SOUTH PASADENA–Third base-man Aaron Kawasaki had two hits, including a two-run triple, in South Pasadena’s wild, extra-inning 6-5 walk-off win over La Ca?ada.
A pair of South Pas errors in the third inning gave the Spartans a 3-1 lead, which held until the bottom of the fifth. With runners on first and second, Kawasaki’s line drive skipped past La Ca?ada’s center fielder and rolled to the fence. The two runs scored, giving the Tigers a 4-3 advantage.
Kawasaki again figured into the scoring after La Ca?ada regained the lead with runs in the sixth and seventh.
Down to their last out in regulation at the bottom of the seventh, the Tigers’ Nolan Adams drew a walk. Kawasaki popped a fly into short right field that eluded the defense and fell in for a hit, as the runner scampered all the way to third. A wild pitch to the next batter tied the score at 5 and sent the game into an extra frame.
Thinking his fly was an easy catch, Kawasaki let out an exasperated, audible groan.
“I was frustrated, thinking I could have gotten all of that pitch, but I popped it up,” he said later. “I was trying to do something big for the team. Luckily, it fell in.”
In the bottom of the eighth, a single and two walks were followed by a single from Jonathan Bracamonte to give the Tigers their fourth straight victory, and their third in a row against La Ca?ada.
In two games against rival San Marino next week, South Pas (15-9, 6-2 in league) will clash with the Titans with the Rio Hondo League title on the line.
Now batting .667 on the season, Kawasaki has been a consistent spark for the Tigers’ defense, after missing nearly all of last season with a hip flexor injury.
South Pas head coach Jamie Garcia said Kawasaki is the kind of player who seems to rise when the pressure is at its highest, as evidenced by Thursday’s win.
“He lives for these moments,” Garcia said.
–Mikey Hirano Culross