ALWS Day 2: Calvin is watching
(Photo by Clay Lomneth)

ALWS Day 2: Calvin is watching

Less than a week after learning that one of their former teammates was randomly murdered, San Mateo (Calif.) Post 82 took to the field for their American Legion World Series opener. And the same resilience the Shockers showed in winning the Western Region right after learning the tragic news was on display Friday.

Post 82 pushed two runs across the plate in the top of the ninth inning to edge Texarkana (Ark.) Post 58 4-2. The Shockers (36-5) trailed 2-1 in the top of the fifth before scoring the game’s final three runs. They rallied under the watchful eye of a picture of Calvin Riley, who played for Post 82 last year and was killed Aug. 6 by an unknown assailant while in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of San Francisco. The picture was in the San Mateo dugout for the entire game.

Riley must have liked what he saw.

“I’ve never been around a team like this where they know that they’re always good enough to win,” said San Mateo Assistant Manager Richard Lavezzo, the team’s media spokesman. “If they play their game, they’re going to be OK. They did it in the championship of the Western Region – we were down 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth.

“They’re a very resilient group. They never get too down (and) they never get too up.”

San Mateo took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Ramon Enriquez walked, moved to third on a single and bunt, and then came home on Jordan Brandenburg’s groundout.

But two innings later Texarkana (37-5) struck back. Blake Hall singled, and catcher Will Smith followed with a shot that just cleared the left-field fence.

Post 82 appeared to be staging a rally, loading the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth. But Texarkana starting pitcher Austin Cross struck out the next batter and then coaxed a fly ball to left field that Cole Boyd fielded cleanly and fired home. Smith took the throw and relayed it to second baseman Nick Myers to double up the runner for the third out.

But one inning later Post 82 was back in business. Ricardo Barraza doubled with one out, moved to second on a grounder and then came home on Angelo Bortolin’s single, tying the game at 2.

Texarkana saw an opportunity slip away in the bottom of the eighth when a baserunner got caught in a rundown between third and home with one out.

San Mateo didn’t waste its chance in the top of the ninth. A single, error and hit batter loaded the bases. Tyler Villaroman was then hit, bringing home pinch runner Mitchell DeMartini. Bortolin’s deep fly ball to center field brought home Nick Knecht for an insurance run.

Texarkana had another chance in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners on first and second to lead off the inning. But another base-running error took out the lead runner, and San Mateo reliever Felix Aberouette got the final two outs to close out the win.

Spencer Stewart started for Post 82 and pitched well, allowing six hits and two earned runs in seven innings. Austin Cross was also solid for Texarkana, allowing two earned runs and seven hits over eight innings.

San Mateo hasn’t lost a game since winning the Reno Knights 4th of July Classic. “(After that), we had a pretty good idea this team could battle from behind,” Lavezzo said. “It’s easy to play when you’re ahead. It’s hard to play when you’re behind. Since then, we’ve been on a roll.”