out and senior Kayden Henson came into the game. Senior Parker Vance promptly took care of business with a bases-clearing triple of the wall. 3-0 Granite Hills. The Eagles failed to bring Vance in from third base, however, as Henson proceeded to strike out the side sandwiched around a walk. It was up to the Granite Hills defense — and Bailey — to get the final three outs in the game to deliver history.
City Western League champion Patrick Henry (21-10-2) did put a runner on base. But he stayed there after a catch against the wall in center field robbed the Pats of an extra-base hit. At first it appeared as if the ball might clear the fence for a home run. Bailey shrugged off any distractions and calmly went right back to work. He deserved a “10” from the judges on his personal celebratory message, taking a bow when back on his feet to stoke the emotions of the hundreds of deliriously cheering Eagles fans. “I gave it all I had — I left it on the field,” Bailey said. “I knew we’d be a top team at the beginning of the season, but to go undefeated, I would have never thought of this.” Where there is a will, there is a way.
Vance was the one player the Patriots couldn’t get out. The multi-sport standout finished the game with three hits in as many trips to the plate.
Smith had two hits. Lewis (double), Entreken and junior Anthony Miotti each collected one hit. Lewis, Entreken and Smith each scored one run. The Eagles out-hit the Patriots 8-2, allowing a double by junior Ian Brooke and a single by junior Jimmy Gunn. Both starters were continuing to throw heat late into the game. Brady Gunn pitched the opening five innings with seven strikeouts, allowing seven hits while facing 21 batters.
Henson finished up with three strikeouts, one walk and one hit in one inning. Bailey faced 25 batters in his seven innings on the hill. Patrick Henry and Granite Hills had played to a 5-5 tie early in the season, so perhaps the tightness of the game was not unexpected.
Eagles head coach James Davis said he didn’t say anything special to pump up his team prior to the division banner game. He didn’t have to as this team was well aware of its destiny. “We’ve been fortunate to play consistent baseball — good pitching, good defense, good hitting,” Davis said. “We had four or five close calls during the season. I didn’t say anything special, just to keep on doing what we’d been doing. We have a lot of seniors, we’re a senior-laden team. We have a good group of kids who like to battle.”
