St. Paul beats Santa Fe in rivalry game
St. Paul pitcher Ethan Moran (24) makes a pitch as they play Santa Fe in their non-league game at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs on Tuesday. St. Paul defeated Santa Fe 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
WHITTIER – It was just a neighborhood rivalry between two schools that have had some tough losses of late.
St. Paul had lost seven of the last 10 and Santa Fe had lost six of eight, with both teams having a couple of lopsided losses.
Tuesday however, was different.
With both teams battling all the way, St. Paul edged out the visiting Chiefs, 3-2, in a nonleague game.
“It’s a neighborhood deal,” St. Paul Baseball coach Casey Morales said. “When you’re competing against your neighbor and somebody that you want to one up, those results live for a long time. It means a lot.
“These guys were going after it and I thought we got one heck of a pitching performance from our whole staff (Wednesday).”
With the game tied, 2-2, in the fifth inning, the Swordsmen (6-8) pushed across the go-ahead run with two outs and held on for the win.
“Ethan Moran (5.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 6 K) came out and got it going and battled through some situations that easily could have gone awry for him,” Morales added. “He did a great job there.”
St. Paul's Gordon Gandara (12) slides in at second base as Santa Fe shortstop Cameron Palomo (27) tries for the ball in their non-league game at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs on Tuesday. St. Paul defeated Santa Fe 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
Santa Fe (5-10) opened the scoring in the top of the first when leadoff hitter Ryan Galvan was hit by a pitch. He eventually scored on a wild pitch to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead.
St. Paul answered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning.
Leadoff hitter Xander Orozco was hit by a pitch and scored on a double to center field off the fence by senior catcher Elias Gomez (1 for 3, R, RBI).
After a walk to junior Sahir Gomez and a single by junior Jimmy Salas (2 for 3, RBI), a bases-loaded walk to Isaiah Castillo forced in Elias Gomez for the second run and 2-1 lead.
Galvan (0-2), who pitched six innings, settled in and allowed only two hits and struck out seven through the fifth inning.
Meanwhile, Moran struck out five batters through the next four innings and stranded two Santa Fe runners on third in the second and fourth innings. Included in that stretch, Moran struck out the side in the third inning.
The Chiefs finally tied the game up at 2-2 in the fifth inning, with a two-out rally. Junior left fielder Roman Macias singled to center and came home on a single to left by Galvan.
The Swordsmen again answered in the bottom half of the inning with a go-ahead run. It proved to be the difference.
With two outs, senior Sean Garcia singled to right field and advanced to second when Galvan attempted a pickoff for the third error of the game for the Chiefs.
Salas hit a sharp single to left field and took off for second on the throw in from the Santa Fe left fielder.
As Santa Fe catcher Brandon Aranda threw back to second trying to get Salas, the shortstop cut off the throw and threw it wild to home and Garcia scored the third run.
The Chiefs came right back and were threatening to tie the game up as senior right fielder Jayme Valdez hit a one-out single to center.
Valdez stole second and went to third on a passed ball.
After the sixth strikeout by Moran in the game and the second out of the inning, Morales went to the bullpen.
Senior right handed pitcher Gordon Gandara came in and got a ground out to end the Santa Fe threat.
St. Paul's Sean Garcia (7) slides in at second base after an errant pick off play ahead of the throw to Santa Fe shortstop Cameron Palomo (27) in their non-league game at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs on Tuesday. St. Paul defeated Santa Fe 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
“One of the biggest outs of the year was Gordon Gandara having to come in and get a guy with the tying run on third base,” Morales said. “He did a great job and battled back from a 3-0 count to get a ground ball and get us out of the inning.”
Santa Fe’s Macias came in to relieve Galvan and stranded a runner on third in the St. Paul sixth.
“We’re struggling and not getting timely hits,” Santa Fe Baseball coach Pierre Romo said. “It didn’t look good and we’re not getting better. “We just have to make the adjustments. We’re fortunate to not have any issues with Covid, but it shows on the field that we haven’t been around it for awhile and we can’t pick it up.”
Next up for St. Paul is another local rival, La Serna, on Saturday (April 24). The nonleague game begins at 10 am at St. Paul.
Santa Fe, which rebounded after the St. Paul loss and 1-0 shutout of Whittier (3-4), Wednesday, will play a Del Rio League game today (Friday, April 23) at El Rancho. Game time is 3:15 p.m.
St. Paul head coach Casey Morales visits pitcher Ethan Moran (24) on the mound as they play Santa Fe in their non-league game at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs on Tuesday. St. Paul defeated Santa Fe 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
What they said
Ethan Moran, St. Paul Sr. pitcher: “From my last start, I thought I needed to bounce back. I knew this game I tried to help my team out.
“I wanted to do my best and compete (Tuesday).
“From our season getting cut short last year, I think all of the seniors and even some of the freshmen and sophomores, they just tried to bring everyone up and know that any moment the season could get cut. They just tried their best and hope for the best.
“I love the game and love seeing my teammates hit and having fun and it gets my mind off of things. I was happy that I got the win.”
Ryan Galvan, Santa Fe Sr. Pitcher: “I came in and tried to do the best that I could for my team. Things didn’t go our way in the beginning. I struggled in the first inning, but then I gathered myself in the second, third and fourth and tried my best.”
“On his run scored on the wild pitch in the first inning: “I seen it (ball) kick away and I had an opportunity to go. We were down and we needed something to pick us up.”
Santa Fe pitcher Ryan Galvan (7) makes a pitch in their non-league game at St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs on Tuesday. St. Paul defeated Santa Fe 3-2. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)