RIPPING A HIT - Quartz Hill's Jack Sheeley hits a single against Knight in Wednesday's game. JOANNA GARCÍA/Valley Press

Rebels hold off Hawks

Quartz Hill scores two in seventh for 6-5 win

By ERIC HARDING
Valley Press Staff Writer

Franky Castillo's two-run single in the bottom of the seventh inning propelled the Quartz Hill Division A American Legion baseball team to a 6-5 win over Knight, which remains winless this summer.

After Quartz Hill coughed up a two-run lead in the top of the seventh inning, Joey Massari was beaned by Eric Umbarger's pitch to lead off the bottom half. After an intentional walk and a bunt single to load the bases, Castillo's line drive single to right field ended it.

"I was kind of nervous because I just made an error," Castillo said. "I was trying to make up for it."

Castillo acknowledged how big the win is because every team the Rebels face is pumped up to beat them. He also said the team was confident they would rally after Knight scored three runs in the seventh to take the lead.

"We had a good feeling we were going to come back," Castillo said. "We have a lot of good hitters on this team."

Pedro Gonzalez started Knight's comeback with a single up the middle against Quartz Hill reliever Sho Serrano. Chris Curtis walked, and Zach Glynn reached on a grounder to load the bases when the Rebels' throw to second was too late to get the lead runner.

Ryan Schneider followed with a line-drive single to right, as Knight took its first lead of the day 5-4.

Trevor Claudio put Knight on the scoreboard in the second with an RBI single to center, scoring Umbarger and cutting Quartz Hill's lead in half 2-1.

Glynn tied the score for Knight in the third with a solo home run to left field.

"My swing was looking ugly those first couple pitches, but I got a curveball up in the zone and just took care of it," Glynn said. "I thought we were going to be able to close it out, but we just lost it in the end."

Each starting pitcher threw well early, giving his team a chance to win late. Knight's Brandon Thomas settled down after allowing two runs in the first, and he was replaced after giving up three runs on four hits while striking out five in four innings.

Quartz Hill starter Jack Sheeley began the game by striking out Knight's first four batters, and he left after allowing two runs on six hits with six strike outs. Although Sheeley didn't think he or his team played its best game Wednesday, pulling out the victory was still significant.

"It wasn't my best outing, but I knew the team had my back," he said. "(The late rally) is big because it shows we have heart, especially when we get further in the playoffs. We know we can pull these off."

Sheeley is part of a handful of Quartz Hill juniors who got some experience last season as sophomores, and are expected to have an even bigger role next year.

He believes he and his returning teammates have gotten over a high school season that would have been good for most programs, but a down year for Quartz Hill standards.

"I'm pretty much past it," he said. "I'm just looking forward to next year. We feel we can take back the Golden League.

"We have to improve on working as a team and learning to play together. It's the small things that win ball games."

Knight's Edgar De La Riva finished 2-for-3, while Kyle Taisacan singled in his only at-bat in the fifth inning, and scored a run on Andrew Ayrado's double.

eharding@avpress.com