Baseball: Rebels Let Golden Opportunity Slip Away

The Flintridge Prep baseball team outplayed Pasadena Poly for five innings on Tuesday behind the strong pitching of Clayton Weirick (five innings, zero runs), but a six-run sixth inning for Poly prevented an upset and the Panthers rolled to 9-3 win.

“I only wanted three innings out of Clayton, but he was lights out and went five,” Flintridge Prep coach Buzz Cook said.  “I took him out after five because it was already his longest outing of the year.”

Flintridge Prep jumped ahead in the first inning when Brenden McKiernan scored on a Karlsen Termini groundout.  The Rebels added two more in second inning when Kyle McDonald lined a double into the left-center gap against Poly starter Brian Holman, driving in Alex Sierra.  McDonald scored on a single by McKiernan.

“Holman is a tough pitcher.  He’s constantly around the zone, forcing you to swing the bat,” Cook said.

Working with a three-run lead, Weirick made the potent Panther lineup look uncertain and impatient.  Weirick struck out just two batters, but coaxed several poorly struck grounders by locating his curveball.

“I was nervous going up against Poly,” Weirick said.  “I knew that if I left anything up, they would crush it.  I was just keeping the curve in the dirt and the fast ball low and away.”

Once Weirick hit a groove, the Panthers were lost.  Holman doubled in the fourth inning, but Weirick got out of the jam and worked a 1-2-3 fifth inning.

“If I could make the decision again, I would still pull Clayton,” said Cook.  “We still have nine games left so I have to think about his arm.”

Brenden McKiernan relieved Weirick in the sixth inning and immediately ran into trouble.  He walked the leadoff batter and allowed a double off the fence to Poly’s Jordan Kutzer.

Cook made a quick change to McDonald, but McDonald also struggled.  He beaned Poly’s Matt Saeta after getting two strikes and then gave up back-to-back doubles.  After an error, a groundout and another double, McDonald finally got out of the inning by striking out Holman. But the damage had been done.

“We’re still a young team and we need to learn how to close out games,” Cook said.  “If the game was just five innings we’d all be home and happy.”

Poly added three unearned runs in the seventh inning, and the deflated Rebels couldn’t squeeze out any more runs against Holman, who completed the game.

The Rebels will get another crack at the Panthers on Thursday when ace Royce Park will take the mound against Poly’s ace Kutzer.

“It was a disappointing loss, but we’ll have a good chance to win again when Royce throws,” Cook said.

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