BASEBALL: Late Game Heroics Push Milpitas Past Lynbrook

Milpitas 3, Lynbrook 2

The Star: Senior starting pitcher Evan Short worked quickly, kept his opponents off balance and gave his team a chance to win in a Santa Clara Valley Athletic League El Camino Division matchup against Thursday afternoon.

The right-hander retired the first six hitters he faced, pitching six strong innings for the Vikings.

After Lynbrook evened the score up at two in the top half of the seventh, the host team broke the backs of the visitors with a two-out walk off an RBI single to end the game. Milpitas won the game, 3-2. The Trojans outlasted Lynbrook 7-6 earlier in the week.

 The Turning Point: : Five of the first eight batters of the game for Lynbrook reached base causing Milpitas High head coach Chuy Zamudio to make a tough decision early. The coach pulled all the right strings on Thursday, none bigger than taking the ball from his starter who had trouble finding the strike zone in the first two innings and handing it over to freshman Ronnie Reed.

Reed came right in and quickly worked his team out of the second inning jam. He struck out the first Lynbrook hitter to face him looking, then got a fielder’s choice out and a clutch inning-ending grab by right fielder Anthony Paz to leave two runners stranded.

The freshman’s poise on the hill kept his team close. Reed pitched six strong innings in relief, striking out three and only allowing one earned run.

Lynbrook left four runners on base in the first two innings of play.

 The Quote: “It’s a good sign for Lynbrook baseball to play with a team like Milpitas,” Lynbrook head coach Ken Wallis said. “It’s a disappointing loss, but we played good defense, pitched well and had our chances to win the game.”

 Despite a bumpy start in league play, Lynbrook’s youth has its head coach excited about what’s to come.

 “We have more sophomores on the team than seniors,” Wallis said. “This is probably the best offensive lineup we’ve had in the last 10 years. Everyone can play and hit, plus I have four guys on the bench that I know can contribute too.”

 What's Next? Lynbrook will look to bounce back next week against -Palo Alto. The first of two meetings next week takes place on Tuesday afternoon at Lynbrook High.

Bottom Line: Two-out hits killed the visitors on Thursday. Milpitas scored all three runs off two out hits, including the walk-off game winner in the bottom of the seventh.

Junior Michael Lee put the Vikings on the board with a RBI single into the gap in the first. Down 2-1 going into the final inning of play, Lee struck again with a clutch RBI triple that scored one. The patient approach at the plate paid off as the middle of the order hitter worked the count until he got a juicy fastball that he could drive. However, Lee’s day ended in frustration rather than elation. Because of a runner interference call on a bunt play towards first base, Lee was forced to go back to third base after he had safely touched home to give Lynbrook a 3-2 edge.

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Milpitas 3, Lynbrook 2

M 9 0 1 0 2 4 4- 3 6 0

L 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 – 2 8 0

WP: Reed. LP: Calhoun

Records: Milpitas 7-3-1, 3-3 El Camino. Lynbrook 4-5, 1-4 El Camino.