Half the defense made at least one great play, two pitchers had clutch performances, and after seven innings there was only one run scored—in other words, it was a Millikan Rams kind of baseball game, as the East Long Beach scrappers picked up a 1-0 win over Villa Park in the second round of the CIF playoffs.  Millikan now advances to the quarterfinals, where thanks to a huge upset win by Poly/Riverside over JSerra, they’ll be hosting the Bears on Friday, likely at Blair in the early evening—stay tuned for details.

Asked about his team’s razor-edge defensive effort, Rams coach Scott Glasser just smiled.  “Yeah, that’s our recipe to win a game this year.”

Even for Millikan, this one was close—Villa Park left nine base-runners stranded (eight in the first four innings), any one of whom would have erased the Rams’ slim margin by crossing home plate.  Starting pitcher Andrew Culver allowed no hits in 4.2 innings, but walked six Spartans and hit another—both his strikeouts came at crucial times, though, and he did a good job battling despite struggling to throw strikes early.

And of course, the defense stepped up—outfielder Cody Hazel made two great catches in the first couple innings, third baseman Matt Clampitt’s smooth fielding kept a Spartan run off the board in the bottom of the third, and diminutive shortstop Ralphie Davis played very tall to get the second out in the fifth inning.  The one mistake the Rams did make, a dropped fly to center field, nearly cost them big in the fourth—the Spartans’ best scoring chance.

Culver got the first Spartan to ground out, and then Wyatt Strahan reached second on the dropped fly.  Culver’s struck out the next batter to put two outs on the board, but then walked the next two batters, loading the bases.  Even though he hadn’t given up any hits, Glasser knew he had to pull Culver.  “It was time to pull the trigger,” he said after the game.  “It’s the end of the season if you make the wrong call.  I couldn’t let him hang out there any longer.”

Millikan ace Josh Frye, pitching in relief, made his coach look smart as he gave his teammate the assist by striking out the next batter for the third out.  Frye moved at his usual quick pace from that point, facing only six batters in the fifth and sixth, and striking out two to start the seventh (Frye had four strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work).  Then he gave up Villa Park’s only hit when Jordan Beck singled—a ground out to Clampitt ended the game.  Frye, who pitched a complete game against Mission Viejo in round one, said his arm wasn’t feeling tired, and that he’d be ready to start in the quarters.  “I could go a few more innings right now, I think,” he said after the game.

The lone run came in the top of the third, partially as the result of another role player’s efforts.  After Millikan went three up-three down in each of the first two innings, their offensive prospects were looking bleak.  Designated hitter Adam Annella, batting seventh in the order, started the third off with a hard-hit single over the third baseman.  Brandon Dopplick struck out after fouling off five balls and making Spartans pitcher Nolan Hoppie work, then Davis laid down a nice sac bunt to move Annella over.  Brandon Sadler’s single put men on the corners with two outs, and a heavy need to score. 

Fortunately, Jon Singleton, the Rams’ best hitter, was up next, and he delivered, with an RBI single down the first-base line.  Annella scored, then Hazel ground out to end the inning. 

It was a big moment for Annella, who’s been an off-the-bench role player all season.  “It meant a lot,” he said after the game.  “I was so excited to see my name in the lineup as the designated hitter, I just wanted to go out there and do my best.”  Annella was the only consistent hitter on either team, going 3-3 on the day.  The one run had to be enough for the Rams, who otherwise struggled on offense—in five of seven innings, they only brought three batters to the plate

After the game, Glasser was satisfied both with his team’s ability to play their kind of game, and with their emotional maturity.  “I’m most proud that we’re here in a tough environment, in Orange County, and my kids didn’t feel like they were getting the calls—but they didn’t let it bother them.”  The quintessential Millikan win propels the Rams into an environment both familiar—Blair Field—and unexpected—the quarterfinals of the Division 1 playoff bracket.

After a 2-6 start, it’s no wonder Glasser could only shake his head and say, “The quarterfinals…I wouldn’t have even imagined.”

Annella getting one of his three hits