Chargers are turned away

ANAHEIM — Bases loaded, one out in the top of the seventh, down 1-0.

The scenario looked promising. Jimmy Madden was the tying run, just 90 feet away Saturday night at Angel Stadium of Anaheim as the Edison High crowd rose one last time to cheer on the resilient Chargers.

Capistrano Valley senior pitcher Tyler Matzek, drafted No. 11 in Tuesday’s Major League Baseball Draft, had hit Madden and walked Kyle Jones and Eric Snyder, getting himself into plenty of trouble.

Then the big-time player made big-time pitches.

Matzek struck out back-to-back Edison batters as the Cougars held on for the 1-0 victory in the CIF Southern Section Division I championship baseball game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim.

It wasn’t the way it was supposed to end for the Chargers, who had more opportunities throughout the game than Capo Valley (26-6). Edison (23-6) left the bases loaded in the sixth inning as well, when Matzek came on in relief of Kevin Chambers and induced a foul-out to end the threat.

But Matzek was again the difference maker in the bottom of the inning, with his two-out home run to right on a 3-and-0 count proving the difference.

“I’m feeling on top of the world right now,” Matzek said after the game. “This is what I’ve always wanted.”

The Chargers were reluctant to walk No. 3 hitter Matzek in the sixth, because cleanup hitter Chambers was two for two at the time as well.

“Matzek is a great hitter,” said Edison senior pitcher Kurt Heyer, who had himself a great game as well by allowing one run on five hits, striking out five and walking none. “I didn’t think he was going to swing at the next pitch. I thought he was probably going to want to walk instead. I guess he the green light, and he got ahold of the ball and took it deep.”

Chambers finished three for three and also shut out the Chargers for 5 2/3 innings, but he was matched pitch for pitch by Heyer.

“Kurt pitched a great game,” Edison Coach Steve Lambright said. “He did what he was supposed to do the whole year; he gave us a chance to win the ballgame. These guys, they shouldn’t hang their heads. They might not be CIF Division I champions, but they’re champions in life. I think that’s more important.

“Capo was one run better than us tonight, and that’s the way it goes. Both teams played a great game. They’re a deserving champion.”

Snyder and Chris Czerniachowski were both two for three for Edison.

Matzek was high on many of his pitches in the seventh, allowing Edison to load the bases. But, when it came down to it, he got the outs he needed.

“The kid has poise,” Lambright said. “He’s got ice in his veins. We had chances to do it, but when you’re facing a 93 or 94-mile-per-hour fastball, it’s hard for high school hitters to catch up to it. Our guys don’t see that.”

After Matzek’s home run, the Arizona-bound Heyer stood on the mound, hands on hips, watching the spot where the ball landed.

Tough to take, but the Chargers had no reason to hang their heads. Edison, a relatively young team, should be strong again next year.

“We had a great season,” said Snyder, a sophomore. “The seniors played phenomenal, and the sophomores and juniors played great baseball together as well.”