Vista Murrieta defeats Camarillo in extra innings to win championship
1-0 game goes to the 11th
By Stephen Dorman
sdorman@theacorn.com

Garrett Rau pitched the greatest game of his life, yet he exited the field at Dodger Stadium late Thursday night feeling like he'd just been punched in the gut.

The Camarillo High senior tossed 10 innings of shutout baseball against Vista Murrieta in the CIF-Southern Section Division II final, allowing two hits while striking out nine.

Rau's masterpiece, which included a perfect game through five innings, went for naught, as Vista Murrieta pushed across the game's only run on a hit batsman with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 11th inning to pull out an improbable 1-0 victory.

"It was probably the greatest pitching effort you'll see in high school--ever." Camarillo senior Jon Erb said. "Ten innings, two hits, no runs ... I can't say enough about Garrett. I feel so bad for him right now."

Rau said he probably could have kept on pitching through the night. CIF rules, however, prohibit a pitcher from throwing more than 10 innings in a week. Still, even Rau admitted something special was taking place on the mound.

"I just wanted to go out there and throw the way I had been all year," Rau said. "I never thought it would turn out like this."

The win gave Vista Murrieta (28-4) its first baseball championship in school history. It was the Broncos' fourth one-run victory during the postseason and the longest CIF-SS championship game since Montebello's 14-inning triumph over Fullerton in 1955.

Camarillo (28-3) was left searching for answers, especially on offense, where a once potent attack could muster only four hits off of three different Vista Murrieta pitchers.

Bronco starter Taylor Garrison and relievers Brian Valenzuela and Josh Weise combined to strike out 11 Scorpion batters. Weise picked up the win, his third of the season.

"That lefty (Valenzuela) was good, and his breaking ball was nasty," Erb said. "But I honestly don't know how we didn't jump on those righties that they threw at us. They were spotting their fastballs fine, but it was nothing special. They just did a good job, I guess."

ACHS, in its first title game appearance since winning the Division I championship in 2002, had seen its offensive production slip during the playoffs.

The Scorpions averaged 11 runs per game during the regular season, but saw that number dip to 5.2 runs per contest in the four postseason games leading up to the championship.

On Thursday night Camarillo had several chances to manufacture runs but could never deliver the critical base hit. All told, ACHS stranded nine men on base, including leaving the bases loaded in the top of the fifth inning.

Head coach Richard Jaquez said fatigue probably played a role in the team's offensive decline during the past few games.

"I think a couple guys got a little tired at the end," Jaquez said. "It's also a little bit unexplainable. I guess that's just part of this game."

Camarillo senior Justin Bricker was saddled with the loss.

After relieving Mike Sliger in the bottom of the 11th with runners on first and second base and one out, Vista Murrieta successfully converted a double steal.

Bricker intentionally walked the next batter, Trent Garrison, to load the bases. Bricker then hit Ronnie Sims, sending TS Reed home with the winning run.

After the game, Jaquez credited Vista Murrieta for its hard-fought win.

"The way we hit the ball all year long, if someone can hold us to four hits in 11 innings then I tip my cap to them because they deserve to be the champions," Jaquez said.

The coach also thanked his team for making this season the best he's ever been a part of.

"I didn't do anything to get these guys here," Jaquez said. "These guys brought me here. They gave me the highlight of my coaching career."