FULLERTON – History was made in more ways than one.
Estancia won its first CIF Southern Section baseball championship Saturday with a 2-1 win over Anaheim in the Division 6 final at Cal State Fullerton.
Also, Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati was the first girl to pitch in a CIF-SS baseball championship game.
Also unusual was the way it all ended in the 11th inning, three hours and 20 minutes after the first pitch.
Estancia’s James De La O reacts after the team records the last out of the game debating Anaheim in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Trevor Scott scores the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia team pose for photo after defeating Anaheim in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia team celebrate with their championship plaque after defeating Anaheim in the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati reacts after the team turns a double play during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati greets her teammates after finishing up an inning during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Trevor Scott, right, and Cole Lefebvre celebrate after Scott scored a go-ahead run in the 11th inning during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Jack Moyer hits an RBI single during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati delivers a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Jack Moyer celebrates after hitting an RBI single during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Evan Torres leaps to catch a fly ball during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s James De La O reacts after getting out of bases-loaded jam during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati reacts during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati delivers a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati swings during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Andrew Mits throws a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s John Uchytil, bottom, steals second base before the throw to Anaheim’s Evan Torres reaches during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati delivers a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Evan Torres gets hit by a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jesus Mejia, right, slides to score on an RBI single by Jillian Albayati during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayti hits for an RBI single during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Trevor Scott throws a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Anaheim at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Jillian Albayati delivers a pitch during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
Anaheim’s Aaron Rojas drops a bunt during the CIF-SS Division 6 championship game against Estancia at Goodwin Field in Fullerton on Saturday, May 21, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
With Anaheim runners on first and second base with one out, Albayati flied out to center field. The Anaheim runners, Jesus Mejia on second and Angel Correa on first, tagged up. Estancia appealed that Mejia left early, the throw was made to second baseman Andrew Mits who looked at the umpire and got the call he wanted to see – “out” for the third out that ended the game.
Anaheim coach Mike Barrera said he did not argue with the umpire about the call.
“I couldn’t tell from my angle,” said Barrera, who was coaching third base.
The season continues for Anaheim (21-10-1) and Estancia (28-5) in the CIF SoCal Regional playoffs that begin May 31.
Albayati, a senior right-hander, pitched nine innings and allowed one run, eight hits and one walk against an Eagles team averaging eight runs a game. She threw 108 pitches, struck out two, hit two batters and picked off a runner at second base. She also drove in the Colonists’ only run.
Mits, who was Estancia’s starting pitcher, also was outstanding. He and Eagles shortstop Jack Moyer said they were impressed by Albayati, who entered the game with an 11-0 record and 1.68 ERA.
“I have so much respect for her,” Mits said. “She came out and shut us down for a while. She’s a great pitcher and puts so much heart into it.”
Moyer said: “At the beginning of this week we said she’s just another pitcher. She’s one of us.”
James De La O drove in Estancia’s run in the 11th inning and got the win in relief.
With one out in the top of the 11th, Estancia’s Trevor Scott hit a hard ground ball through the shortstop-third base hole for a single. De La O pulled a line drive down the left-field line, the ball reached the corner and Scott scored easily for a 2-1 lead.
Albayati, who is hoping to attract college baseball or softball recruiting interest, was disappointed by the outcome but derived satisfaction from performing so well in such a big game.
“I think I set a good example that girls can go out there and play,” she said. “I hope I inspired others to get out there.”
Estancia took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning. With one out, John Uchytil and Mits reached on back-to-back walks from Albayati. They advanced to third and second bases on a passed ball. Moyer’s single to center field drove in Uchytil.
Anaheim tied the score 1-1 in its half of the fifth. Mejia led off with a walk and moved to second base on Aaron Rojas’ sacrifice bunt. Albayati worked the count to 3-2 and fouled off four pitches before sending a hard-hit line drive through the middle to drive in Mejia.
The Colonists had the lead-off batters on base in the sixth, seventh, eighth and 11th innings but were unable to score.
Mits pitched the first 6 1/3 innings for the Eagles. He gave up two hits, one run, walked four and struck out four. Scott took over in the seventh inning and struck out three without allowing a run through the ninth.
De La O, pitching for the first time since April 23, came on in the 10th inning and got the victory.
Mits went into the game with a 10-4 record and 0.43 ERA. Scott lowered his ERA to 1.35.
Senior Showcase all-star baseball games Friday-Saturday at Ryan Lemmon Stadium
Estancia extended its winning streak to 10 games. They Eagles started the season 11-0 and won the Orange Coast League championship with a 10-5 league record. They finished 8-14 last season.
“It’s amazing for our kids to win the first CIF championship in school history,” said Estancia coach Nate Goellrich. “The turnaround from last year to this year is a testament to the players buying into the change in the program.”
