Cabrillo’s Dylan Gambino and Poly’s Tim Fife
Long Beach Poly and Cabrillo have developed a baseball rivalry over the last year and a half, dating back to the Jaguars’ win over the Jackrabbits last season, the first time that had happened. Junior pitcher Dylan Gambino couldn’t quite recapture the magic of last year’s win on Thursday night at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field, but he did take the league-leading Jackrabbits to the limit. Poly was able to hold on and escape with a 1-0 victory.
“We’re keeping it interesting, no doubt about that,” said Poly coach Brent Lavoie of a week that saw his team beat Millikan to take possession of first place and then nearly give that up two days later against Cabrillo.
Edgar Rosales drew a bases-loaded walk in the first inning to put the Jackrabbits up 1-0 early, and the game was even after that. Poly had six hits and committed two errors, while Cabrillo had five hits and committed one.
Gambino did a good job of pounding the strike zone as always.
“I just try to throw strikes and trust my defense,” he said. “I know my team can make plays behind me. We were just a little short tonight.”
Poly starter Isaac Ricahrdson went 5.1 innings, keeping Cabrillo off the scoreboard. Poly catcher Daniel Mariscal continued to be a red light from behind the dish, catching two Jaguars on the basepaths.
The game came to a head in the top of the seventh inning, when two Poly errors and a hit batter loaded the bases for the Jaguars with no outs, trailing just 1-0. Poly pitcher Tim Fife admitted after the game that he wasn’t feeling real good at that moment.
“I wanted to throw up, to be honest, I kind of still do,” he said.
Fife had the remedy, though, striking out the next three batters to secure the Poly victory.
“Huge confidence builder for him, he stepped up in a big way,” said Lavoie.
Cabrillo coach Pedro Torres said he was proud of his team.
“I’ll go down with these guys,” said Torres. “They showed a lot tonight, they’re tough kids. I told them I’d rather be the coach of a team in a 1-0 loss than a team in a 26-0 win. I’m proud of them.”
Poly (9-3, 5-0) will face Compton and Lakewood next week while Cabrillo (7-9, 1-3) will face St. Anthony, Jordan, and Wilson.
