COSTA MESA >> The outcome of CIF Southern California Division V regional championship game between Baldwin Park and Estancia on Saturday at Estancia High School was essentially decided in the first inning.
The Eagles made sure of it.
Estancia sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs in the inning, before cruising to an 11-2 victory.
Estancia players surround pitcher Jake Humphries, center, as they celebrate winning the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game against Baldwin Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia players run out to meet pitcher Jake Humphries after winning the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game against Baldwin Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia players celebrate after winning the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game against Baldwin Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia pitcher Jake Humphries begins celebrating after he and his team win the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game against Baldwin Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park’s Isaiah Ariza loses his cap and sunglasses as he catches a little blooper in the infield against Estancia in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Jack Moyer, left, leaps back to catch short fly ball against Baldwin Park as park at Tyler Humphries, right, backs him up in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park outfielder Tommy Villanueva misplays the ball against Estancia in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park’s Ricardo Rodriguez, center, is tagged out by Estancia second baseman Andrew Mits, right, as he tries to stretch a single to a double in the first inning in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. Estancia’s Jack Moyer is at left. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia John Uchytil runs past Baldwin Park catcher Michael Martinez to score a run in the first inning in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park pitcher Jordan Davis delivers a pitch against Estancia in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Andrew Mits, center, scores a run in the first inning but checks with the umpire to make sure he is safe at home in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game against Baldwin Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Jack Moyer, left, beats the throw to Baldwin Park’s catcher Michael Martinez to score a run in the first inning in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Jake Humphries delivers a pitch against Baldwin Park in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia players hold thier CIF SoCal Division V regional championship plaque after defeating Baldwin Park in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park’s Michael Martinez makes contact against Estancia in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park’s Damian Andrade doesn’t field the ball cleanly and tries to regain control of a ground ball against Estancia in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Estancia’s Jack Moyer makes contact for a hit against Baldwin Park in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
Baldwin Park’s Jordan Davis, right, tries to cheer up Isaiah Ariza, left, as they wait for a pitching change late in the CIF SoCal Division V regional championship baseball game against Estancia in Costa Mesa on Saturday, June 4, 2022. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer)
“It was nice to get that eight-spot in the first, said Estancia coach Nate Goellrich, who returned this season after last coaching the Eagles in 2017. “They made me settle down. That controlled my nerves. We threw the first punch and just kept going.”
The first seven batters reached base before an out was recorded, starting with a single from Jack Moyer and a walk to Andrew Coyotzi.
Trevor Scott and James De La O followed with RBI singles and Jake Humphries and Andrew Mits also delivered RBI singles later in the inning.
Moyer went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and a run scored in the inning and went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored for the game.
“It feels so good to win this game,” Moyer said. “I worked hard all week to get some hits during this game.”
The eight-run outburst took a lot of the pressure off Scott, who pitched a complete game.
The victory capped an extraordinary late-season run for the Eagles, who finished 31-5 under Goellrich after winning only seven games in 2021 under a different coach.
“It was eating at me to bring this program back as strong as it can be,” Goellrich said. “To do it in one year, I did not expect that. It’s been a great journey with these guys. I can’t say enough about the seniors buying in. I’m their third coach in four years. For them to accept me as their coach, with new standards … That is why we are standing here today.”
Estancia closed out the season on a 13-game winning streak, which began after a disappointing 4-3 defeat against rival Costa Mesa in an Orange Coast League game on April 13
The Eagles won their last five regular season games to finish in a second-place tie with Calvary Chapel and scored a total of 69 runs over the stretch.
Estancia then won five in a row in the CIF-SS Division 6 playoffs, including a 2-1 victory over Anaheim in the championship game to win the first division title in school history.
Regional baseball and softball playoffs: Friday’s scores, Saturday’s finals schedule
In the Division V regional semifinal against Kennedy of Delano, the Eagles came from three runs down to defeat the Thunderbirds 4-3, earning a berth in the regional final.
“There was never that letdown,” Goellrich said of the winning streak. “You never saw wasted at-bats.”
