ORANGE >> The Orange baseball team experienced some setbacks in the field and missed opportunities on offense Friday in their Orange Coast League game against Santa Ana at Orange High School.
But the Panthers overcame all of that in their final at-bat, scoring two runs for a 5-4, come-from-behind victory over the Saints.
Raul Flores’ long single with no outs and the bases loaded scored George Huerta from third with the winning run for Orange (13-9-1, 8-3).
Orange’s Raul Flores begins to celebrate as he runs to first base after connecting for a walk-off hit in the bottom of the seventh inning to win the Orange Coast League baseball game against Santa Ana in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange outfielder George Huerta makes a diving catch against Santa Ana in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Ana’s Juan Jimenez, left, is out at first as Orange High School’s Alonso Rodriguez takes the throw for the put out in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange outfielder George Huerta tries to make the sliding catch but the ball gets through against Santa Ana in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange High School’s Raul Flores, center, celebrates with teammates after driving in the winning run against Santa Ana in the bottom of the seventh inning in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Ana’s Isaiah Robles is hit by the pitch against Orange in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Ana starting pitcher Joel Duenas delivers a pitch against Orange in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange High School’s Jacob Lopez, right, is met by teammate Matthew Soto, left, after scoring a run against Santa Ana in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange third baseman Robert Chavez stretches but can’t reach a Santa Ana line drive in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange High School’s Robert Chavez, left, runs past Santa Ana catcher Robert Buendia to score a run in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Ana catcher Robert Buendia, left, tries to settle down relief pitcher Josh Delgado, center, in the seventh inning against Orange an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange starting pitcher David Celoski delivers a pitch against Santa Ana in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Orange High School players celebrate winning their Orange Coast League baseball game against Santa Ana in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. A hit by Raul Flores drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Ana’s Luis Linares, right, is out at second base as he pushes up the bag with his slide in an Orange Coast League baseball game in Orange on Friday, April 15, 2022. Orange shortstop Pete Bowman made the tag. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
“I can’t say enough about that kid,” Orange coach George Chase said of Flores. “To be able to see him do that is pretty awesome.”
The previous batter, Jake George, was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, scoring pinch runner Jacob Lopez with the tying run.
Flores’ hit capped a five-run comeback for the Panthers, who trailed the Saints 4-0 after two innings.
“I was looking for a fast ball and I got it,” Flores said.
Orange remains in first place and Santa Ana (11-3, 7-4) drops to second place in the Orange Coast League. With four league games remaining and the Panthers, Saints and Calvary Chapel separated by one game, the league title is still up for grabs.
The Panthers have two league games remaining against Costa Mesa and two against Calvary Chapel, and Santa Ana has two against Calvary Chapel and two against Estancia.
“Every year, this league is always a battle for the top,” Chase said. “It’s always a wild finish.”
Orange also had the bases loaded with no outs in the sixth inning but failed to score, in part because the Saints got the second and third outs on a double play, doubling up a runner on second base.
Santa Ana’s leadoff hitter, Emilian Valadez, was hit by a pitch and later scored on a single from Julian Gonzalez to give the Saints a 1-0 lead.
Stolen bases, errors and a hit batter led to three more runs for the Saints in the second.
But Orange starting pitcher David Celoski settled down, retired the final two hitters in the second, stranding two runners, and then shut out the Saints over the next five innings to earn a complete-game victory.
“He deserves this,” Chase said. “You saw how much he battled throughout the game and bounced back and kept us in the game, and then finally we were able to win it for him in the end.”
Steve Fryer’s Diamond Club baseball standouts last week, April 11
Robert Chavez, Matthew Soto and Dillon Menge each delivered RBI hits in the fourth to get Orange to within a run, setting the stage for the Panthers’ big seventh inning.
“We battled throughout the game and we came up on the short end of it,” Santa Ana coach Dave Silva said. “We’ll be OK.”
