No one gave San Fernando High much of a chance Saturday against national power Chatsworth in the City Section Div. I baseball championship at Dodger Stadium.
That's just the way the unheralded Tigers wanted it.
The nine-time City champion Chancellors, top-seeded in Div. I, jumped to a two-run lead, but San Fernando rallied for an 8-6 victory for its first City title in 20 years.
San Fernando shortstop Isaac Dominguez was so emotional afterward that tears were streaming down his face.
"I'm so happy that words can't describe it," Dominguez said after helping the Tigers win their first City title since 1991, when they defeated Banning 3-2. | Click here to see photo gallery.
"We looked at Chatsworth today as just another team. They might have been the No. 1 team, but you still have to play. This San Fernando team, they're like my brothers. We're like a family."
San Fernando right-hander Jose Reyes (6-2) gave up six earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven.
After a couple of rocky innings, the senior limited Chatsworth to two singles and no runs over the final three innings to earn game MVP honors.
"He's a warrior. He deserved it,"
Dominguez said. "Right before the last out, I told him, `Jose, you be the man.' I trusted him all the way."Reyes added two hits, two runs and an RBI.
"I've got my family here in the crowd, and I just feel so proud," he said. "It's my last year, and all of us worked really hard to get a championship ring."
San Fernando coach Armando Gomez said that when the Tigers first saw the freeway exit sign for Stadium Way, they started going crazy with excitement, and that's when the coach knew they would win the game.
"From Day One, this was our goal, and we were able to achieve it today," Gomez said. "Jose was just a great competitor today, and it was his game to lose. This team just really believes in each other. Right before the game, I told them it was the last step, so let's finish it."
Chatsworth (24-6) had won seven City titles over the past 11 seasons, including back-to-back national championships in 2003 and 2004. But the Chancellors were outplayed by a hungry opponent motivated by a huge crowd of supporters wearing black and gold.
San Fernando's Kevin Martinez was 2 for 2 with a double, two runs and an RBI, and James An added a single, a run and an RBI, as Chatsworth used three pitchers, including standouts Angel Rodriguez (9-2) and Aaron Brown. Christian Lopez came on and pitched effectively, but two runs scored on his errant pickoff throw, as San Fernando scored five runs in the third.
"It was exciting to play at Dodger Stadium, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Martinez said. "We worked hard, hard, hard for this, and it paid off. Everyone says hard work pays off, and we accomplished our goal."
Chatsworth's Steven Karkenny was 4 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, and Brown was 2 for 3 with a triple off the wall, two runs and an RBI, but there was not much help, as the bottom six in the lineup went a combined 1 for 18.
"Obviously, we came up a little short, and that's how it goes sometimes. This is not what we wanted," Chatsworth center fielder Steven Karkenny said.
"San Fernando is a good team, and they came out to compete just like we did. When you're Chatsworth, there is always a target on your back. They were the underdog, but we're the ones who came up a little short."
Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18206816?source=rss
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