When you win your first San Diego Section baseball championship in school history — dating back to 1894 — that’s a big deal.
So much so that it figured to be a psychological challenge to get up for a Southern California Regional playoff game. Especially without your leadoff hitter and starting second baseman, Blake Hollopeter, who was in Annapolis, Maryland, for previously scheduled Naval Academy pre training.
“Yes, all of that is true, but that isn’t a good excuse,” said first-year head coach Chris Bertolero, after his Ramona Bulldogs fell behind Rancho Mirage 4-0 after two innings and couldn’t catch up in the school’s first trip to the Regionals, losing 7-3.
“We had come from behind to win a ton of games, scoring 74 runs after two outs. That was one of our strengths and how we won the school’s first section title, but after watching the infield and outfield warm up before the Regionals, I could tell they just weren’t right, they looked drained.
“The first inning we made too many mental mistakes and their pitcher did a good job. It seemed like the whole town came out to watch, our biggest crowd of the year, and they were very ive.
“When the game was over, I told the players to hold their heads high after a great season. These guys hate losing, but when I reminded them that they were going to be fitted for their CIF Championship rings and hang the school’s first baseball championship banner, they came around.”
Had the Bulldogs easily won the section Division 4 title, it might have been a different story, but the 8-6 win over Otay Ranch at the University of San Diego was one of these gut-wrenching, come-from-behind victories.
Down 5-1 after two innings, the Bulldogs rode junior Colton Simpson’s 4-for-4 game with a pair of doubles and three RBI to go ahead with two runs in the top of the seventh inning before turning to steady senior relief pitcher Seth Gaines who shut out the Mustangs the last two innings, coaxing a game-ending double play for the win.
Before that, senior ace pitcher Jakob Coxen had come in and slammed the door on Otay Ranch, yielding just one unearned run over four innings, allowing the Bulldogs to catch up.
“They were so excited, celebrating, jumping up and down — it was awesome,” recalled Bertolero. “It was the school’s first-ever CIF championship (the section was formed in 1960) after the first Valley League title since 1957. Again, we had a big crowd celebrating with them.”
That gave the Bulldogs their 12th straight victory, winning 19 of their last 21 games before the Regionals, which were started state-wide last year.
“While they’re the same kids off the field, it’s a big difference between junior varsity and varsity,” Bertolero said. “The difference is now they’re varsity players, they already know the expectations. On the junior varsity, you’re learning, developing your skills. You see kids who are 14-year-old sophomores grow up before your eyes. They become responsible for their actions.
“We had nine players who batted .300 or better, including three sophomores — Derek Taylor, Zack Nightingale and first baseman Tallon Ogilvie, leading the way.”
Taylor batted .447 with a team-high 42 hits that included nine doubles and three homers, 42 runs scored and 21 RBI.
Ogilvie hit .391 and against Rancho Mirage went 3-for-3 with a home run. In the field, he made just four errors on 179 chances, a heady .977 average.
Nightingale batted an even .400 with 38 hits, 31 RBI and three home runs.
Bertolero was the junior varsity coach for 25 years before this season, but he could tell it was a whole different ball game to which the team adapted and came together after a 4-5 start where both players and coaches were adjusting.
The Bulldogs lose eight seniors but return a half-dozen juniors, five sophomores plus a wealth of talent off the junior varsity, which also won the Valley League.
“I believe if everything goes right, we could be even better next year,” said Bertolero who is already scouting the town’s Pony League team that feeds the high school. “But this was an awesome experience.”
