Beckman players celebrate after defeating St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
LAKE ELSINORE – In the bottom of the eighth inning with two outs, the game was tied and teammate Isaiah Kapur at second base, Beckman’s Jagger Snitko hit a line drive to right field.
Snitko walked around first base and glanced toward home plate to see Kapur trying to score.
“I thought he was out,” Snitko said. “But he had a good slide on it.”
That good slide, a sprawling head-first effort, allowed Kapur’s left hand to cross home plate to give Beckman a 2-1 victory over St. John Bosco in the Division 3 baseball championship game of the CIF Southern Section on Saturday at Lake Elsinore Diamond Stadium.
Beckman players rush onto the field after defeating St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman players rush onto the field after defeating St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman players celebrate after defeating St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman players celebrate after defeating St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
St. John Bosco players are dejected after losing to Beckman in the championship game of the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoffs in Lake Elsinore, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2- 1.(photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
St. John Bosco’s Macade Maxwell catches a fly ball for an out against Beckman during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
St. John Bosco head coach Andy Rojo and his players were dejected after losing to Beckman in the championship game of the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoffs at Lake Elsinore, Saturday, May 18, 2024 . Beckman won the match 2-1.(photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman’s Jagger Snitko attempts to throw first from the ground against St. John Bosco during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman’s Ken Tomitaka, left, is congratulated by teammates after scoring the first run against St. John Bosco during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman has won the match 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman’s Jack Terry, right, is tagged out at third base by St. John Bosco’s Owen Stelzer during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
St. John Bosco’s Jack Champlin throws the ball against Beckman during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman’s Zach Ireland keeps his eyes on the ball after playing against St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman players rush onto the field after defeating St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman’s Cookie Okamoto, left, is thrown out at second base by St. John Bosco’s Jack Champlin during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Beckman players and coaches celebrate their victory over St. John Bosco in the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore on Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
St. John Bosco’s Owen Tomich watches the ball drop after beating Beckman during the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball playoff championship game at Lake Elsinore, Saturday, May 18, 2024. Beckman won the game 2-1 . (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)
This is Beckman’s second CIF-SS baseball championship. The previous one happened in 2011.
Beckman coach Kevin Lavalle coached that 2011 team. He has now coached as many championship teams as his father Hi Lavalle, who coached Dominguez and Canyon to the CIF-SS baseball championships.
Lavalle said the Patriots have decided not to participate in the CIF Southern California regional playoffs which begin May 28. Teams that qualified for the CIF-SS semifinals can play in the region.
St. John Bosco (20-11) scored its run in the top of the second inning. Beckman (25-6-1) scored late in the third.
The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the eighth.
The inning began with the Patriots’ Ken Tomitaka hit by a pitch. Zach Ireland’s sacrifice bunt moved Tomitaka to second base and Kapur was intentionally walked.
Jack Terry hit a ground ball to St. John Bosco third baseman Owen Stelzer, who walked third base for the force out on Tomitaka, the second out of the inning, and Kapur took second base.
Snitko followed with his opposite-field liner to right.
“I took a deep breath before I went into the box,” Snitko said. “Everything became clearer. And it was just me and my head.
“And I just got a pitch to hit outside and I drove it through the 3-4 hole (between first and second base).”
Braves right fielder Macade Maxwell made, as Lavalle expected, a powerful throw to the plate. Maxwell had thrown out Terry at third base in the third inning.
Patriots third base coach Doug Ireland greeted Kapur at home, and the slide couldn’t have been better.
“Their right fielder has a cannon,” Lavalle said. “But you have to send (Kapur) into this situation.”
Ireland, a senior right-hander who entered the game with a 7-2 record and a 0.69 ERA, said he wasn’t in great shape Saturday. But Ireland, who signed with UC Davis, has certainly been effective.
He pitched seven innings, allowed one unearned run on two hits and struck out five with three walks. Senior left-hander Rex Jarcy pitched the scoreless eighth inning for Beckman.
Noah Perez called on Micah Taguiam for the Braves’ run in the second inning. Tomitka scored on a throwing error in the third.
