Hard slide lifts Highlander baseball team over Simi Valley
Rivalry game played under protest
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST- Royal's Matt Magill hits the game-winning single in the eighth inning to beat rival Simi Valley.

Although Simi Valley High head coach Matt La Belle was hoping Royal junior Mike Vinyard barreled into second base illegally in the eighth inning on Wednesday, it was the crosstown rival Highlanders that slid past the Pioneers in the Marmonte League standings.

After a controversial play, in which Vinyard went into second base to break up a double play, was deemed legal, RHS junior Matt Magill hit a flare to right field to knock in Andy Morris and give Royal a 9-8 victory.

The win puts the Highlanders' league record at 7-5, a half game ahead of Simi Valley, who are now 6-5-1. The Pioneers are in fourth place in the Marmonte, just a half game ahead of Calabasas and Westlake, both of whom improved to 6-6 with victories on Wednesday.

"Before this game I told my team that we were going to treat it like it was the last game of the year," Royal head coach Dan Maye said. "If we had to use all of our pitchers, we would. We would worry about Friday's game when Friday came."

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers A STEP TOO LATE- Royal first baseman Chris Rock stretches to make the play before Simi's Eric Bernstein can reach the bag.

Thankfully for the Highlanders, Magill was able to pitch a perfect eighth inning and keep the score deadlocked at eight. In the bottom half of the inning, Kenny Walden laced a single to right with one out. Morris pinch ran for Walden, and Vinyard then followed with a single of his own to left to put runners on first and second.

Tanner Peters hit a slow ground ball to shortstop Jonathan Meyer, who momentarily juggled the ball before flipping it to second baseman Matt Orloff for the second out of the inning. Peters was safe at first after Orloff decided to hold on to the ball, and Royal had runners at first and third. That's when La Belle decided to argue the call.

La Belle claimed Vinyard had made contact with Orloff after sliding through second base. If this was the case, Peters would automatically be out at first and the teams would've gone into the ninth inning tied at eight.

However, the umpire ruled contact was made on the base, and any contact made after that was a direct result of the legal slide. La Belle decided to protest the game with the league, but as of late Thursday night a decision still hadn't been made and Royal remained the winning team.

"My argument is that just because a player makes contact on the base, that doesn't mean that contact should continue after going through the base," La Belle said. "The rule was made to protect the players playing short and second base."

With runners on first and third, La Belle decided to intentionally walk Mike Long to set up a force play at every base. It wouldn't matter though, as Magill delivered the game-winning-hit.

"I just went up to the plate looking to make contact and put the ball in play," Magill said. "Their pitchers did a good job today, and I knew I had to go up there and battle hard. This was a big win for us that really helped us in the standings."

The game had gone into extra innings after Royal was unable to hold an 8-4 lead in the seventh.

Pinch hitter Jordan Flores led off the inning with a double for the Pioneers. After Jeff Forgerson hit a pop out to center, Chris Talley walked.

Chance Cross then doubled for his third hit of the game to drive in Flores. Jake Reed and Jonathan Meyer then had consecutive RBI singles to cut Royal's lead to 8-7. After Kyle Raskin walked to load the bases, Orloff hit a groundball in which RHS could only get a force out at second. The game was tied at eight.

Simi Valley pitcher Drew Sandler retired the Highlanders in the bottom half of the seventh to force extra innings.

"The rivalry between Simi and us has been down for a little while, but it seems like it is back," Maye said. "I think we swung the bats better against them today than we did last time. Hitting can be contagious. If you have one guy that starts hitting the ball hard, then the whole team wants to do the same."

Walden and Vinyard led the Highlander offensive attack with three hits each. Long had two hits and a walk, while starting pitcher Peters also contributed with two hits and an RBI. Peters was also effective on the mound, striking out eight Pioneers in five innings of work.

Royal plays today at Newbury Park. The Highlanders final league game is Wednesday at home against Westlake.

Simi Valley hosts Agoura this afternoon. The Pioneers' final league game is Wednesday at Calabasas. Calabasas plays at Westlake today. All game times are slated for 3:30 p.m.