In a game with huge implications for the Peninsula Athletic League (PAL) Ocean division title, the Aragon boys varsity baseball team ultimately fell short in their attempt to split the season series against their rivals, the Hillsdale Knights. The week featured consecutive matches against the Knights. Earlier in the week, during the Aragon home game, both teams came into the contest with an undefeated record in league play, but after a strong eighth inning performance by the Knights, the Dons eventually succumbed and was dealt their first loss of the season off a 4-1 Knight victory.
With another matchup two days later on April 16, game two certainly did not lack excitement, featuring an entertaining showdown between the senior pitchers David Hermann of Aragon and Adam Schembri of Hillsdale. Locked in a scoreless game, one run would prove to be all Hillsdale needed.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, with a runner on third base, Hillsdale’s senior shortstop Riki Urata attempted a suicide squeeze to try and make a run towards home in order to get the Knights on the scoreboard. In the end, that one run proved to be the closing deal for Hillsdale as Aragon struggled to find a rhythm at any point in the contest. The final score of the game, 1-0, hands the Dons a two-game losing streak and overall record of 12-8, including a 6-2 league record. Meanwhile, the Knights still remain undefeated in league play.
With seven games remaining for the team en route to their mission for a Central Coast Section (CCS) playoff berth, the players are optimistic of their postseason chances.
Junior infielder Andrew Abbott says, “Overall, our team is playing at a very high level. We did struggle through a few games early on but we’ve bounced back on the road.”
Expectations were questionable for the team before the season started. Although possessing some of the best talent in the Ocean Division, many key seniors graduated from the previous year’s team. However, Hermann believes that the team has performed well in overcoming this obstacle, saying, “We have exceeded our expectations. We’ve faced our ups and downs this year but we have kept fighting. This team can be something special.”
Although it may seem as if Aragon has hit a bump in the road with their current losing streak, the team is still very much in contention for the league championship and CCS playoff berth.
Note: The Dons played against El Camino on Tuesday, after the paper was sent to the printers.
