Chargers headed to Anaheim

LONG BEACH — The nasty, knee-buckling curveball on a full count was supposed to be a fastball.

Edison High sophomore pitcher Henry Owens crossed up senior catcher Donald Sneed, but the result — a strikeout of Mater Dei’s Cory Hahn to end the fifth inning — was all good.

“For some reason, I thought we were throwing a curveball,” Owens said.

It didn’t matter. Both pitches were working for Owens, who was dominant all night in Tuesday’s CIF Southern Section Division I semifinal game at Blair Field. He allowed no earned runs and struck out 10 as the Chargers outlasted Mater Dei, 2-1, before a near-capacity crowd.

With runners on second and third and one out in the bottom of the seventh, junior shortstop Kyle Jones’ single up the middle scored senior Ryan Little, lifting Edison into the championship game Saturday.

The Chargers (23-5) will play Capistrano Valley (25-6) at 7:30 p.m. at Angel Stadium of Anaheim, trying to win their second CIF title and first since 2001.

“I thought he would throw a fastball, because he was fresh out of the pen,” Jones said of his game-winning hit off Mater Dei reliever Matt Blanchard. “I just expected it and put a bat on it, found the hole ... I never dreamed I would play [at Angel Stadium]. It’s a dream come true.”

Owens, who improved to 9-1, allowed just five hits and two walks.

“He pitched great,” Mater Dei Coach Burt Call said. “He kept us off-balance, mixed it up. I give him a lot of credit.”

The Monarchs (24-6) scored an unearned run in the sixth inning, as a two-out squibber down the third-base line got by Edison senior third baseman Ryan Miller. It was ruled an error, although it just as easily could have been an RBI single for Mater Dei’s Ryan Teel.

But it was Miller who sacrificed Little and Tanner Phillips over in the seventh, putting the Chargers 90 feet away from victory.

“It’s a team effort, no matter what,” Owens said. “Miller was all down on himself when he missed that ball, but that’s a tough play down the line. He comes back and gets down that bunt to move the runners over, and that was huge.”

Edison went ahead 1-0 in the fourth inning. Senior Chris Czerniachowski (two for three), led off with a single and went to second on a wild pitch. With two outs, Little’s single to left scored the run.

Mater Dei, meanwhile, was only retired in order in two innings, but Owens had the answers when he needed them. His nickname on the team is Cole Hamels, Sneed said, due to his resemblance to the Phillies pitcher.

“They just couldn’t catch up to his fastball,” Sneed said. “He was throwing gas. Before the game, I told him, ‘Be you.’ I knew he would get it done.”

Capistrano Valley beat Riverside Poly, 2-1, in the earlier semifinal at Blair Field. Senior standout Tyler Matzek threw a complete game, leaving him eligible for three innings on Saturday.

Capo Valley is likely to start senior Kevin Chambers, while Edison counters with senior Kurt Heyer.

“This team has done everything I’ve asked them to do from Day One, and now we’re a couple days away from going to Angel Stadium,” Edison Coach Steve Lambright said. “I couldn’t be more proud of them. Their work ethic and their attitudes have been top-notch. It’s just great to see the smiles on their faces.

“It’s a special time for Edison baseball.”