COMMUNITY COLLEGE REGIONAL BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Riverside Rallies to Eliminate Rancho Santiago

RIVERSIDE — Rancho Santiago seemingly had everything going its way Sunday afternoon. The Dons had already defeated Riverside once and appeared ready to do it again.

Rancho Santiago had a two-run lead going into the the ninth inning and J.J. Thobe, the Dons’ top reliever, was on the mound.

Thobe already had a single-season, school-record 11 saves. But Riverside rallied for three runs to stun Rancho Santiago, 10-9, and win a berth in the State tournament next weekend in Sacramento.

Mike Alto led off the inning with a single. Darvin Traylor followed with a single, and Larry Stahlhoefer with a sacrifice. Curt Callicott then lined the ball into the right-field corner to drive in both runners. Callicott tried for a triple, and though the ball beat him to the bag, his slide took him wide of it and he was ruled safe.

The call was so upsetting to Rancho Santiago catcher Robin Lindsey that he was ejected for arguing. He was replaced by Rene Arias. Matt McElreath was Riverside’s next batter and Rancho Santiago planned on giving him an intentional walk.

Arias stood up and signaled for the pitch to be thrown wide, but Thobe threw it close enough to the plate for McElreath to line it to left for a sacrifice fly to give Riverside a 10-9 lead.

Rancho Santiago’s Rod Reimers reached on a one-out error in the ninth. Ben Blomdahl, who had pitched a complete-game victory over the Dons on Friday, retired the next two batters for Riverside (36-13), which advances to the State tournament for the second consecutive season. Thobe (2-1) took the loss.

It was also the second consecutive season Rancho Santiago (41-11) has won the Orange Empire Conference, not been selected to host a regional, and then lost at Riverside.

“This team is still the champion of what I think is the best conference in the state,” Rancho Santiago Coach Don Sneddon said. “Who knows, maybe next year we will finish second or fourth or something and get to host a regional.”

Rancho Santiago won Sunday’s first game, 14-6, to force the second game. Scott McCorgary (6-1) allowed a run on four hits for the Dons.