Eagles strike gold

Barry Faulkner

Perseverance, poise and passion had more to do with Estancia High’s

8-3 baseball victory over visiting Santiago Tuesday than the Eagles’

choice of jerseys.

But, after capturing their second victory in 12 games and halting

a six-game losing streak in a 13th-place semifinal of the Pride of

the Coast tournament, the Eagles are not about to scoff at

superstition.

“We’re wearing these uniforms [today] and we’re not even washing

them,” said Estancia senior Jeremy Hauser, who tossed a complete-game

six-hitter to get the victory in his first mound start of the season.

Hauser said Coach Jon Green called the players at home Monday

night to instruct them to wear the gold cotton jerseys for Tuesday’s

game. The jerseys had served as winter-ball uniforms and had never

before been worn in an official varsity game.

“The guys don’t really like these jerseys, but we’re amped up to

wear them now,” Hauser said.

Estancia appeared somewhat less energized to begin Tuesday’s game

as the first two Cavaliers reached on infield errors and later scored

unearned runs to put the hosts behind.

The Eagles scored an unearned run of their own in the third, but

surrendered a run in the fourth and trailed, 3-1, heading into the

fifth.

With two outs in the Estancia fifth, Mike McDaniels singled in

Cullen Crom, who had walked to start the inning.

Matt Ronquillo followed with an RBI triple to pull the hosts

within one and Eric Scheafer beat out an RBI infield single to tie

the game.

Brad Young’s single put runners on the corners and an error

produced another run. After a walk loaded the bases, senior catcher

Cullen Crom doubled off the left-field fence for two more runs and

Hauser did the rest.

“I’ve been asking the coaches for a chance to start,” said Hauser,

who pitched as a junior, but had played exclusively at shortstop this

spring, until Tuesday. “I pitched my heart out and never let up.”

Hauser also had two hits and a stolen base, while Ronquillo, Young

and Ryan Gleason also had two hits for the winners, who play at

Newport Harbor today at noon in the 13th-place game.

Santiago fell to 2-11.

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Pride of the Coast tournament 13th-place

semifinal

Estancia 8, Santiago 3

Score by Innings

Santiago 200 100 0 -- 3 6 3

Estancia 001 061 x -- 8 12 3

Toloza, Perez (5) and Cabral; Hauser and

Crom. W -- Hauser, 1-0. L -- Toloza. 2B --

Silva (S), Toloza (S), Crom (E). 3B --

Ronquillo (E).

*--*