The doubleheader that Arroyo Seco wished to avoid at all costs never materialized, as left fielder Ryan Doeppel set the scene for a twilight celebration with a one-out, bases-loaded single through the right side of San Gabriel Valley’s drawn-in infield for a 2-1 nine-inning win.
Catcher Matt Quintero, one of the few holdovers from the 2007 Arroyo Seco squad that was eliminated by San Gabriel Valley en route to its second consecutive Babe Ruth World Series title, crossed the plate for the winning run.
“It was nice to end the game,” said the 2006 St. Francis High graduate, who went one for three with a run batted in and led off the ninth with an infield single. “This is my third year playing against these guys. We lost to them three years in a row and finally we get them in the ninth — it’s a great game and I love playing these guys.
“It’s nice to know we beat the champion from last year and it gives us [more confidence] knowing we can go in the next round and take it and go on and possibly win a championship.”
Arroyo Seco second baseman Kyle Wong, a 2007 St. Francis grad, moved Quintero to third with no outs in the ninth when he reached base on a throwing error on a bunt.
San Gabriel Valley, which had won three of the last four World Series titles, intentionally walked the bases full and, after a popout to third base for the first out, was in position to keep the game going with a double play before Doeppel’s high chopper ended it.
With the score tied from the bottom of the fourth on, the drama and tension only grew in the later frames.
San Gabriel loaded the bases with one out on back-to-back singles by Jeff Gelalich and Mike Edwards in the top of the seventh, but Arroyo Seco starter Ramiro Carreon escaped on a strikeout and foul popup.
