BY OBREY BROWN
CORRESPONDENT [email protected]
HEMET — Hemet High School came together to beat one of the area’s best pitchers and took a one-game lead over Hemet Tahquitz in a key Mountain Pass League game on Tuesday.
Bulldog pitcher Chris Wolford outdueled Fresno State bound Tim Borst in a 3-1 final that lifted Hemet (14-11, 12-2) to a one-game lead over the Titans (15-9, 11-3) with a Thursday rematch scheduled at Tahquitz.
“I couldn’t wait for 3:15 (game time),” said Wolford. “There was a lot riding on this game. Everybody contributed out here today — everybody. It wasn’t just the guy on the mound.”
In a game where Hemet outfielders threw out a pair of Tahquitz base runners, along with two base runners getting picked off, the Titans’ hopes of taking a one-game lead went down the drain against Wolford.
Said Titans coach Ron Savage: “If we win (on Thursday), we’re co-champions. We’ll go as the No. 1 seed (into the CIF playoffs) because we will have beaten them two out of three.”
For now, momentum is squarely on Hemet’s side, especially after Wolford’s complete-game, four-hit effort against an erratic Borst, who struck out seven and walked seven. Borst surrendered a third-inning, two-run single to center fielder Anthony Necochea, scoring Chad Doting, who had doubled, and Nathan Bagby, who drew a one out walk for a 2-0 lead.
Tahquitz answered with Ben Moreno’s RBI double that scored Trevor Nelson. The score might have been tied if not for Hemet left fielder Harrison Garcia’s no bounce throw to catcher Austin Hovivian that nailed Anthony Garcia, who tried to score from second on Moreno’s hit.
Said Savage: “(Harrison Garcia) had only one throw to make and one throw only — and he made it.”
Isiaih Flores’ run-scoring single in the fifth scored Bagby, who had singled and taken second on a sacrifice, to cap the scoring.
Wolford spun plenty of breaking pitches mixed in with hitting spots with his fastball that kept Titans’ hitters from opening up their attack. Tahquitz had won the March 20 game, 4-3.
Wolford, who struck out three and issued two walks, picked off Borst and Hayden Firth, thus slowing down any Tahquitz running threats.
When Tahquitz showed signs of life in the final inning, DH Adrian Hernandez’s apparent one-out, one on single to right field turned into an out when the outfielder gunned a strike to first baseman Cody White for the second out.
The biggest part of Hemet’s win may have been waiting out Borst, who hits better than 90 mph on the speed gun.
“There’s not an easy out in that lineup,” said Savage. “They don’t over swing — and they play defense.”
Early in the game, an outfielder flagged down a ball with a runner on third — fighting a tough sun, some breeze and a ball hit a little over his head. Throw in a Hemet double play after a leadoff single in the sixth inning.
Wolford, who was 0 for 3 against Borst, said, “We’ve seen him for a couple of years now. He’s probably the best in our league. It’s tempting to swing at his fastball. It looks good.”
Seemingly calm after pitching such a big game with successful results, Wolford said, “Wait until I get into the clubhouse.”