Sea Kings rally to widen PCL lead

Steve Virgen

Emotion and momentum bounced from dugout to dugout at Corona del Mar

High. Two teams literally slugged it out while using the intangibles

Tuesday. This, apparently, is what happens when two teams battle for

first place in the Pacific Coast League.

CdM found something extra -- a quiet confidence -- and came from

four runs behind to produce an 11-9 victory over Calvary Chapel. The

Sea Kings’ Nos. 7 and 8 batters, Nick Palchikoff and Wess Presson,

provided much of CdM’s offense and showed that the win was what most

coaches call “a team victory.”

Palchikoff stepped up with a two-out, RBI double that scored

pinch-runner Ryan Rhodes for the go-ahead run in the bottom of the

sixth. Palchikoff also scored three runs, earned two RBIs and drew

two walks. Presson smacked a two-run home run in the second inning

and finished with four RBIs, including the one on a single that

brought in an insurance run in the sixth.

“We’re never going to give up,” said Presson, who now has three

home runs. “That’s the thing about our team, we have really good team

chemistry. So, I knew we were going to come back the whole time.”

CdM Coach John Emme was also confident, even when CdM trailed,

9-5, going into the bottom of the fifth.

“There was never a need to panic,” Emme said. “Certainly, we

didn’t want to keep giving them four runs every inning, but once

Blake [Contant] settled down, we knew he would be capable of shutting

them down because he has been great lately.

“We’ve been able to [rally before], but this win was special,” he

continued. “To be in a game for first place and to battle back like

that, tells you about the heart of this team.”

The Sea Kings (12-6, 8-2 in league) scored four runs in the fifth,

as Calvary’s relief pitcher struggled. He walked six of the first

eight batters he faced. Presson and Contant walked with the bases

loaded and two out to score Barrett Sprowl and Todd Macklin. Sprowl

went 3 for 4 and scored three runs.

The Eagles (7-11, 6-4) brought Andrew Gomez to the mound, but

senior Keith Long quickly answered with a two-run double over the

right-fielder’s head to tie the score, 9-9.

Gomez, the designated hitter at the No. 4 spot, led Calvary with a

3-for-4 performance that included a two-run home run in the third.

“We let one get away,” Eagle Coach Ryan Elliott said. “We do have

the ability to put up runs. We scored 12 runs on them the first time

and nine this time, so we know we can score. We’re averaging just

under seven runs a game and that should win a game.”

Calvary Chapel defeated CdM, 12-4, March 28 and that was the last

time the Sea Kings suffered a PCL loss. To be able to rally and exact

revenge made the victory all the sweeter, Palchikoff and Presson

said.

“This is probably our biggest win of the season, “ Palchikoff

said. “We lost to them the first time so we really wanted revenge.”

Emme explained the ability of Palchikoff and Presson in regard to

their position in the lineup.

“I could move 7 and 8 to 2 and 3 and I would be OK,” Emme said.

“Sometimes people may get fooled into the fact that they think

they’re facing an 8 hitter when they could easily be the No. 1 or 2

or 3 guy. That’s the nice thing about having depth.”

In the top of the seventh, the Eagles had the tying run at the

plate. But Contant put the exclamation point on CdM’s comeback with a

strikeout to end the game. The Calvary Chapel batter swung and

missed.

The Sea King crowd erupted, while Contant raised his fist in the

air and then walked into Emme’s arms for a celebratory hug.

Contant came on relief in the fourth. He struggled early, allowing

three runs, but he recorded three shutout innings to close out the

game. He struck out four and walked two.

CdM and Calvary meet again Friday at 3:15 p.m. at Vanguard

University.

*--*

Pacific Coast League

CdM 11, Cal. Chapel 9 Score by Innings

Calvary 213 300 0 -- 9 9 1

CdM 023 042 x -- 11 9 2

Skaar, S. Williams (5), Gomez (5) and

Holt; Bradbury, Contant (4) and

Marin-Finn. W -- Contant, 4-2. L -- S.

Williams, 0-3. 2B -- Gomez (CC), S.

Williams (CC), Skaar (CC), Long (CdM),

Palchikoff (CdM). HR -- Mermer (CC), Gomez

(CC), Presson (CdM)

*--*