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Aquinas baseball team falls to Fullerton in Division 4 semifinals

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SAN BERNARDINO – No seed is no problem for the Fullerton baseball team.

Fullerton traveled Tuesday to play top-seeded Aquinas and, despite a failed suicide squeeze attempt, earned a 6-4 victory over the Falcons in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 semifinals.

The Falcons were the top seed in the Division 4 playoffs and entered the game with a 13-game winning streak.

Fullerton (24-7), which defeated fourth-seeded Corona Santiago and fifth-seeded Tahquitz in the previous two rounds, will play Tesoro in the championship Friday or Saturday at Cal State Fullerton.

With the score tied 4-4 in top of the fifth, Fullerton coach Shaun Hill called on first baseman Jeremy Maldonado for a suicide squeeze. Maldonado failed to put the ball in play. Aquinas catcher Josh Cunnigan threw to Cade Nolan at third, and Zach Fany beat the return home to score the go-ahead run.

The opinion about the play differed between Hill and Aquinas coach Mike Carpentier, who guided Aquinas to a 28-3 record in his third year as the head coach.

“Zach used a swim move to avoid the tag,” Hill said.

Carpentier said he was certain Cunnigan tagged Fany before he reached the plate.

“Today might have been the worst game we played all season,” Carpentier said. “We made four errors and only had three hits. You can’t win a game like that, but I would go to battle with these guys any time. We started only one senior today, and people are going to hear from Aquinas.”

Aquinas scored three runs in the bottom of the first. Landon Young singled to right and moved to second on Eric Bitonti’s walk. Nate Christman reached on an error to load the bases.

Seth Rajacich singled sharply with a hit that knocked Fullerton pitcher Kyle Kim’s glove off of his hand, scoring Young. Bitonti scored on a fielder’s choice and Rajacich scored on an error.

Fullerton posted two runs in the second inning, as shortstop Matt Kim and Connor Sunderland each drove in runs. Aquinas added a run in the fourth when DH Jonathan Schmidt scored on a fielder’s choice. Fullerton scored two fifth-inning runs prior to the suicide squeeze attempt.

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“We’ve come from behind all playoffs and we don’t get scared,” Hill said. “We knew they were really good, but we told our kids if we play defense and pitch well, they would win.”

The last time Fullerton won a section title was 1978. The most famous baseball player to attend Fullerton was Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson, who is second in all-time wins with 411. The high school opened in 1893.

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