SLO County baseball team locks up league title with 5-4 win

The Broncos defeated Valley Christian Academy (VCA) 5-4 on April 27, locking up the Coast Valley League (CVL) title with a 6-0 league record.

But the story runs deeper than the mere score.

Last season, Coast Union High School qualified for a playoff by tying with archrival VCA for the league title – a worthy accomplishment.

Because of a quirk in the CIF rulebook, VCA got a playoff game at home – and the Broncos had to go on the road.

That resulted in a 400-mile round trip for Coast Union. The Broncos ended up being pummeled 40-1 by a much bigger school in Burbank.

Throughout the 2023 season, which was interrupted often by wet weather and soggy playing fields, Coast Union was on a mission to win the CVL championship outright.

On a sun-splashed April 27, the team edged out VCA in a thrilling, nail-biting game at Coast Union.

Luke Smith started on the mound for the Broncos, and pitched the first two innings.

In the first, with the bases loaded, a ball was hit right back to Smith. He fielded it, whirled left and fired a ball hard in the general direction of the second baseman.

Instead of a force out at second, Smith’s ball sailed wildly into centerfield, and two runners scored on the error.

VCA led 2-0 in the first inning.

In the Broncos half of the second inning, with the bases loaded and Smith at the plate, the pitcher hit a routine ground ball at the second baseman.

It shot right between his legs for an error, and two Broncos came in.

Smith was then off the hook. The senior hurler struck out four batters in his two innings.

Robert Saunders pitched the final five innings, giving up two runs and working out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh . He fanned three batters in his five innings of work.

Shortstop Caiden Kennedy led the team with two singles and a triple.

Sabas Melgar made some nifty plays in left field and rapped a single in the fourth inning. Those were the only hits for Coast.

Now the Broncos wait to see what team they will host in the first post-season game.

Broncos defeat Shandon

On April 25, the Broncos hosted the Shandon Outlaws and beat the CVL opponent 14-1.

Andrea Aguilar and Austin Garbers each had a pair of singles. Emily Reed and Melgar both singled.

Jovan Merlos, Smith, Saunders and Kennedy handled the pitching chores for Coast.

This story was originally published April 30, 2023 at 8:00 AM.