Davis Grabs DVC Baseball Crown

Davis – Davis High School ended Elk Grove’s four-year stranglehold of the baseball championship of the Delta Valley Conference with Matt Trask’ bases-loaded line-drive single in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 3-2 win over the Herd Tuesday.

The single came off Elk Grove ace pitcher Dave Smith (7-2) who came on that inning in relief of starter Mikey Wright who had thrown six solid innings for the Herd.

The Blue Devils, with the win, finished the DVC slate with a 14-1 mark, 21-6 overall. Elk Grove concluded the conference season at 13-2, both losses at the hands of Davis.

But, the game ended under protest by Elk Grove head coach Jeff Carlson who said that Blue Devil second baseman Joe Murray, ejected in last Friday’s 12-2 Herd win, was in uniform and in the dugout. He claims any time a coach or player is ejected they not only cannot participate in their team’s next game, but they also cannot be on the premises. 

“I know (the rule) because I’ve been thrown out of enough games,” Carlson admitted. “(Murray) was playing catch and everything.”

Because it was the final regular season home game for the Blue Devils, head coach Dan Ariola had asked Murray join all seniors for a pre-game ceremony.

A Sac-Jaoquin Section official told the Citizen late Tuesday that Carlson is incorrect. If a player is ejected from a game, he can be on the bench the next game, but cannot play. The rule that the ejected participant cannot attend the team's next game applies only to coaches.

Carlson was steamed once again with the umpiring at Tuesday’s game, much like the April 12 game at Davis, a 2-1 Blue Devil win.

 He was referring to the first of the Blue Devils’ two runs in the third inning when Trey Golston tried to score on an infield pick off play. Much like Murray’s collision with Elk Grove catcher Dom Nunez in last Friday’s game that earned Murray an ejection, Carlson complained Golston should have been called out for not sliding into home on the play.

(see photos of the collision on Rick Cabral's Baseball Sacramento website)

“That’s a huge call,” Carlson said. “It wasn’t even close. The guy didn’t even slide and came in high on Dom. It’s just ridiculous.”

Protest and umpiring aside, the Herd once again struggled against quality pitching. Davis’ Bobby Young, who threw the first five-and-two-thirds innings, and limited Elk Grove to three hits. Adam Inouye, who came on in the sixth inning with two runners aboard, struck out Ty Madrigal to end an Elk Grove rally.

“Once again we don’t do enough offensively to overcome (Davis),” Carlson said.

Elk Grove scored once in the first inning on Rowdy Tellez’ RBI double.

The Herd tied the game at two in the sixth on Wright’s sacrifice fly ball.

Elk Grove, now 21-5 overall, has scheduled at the last minute a non-conference game with Pioneer High School, scheduled for Thursday, to conclude the regular season. They will open the playoffs next Monday at home against the Monticello Empire League's third seed. 

“It’s just an extra game,” Carlson said of the playoff format whereby each of the Division I second and third-place teams must play a single elimination “play-in” game. “With Dave Smith and Mikey Wright (on the mound) it’s not a big deal.”

“Of course, if you don’t show up Monday it’s one game and you’re out,” Carlson added.

In the DRL, Jesuit defeated Pleasant Grove Monday, 4-1. This sets the stage for the Wednesday regular season finale at Jesuit between the two clubs. If Jesuit wins and Oak Ridge defeats Ponderosa Wednesday it means the Marauders and Trojans will share the DRL title, but Jesuit will get the number one seed for the league because they beat Oak Ridge two-out-of-three games earlier this year.

Pleasant Grove would then take on the Sierra Foothill League's number two seeded team.

If the Eagles win Wednesday then Oak Ridge would earn the DRL's top seed because they defeated Pleasant Grove two-out-of-three games this season. Jesuit would then get the third seed.

Division I Playoff Bracket