Left without a title

For a photo gallery of this game, click here.

COSTA MESA — The day before Costa Mesa High played for its first baseball league championship since 1978, a member of that team gave the Mustangs a pep talk and a prediction.

Kirk Bauermeister talked about his experience that season as a captain, the fight to win it all in the last regular-season game.

Now he just waited Wednesday to see if this turned out to be the Mustangs’ year, as Costa Mesa and Calvary Chapel fought to the end.

When the game wrapped up, Bauermeister felt obligated to approach Costa Mesa Coach Jim Kiefer. He offered a handshake before saying a word.

“Hey, I had the right score,” Bauermeister said.

“Yes, you did,” Kiefer responded.

Unfortunately for the Mustangs, Calvary Chapel was the team winning 4-3 and taking the Orange Coast League title in the regular-season finale at Vanguard University.

Bauermeister, a former Costa Mesa coach and now TeWinkle Middle School principal, will have to wait at least another year for the Mustangs to make history as league champs.

Seven Costa Mesa seniors won’t be around next year if it does happen. One of those includes starting pitcher Andrew Millian (4-4).

For six innings, the right-hander dealt, striking out six and allowing four runs on seven hits to keep the Mustangs’ title hopes alive as long as he could. Millian was efficient, averaging 13.5 pitches per inning and he blanked the Eagles after the third inning.

But as Millian sat in the dugout, watching Calvary Chapel (16-12, 9-3 in league) rejoice on the field, he pointed out why the Mustangs (15-12, 8-4) lost their shot to finish first.

“We had three chances,” said Millian, referring to Costa Mesa dropping three straight league games to close out the regular season. “We played really bad the first two games [against Laguna Beach and Calvary Chapel], then we played good, [but the Eagles] played better.”

The Eagles proved why they’ve won three consecutive league titles, the past two in the Orange Coast League and the other in the Pacific Coast League. Timely hits and an impressive pitching performance by senior starter Steven DeArmand (7-1) propelled Calvary Chapel.

The left-hander went the distance, giving up one earned run and eight hits.

It was never easy for DeArmand, who threw 105 pitches, 71 for strikes. In the top of the fifth, Costa Mesa loaded the bases with no outs. DeArmand just bore down when it looked like the Mustangs were in business, trailing 4-3.

On the first pitch, a breaking ball, DeArmand induced a grounder toward the mound. He quickly turned a double play, firing it to the catcher, who threw a strike to first.

Five pitches later, with runners on third and second, DeArmand struck out a batter looking for the third out, resulting in his only strikeout of the game.

“I knew for a fact that I’m going to keep them from scoring,” said DeArmand, who went 5-0 in league play with three complete games. “I wasn’t going to allow anything to go through.”

Kiefer figured in a big game like Wednesday’s that might prove to be true before both teams enter the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs next week.

This will be the second straight postseason appearance for the Mustangs under Kiefer.

“We need to play well again and get some timely hitting,” said Kiefer, who will learn of his team’s opening-round opponent Monday, when the playoffs pairings are released. “I told them that this was a good learning opportunity for us in that when you get into these types of games, facing the other team’s best pitcher, you’re going to get one, maybe two opportunities in the game. You got to take advantage of it.”

Orange Coast League

Calvary Chapel 4, Costa Mesa 3

SCORE BY INNINGS

Millian and Hirsch; DeArmand and Coon. W – DeArmand, 7-1. L – Millian, 4-4. 2B – Holbrook (CC). 3B – Coon (CC). HR – James (CC).

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.