Simon Says Bishop Amat Advances

After 61/2 innings of theatrics that featured a five-run rally, a three-run home run that tied the score and two teams that refused to back down, La Puente Bishop Amat High asked its ace right-hander, Adam Simon, to come out of center field and pitch one inning of relief, with a trip to the championship game at stake.

“That’s why I play the game,” Simon said. “That’s why I want to be the pitcher.”

Simon shut out West Hills Chaminade in the seventh, striking out Andrew Yaffe with the tying run on base to give Bishop Amat an 8-7 victory Tuesday in a Southern Section Division IV semifinal game at Lake Balboa Birmingham High.

Top-seeded Bishop Amat (27-2), which has won 25 consecutive games, will meet Westminster La Quinta, a 12-3 winner over Oak Park, in Saturday’s final.

Chaminade (23-8) fell behind, 7-2, in the sixth after giving up four unearned runs. But the Eagles rallied for five runs in the bottom of the sixth, tying the score when UC Irvine-bound Cody Haerther hit a towering three-run home run to right field.

Bishop Amat went back ahead in the seventh off reliever Sean Clark, getting consecutive doubles from Jordan Swaydan and Mike Lange.

Simon (12-0) had three hits Tuesday and picked up his first save in eliminating the Eagles for the second consecutive season in the semifinals. He will start on the mound in Saturday’s final at Edison Field after playing center field in last season’s final at Dodger Stadium.

Chaminade finished with 12 hits, including two each by Haerther, Kevin Steinhardt and Jared Link.