Sage falls out of first

NEWPORT COAST — Close games always have that back-breaking moment, especially when it is for first place in the league standings. However, Friday’s matchup between Academy League baseball powerhouses, Sage Hill School and Oxford Academy, may have broken some spirits as well.

In the top of seventh inning, with Oxford up by one, the Patriots’ Hayden Higger pounced on a fastball and cracked a two-run double to the right field fence to seal a 7-4 victory.

One minute, the home team is vying for one more shot to tie it in the last inning, the next minute it struggles to comprehend how such a drastic turn of events occurred.

Oxford pitcher Patrick Zajac retired the side in order in the seventh to end it.

Up until the seventh inning, each run scored by either team was answered in the very next inning as neither Sage Hill (10-5, 7-2 in league) nor Oxford (12-5, 8-1) led by more than one run for more than an inning.

It was a game of big hits and the lineup that produced one or two more, was going to win the game.

“It takes a total team effort no matter what you do,� Sage Hill Coach Andy Berglund said. “We had two or three fewer big hits than they did. Otherwise I think we can flip the scoreboard.�

Even with the loss, the positive comes from the fact that the big hits the Lightning did have came from all over the lineup.

No. 2 hitter Micheal Yorita had two hits and two runs, while starting pitcher Alex Jimenez lined a sixth-inning base-hit that nearly sparked a late rally.

The middle of the lineup did some damage as well with A.J. Wolfson continuing his hot streak and hitting two for three with a walk and a one-run double in the fifth. Mo Kreitenberg stepped up big with a run-scoring single and a double that resulted in a run for Sage Hill.

But when two top teams like these meet, good hitting is always reciprocated.

Emotions, on the other hand, are not. Tempers among fans and coaches were heavy handed toward the later innings considering the implications of the game. Oxford now stands alone in first place and has a better chance for a higher seed in the playoffs.

“These games are always intense and it gets emotional,� Berglund said. “There is usually some interesting dialogue going on between the coaches and parents which makes it tough to lose games like this but it is what it is.�

This is far from the end for Sage Hill, however. Oxford had a previous league loss and may slip up and leave a window of opportunity open for the Lightning to maybe regain a share of the league title. The teams were co-champs last year.

Oxford, ranked No. 5 in the CIF Southern Section Division VI coaches’ poll, won the CIF title last year.

Friday’s loss mainly means Sage, ranked No. 6 in CIF Division VI, will have to win out for the rest of league play but with offensive and defensive prowess shown in this week’s series with Oxford, the Lightning are up for the challenge.

“I told the guys, no matter what happened in this game, our goals are still intact,� Berglund said. “We are still going to fight for an Academy League championship and fight for a deep run in CIF. And I think that is realistic with this team because we definitely have some horses that can carry us.�

Sage will play host to Pasadena Poly today.

Academy League

Oxford Academy 7, Sage Hill 4

SCORE BY INNINGS

Oxford 010 310 2 - 7 9 2

Sage 100 120 0 - 4 8 2

Criss, Zajac (5) and H. Higger; Jimenez, Vogel (6) and Orrantia. W – Criss, 4-1. L – Jimenez, 5-2. 2B – Zajac (OA) 2, Criss (OA), Foutris (OA), H. Higger (OA); Wolfson (SH), Kreitenberg (SH).