SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO – Jonathan Mendez’s three-run double in the fifth inning Tuesday helped lift JSerra to a 4-2 victory over Capistano Valley in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs at JSerra High.
The Lions (20-10) advance to the quarterfinals Friday. They will play Harvard-Westlake at O’Malley Family Field in Encino.
“We played phenomenal defense,” JSerra coach Brett Kay said. “The 4-6-3 (double play) in the third, the 6-4-3 (double play) in the fourth. I thought we played really good defense. We staffed up our pitchers like we did on Friday, so we knew we had to play good defense.”
Kay added, “I thought that was Mendez’s biggest at-bat of our season and probably of his career.”
Mendez went 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and three RBI.
Capistrano Valley (17-11-1) couldn’t get a runner past second base due in part to two double plays turned by the Lions and a batter’s interference call against the Cougars.
Despite their struggles offensively, the Cougars trailed only 1-0 heading into the fifth inning.
The Lions loaded the bases up with one out for Owen Fuller, who went for a suicide squeeze but couldn’t connect. Jake Bourne was tagged out at home plate on a close play for the second out.
Fuller would eventually walk to get the bases loaded again for JSerra with Mendez at the plate. The UC Santa Barbara commit drove the ball to the wall in center field, bringing in three runs.
“I just went out there to try and hit the ball hard,” Mendez said. “He left the curveball over the plate and I put the bat to the ball and it happened.”
The Cougars started the sixth inning with a Michael Alva home run that sailed above the foul pole in left field to put Capo Valley on the board.
The Cougars added another run with a groundball to JSerra pitcher David Horn that allowed Reid Montgomery to score from third base.
Horn, who is committed to Vanderbilt, struck out Michael Walshe with runners in scoring position to get the Lions out of a jam.
“I’m proud of my guys for battling,” Capo Valley coach Adam Sorgi said. “That’s a really good program over there. One through nine, their pitchers are excellent. We took advantage when their pitcher got a bit erratic in the sixth inning. When you’re one hit away from tying the game up, you have to give credit to your boys for battling back. Tip your cap to that team, but I’m proud of my guys.”
Tyler Gough struck out three in two innings for the Lions, who used four pitchers.
Andrew Lamb walked three times for JSerra.
The Lions on Friday will be facing Harvard-Westlake for the second time this season. JSerra beat the Wolverines 8-3 on April 11.
“We have to have energy,” Mendez said. “Coming in confident will play a big factor. We beat them once this year, and I think we can do it again as long as our pitching does their job and our hitters hit the ball. I think we’ll be able to take care of them.”