Mater Dei Wins the Showdown, 3-2

Mike Kolbach of Mater Dei met University’s Garrett Atkins eye to eye Friday, but only one thing was settled. The Monarchs will move on to the second round of the Division I playoffs against Lakewood, just barely.

Kolbach got Atkins to fly out to deep right field with runners on first and third to end the game and preserve Mater Dei’s 3-2 victory over the Trojans in the first-round game at Mater Dei.

As far as proving who’s the better player, that remains to be decided.

Both players had impressive home runs, which were hit off each other, and each demonstrated gritty performances on the mound by pitching out of early jams.

“It was mano y mano,” Kolbach said. “Just two guys going at it.”

Atkins, who was coming off a five-inning, no-hit performance against El Toro on Tuesday, allowed two doubles and an infield single in the first inning, but limited the Monarchs to one run when Tony Michelleti was thrown out at third trying to advance on a passed ball.

University (20-8) then loaded the bases with none out in the second on a walk, hit batsmen and bunt single by Joe Claytor. But Kolbach then settled down and got Mike Trubo to hit into a force at the plate, and he nearly escaped the inning unscathed but Gilbert Suiaunoa beat out a double-play attempt, which scored the tying run.

Atkins (7-3) walked the leadoff batter for the second consecutive inning to start the third and it came back to haunt him. Kolbach stepped up next and hit a high fastball deep over the right-center field fence for his seventh homer of the season and a two-run lead.

Kolbach was doing his part on the mound as well. He retired 11 of 12 hitters until the fifth when Atkins drilled a hanging curve over the left-field fence for his 13th of the season, cutting the Monarchs’ lead to 3-2.

Kolbach, who struck out six and walked four, walked Claytor on four pitches to start the seventh. Tim Pick then sacrificed Claytor to second and Suiaunoa followed by lining a 3-2 pitch to left, placing runners on the corners.

Randy Lukasiewicz then lofted a fly to Rod Perry in short center-field, but there was no need to gamble on a play at the plate with Atkins coming up next.

“Our third-base coach did a great job not sending the runner,” University Coach Chris Conlin said. “There’s no way we were going to take the bat out of Atkins’ hands in that situation.”

In other Division I games:

Esperanza 12, Etiwanda 3--Tommy Nicholson had a grand slam, a triple and six RBIs and Nathan Choate (11-0) gave up two hits in five innings and struck out six for Esperanza (21-5), which will play Fontana in the second round.

Long Beach Wilson 4, Capistrano Valley 1--Shawn Burroughs belted a ground-rule double to straight away center, which scored a run, sparking three-run first for Long Beach Wilson (18-8).

Burroughs also stifled Capistrano Valley (13-13-1) hitters, holding them to one run on three hits.

Matt Donoho drove in the only run for Capistrano Valley with an RBI single in the second, which scored Ryan Brown, who doubled to reach base.

Servite 14, Palmdale Highland 2--Jim Munroe (11-1) gave up one hit in four innings and struck out seven for Servite (24-3). Ryan Brown was two for three with a home run, four runs scored and three RBIs for the Friars, which will play Encino Crespi in the second round.