Mt. Carmel Ties for Palomar Title, Awaits Coin Flip to Select Top Seeding

As far as Fallbrook High School’s baseball players were concerned, Joe Brownholtz’s pickoff move was as expected as rain in Seattle.

Players expect Roger Clemens’ fastball, too.

Brownholtz, who had picked off a runner earlier, nabbed another with two out and two on in the seventh inning, giving host Mt. Carmel a 2-0 victory Friday that ended the regular season for both clubs and possibly Fallbrook’s for good.

Speaking of expectations, Mt. Carmel fulfilled another: At least a share of the Palomar League title.

The Sundevils and Poway, a 5-4 winner against Orange Glen Friday, finished tied for first. Each beat the other once.

Today, via a conference call, Orange Glen Athletic Director Bill Rutledge will flip a coin, deciding the league’s No. 1 team for the section playoffs.

“I’m not happy about that,” said Mt. Carmel Coach Sam Blalock. “We have to come up with a better way of (breaking ties).

“I think the best way would be total bases or the team that has allowed the fewest runs.”

The Sundevils have won seven Palomar titles in the league’s nine years--including a tri-title with Orange Glen and Vista in 1980--and three section titles.

Mt. Carmel won its last six to finish 20-10 and 10-2. Fourth-place Fallbrook (14-10, 6-6) was the last team to beat Mt. Carmel. That victory and another against San Pasqual, Fallbrook Coach Dave Heid said, should help warrant an at-large berth at tonight’s section tournament seeding meeting.

Mt. Carmel certainly will be defending its section title. No doubt Brownholtz, who was cut twice last year, has bolstered its repeat chances.

A 5-foot 10-inch left-hander, Brownholtz raised his record to 9-1 by allowing only three hits.

Brownholtz avoids the limelight. But his reputation for allowing few runs helped him on the game’s other key play.

With Mt. Carmel runners on second and third and one out, Heid had his middle infielders play on the grass--though it was scoreless in the third inning.

Sundevil Mark King spoiled the strategy by driving a grounder past second baseman Chris Dalton, scoring Chris Lofthus and Dan Warnock.

When Fallbrook threatened, it was first baseman Lofthus who signaled to Brownholtz in the seventh for the pickoff try. Lofthus broke behind the runner, Mike Turiace, who ran toward second as the first-base coach yelled, “Back.” Turiace was trapped in a rundown.

“Joey has a lot of decoys,” Lofthus said. “It’s our called play. The runner was jumpy. We had talked about it the inning before.”

The play typified Mt. Carmel’s savvy play of late, Blalock said.

“This team has been one of the most rewarding to be around, because they’ve done it, they’ve taken things upon themselves,” he said.