Baseball: Derby, Williams Lead Lancers to First Round Success

In his first ever postseason start, junior pitching ace Bowdien Derby threw a complete game, striking out 10 and allowing just five hits to lead the La Salle baseball team to a 3-2 victory over Covina in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 4 playoffs Thursday afternoon.

“It was hard to concentrate in school today, but once I got out here I was focused,” said Derby.

Derby’s stellar performance would have been for naught, had junior Chris Williams not come up with a huge two-run home run in the fourth inning to give the Lancers the lead.

“That was unbelievable,” said Derby. “I knew going back out to pitch that a one-run lead would be all we needed.”

Derby was shaky to start the game. In the first inning Covina’s Vinny Vinegas cracked a solo shot over the centerfield fence to take the lead. In the second inning Nick Simmons led off with a double off the left field fence for the Colts and came around to score on an Anthony Moreno groundout.

“(Derby) was a little stiff in the first two innings and he left a fastball up to (Vinegas),” said La Salle coach Harry Agajanian. “He typically gets better as the game goes along and we’re used to him throwing all seven innings.”

Left-handed starter Jason Martinez was dominant through the first three innings for Covina. He also threw a complete game, allowing just four hits, but ran into trouble in the fourth inning.

Steven Petrovich led the inning off with a single to right field for the Lancers. Then, in one of the game’s most crucial moments, Derby hit a potential double-play groundball, but the Colts’ first baseman made a wild throw to second and the runners advanced to second and third.

“I think that was the baseball gods smiling down on us,” said Derby.

The error proved costly. Senior John Auer came through with an RBI groundout, scoring Petrovich and bringing Williams to the plate. On a 1-1 count, Williams hit a Martinez fastball over the fence in left-centerfield to give La Salle a 3-2 lead. It was his sixth home run of the season.

“I just wanted to drive something the other way, but I timed it pretty well and it just happened to go out,” Williams said. “We’re not gonna roll over against anybody. That’s not this team’s mentality.”

The Lancer dugout, noticeably silent for three innings following the first-inning Covina homer, was awoken by Williams’ blast. The shift in momentum also seemed to raise Derby’s adrenaline, as he was nearly unhittable in the final three innings.

Covina made its final threat in the sixth inning. Vinegas continued his hot hitting with a single to right field. He stole both second and third base, but was left stranded when Derby induced a groundout by Caesar Murillo Jr.

“The defense made some big plays behind me,” said Derby. The Lancers did not commit an error in the game.

Derby finished the game in style, striking out the side in the seventh inning. He’s scheduled to pitch again when La Salle plays Tuesday against the winner of Palm Desert (24-4, 11-1) and Estancia (14-12, 8-7).

Download the movie