Millikan baseball remains on steady pace

LONG BEACH >> There have been some ups and downs in the Moore League this year, but through it all the Millikan High School baseball team has remained largely above the fray. On a day that saw Wilson top Lakewood to throw the top of the standings into disarray once again, the Rams remained the steady presence in league, beating Poly, 7-2, at Blair Field on Wednesday.

“It was nice to get some clutch hits at the end of the game and put a team away,” Millikan coach Ron Keester said. “We haven’t necessarily been able to do that the last two weeks.”

With the win, Millikan improves to 18-6 overall and 9-1 in league, with the Lancers and Bruins nipping at their heels with two losses apiece. The remaining games between the league’s playoff teams are two big ones next week with Lakewood facing both Poly and Millikan.

The Rams very well could have won the game by a much wider margin, as they put multiple ruers on base in each of the first six iings, ultimately leaving 12 on base. An eight-hit Millikan effort was buoyed by three Jackrabbit errors.

Millikan went ahead, 2-0, in the top of the third when a throw to first base flew high and scored Diego Alarcon and Oregon signee Spencer Steer. It looked like Millikan starting pitcher Mike Killeen was going to keep the game free of drama until Poly finally got going in the bottom of the fifth iing. After a leadoff double by Jack Scully, RBI hits from Jake Elzinga and Johy Heandez would tie the game. But the Jackrabbits couldn’t do any further damage and the Rams would answer immediately.

In the top of the sixth iing, with John Vozzella on the mound for Poly, Millikan loaded the bases on a double from North Carolina signee Aaron Greenfield and walks to Steer and Logan Misajon. RBI hits from David Balboa, Adam Knight, and Santa Clara signee Griffin Keller put the Rams ahead, 6-2, and they added another run on a pickoff throw to second base with nobody covering home.

Killeen pitched a complete game, giving up four hits with two eaed runs while striking out seven.

“I didn’t feel like I had my best stuff, so I relied on my defense and the offense came through as well,” Killeen said.

The Rams made great plays behind Killeen as they once again posted an error-free effort, including a great play from Misajon, who leaned into the Poly dugout to snag a pop fly.

Millikan’s game against Lakewood next week should decide the league championship, but Keester said the game is deeper than that.

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“It’s exciting knowing we have one game left against Lakewood,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if there’s a league title on the line or not, it’s Millikan and Lakewood. That’s always a special game.”

WILSON 5, LAKEWOOD 2 >> Senior pitcher Jack Williford has evolved into the unquestioned leader of the Bruins this season and his complete-game performance on Wednesday at Blair Field proved that once again. He also drove in two runs as Wilson (17-11, 8-2) reinserted itself into the Moore League championship discussion.

“He’s our horse,” Wilson coach Andy Hall said of Williford, who finished with 115 pitches, 78 for strikes. “He’s kind of played second fiddle and It’s awesome to see him get these opportunities and to get results.”

Williford gave up five hits with two walks while striking out eight batters. Seven of those strikeouts came after the fourth iing. He struck out the side in the fifth and sixth iings and only needing eight pitches in the seventh.

“I feel like I get stronger the longer the game goes because I’m building confidence and momentum,” said Williford, who improved to 6-1 on the season.

Lakewood (19-8, 7-2) beat Wilson, 10-1, in the first round of league play.

“I can’t explain how that felt or how good this feels to get back at them,” Williford said.

Wilson leadoff hitter Riley Dent had two hits, two runs scored and drove in two runs in the third iing.

“Half of this team is seniors, so this was the biggest game for us,” Dent said. “We had to get the win.”

Junior catcher Max Williford also drove in a run in the third iing with a one-out double. Jack Williford drove in Taer Meckes in the fifth iing, and then he drove in Dent with a double in the top of the seventh iing.

Lakewood shortstop David Rivera had two hits and a run scored, but pitcher Matt Fields needed 75 pitches to finish four iings and takes the loss.

— JJ Fiddler