Riverdale ends long playoff drought with 8-7 extra inning win over Leesville

KENNER – Cell phones did not exist. The Internet was invented. George H.W. Bush the President of the United States while Buddy Roemer was the Governor of Louisiana. The Berlin Wall was coming down. Batman was the highest grossing movie in the country.

That was all in the year 1989.

That was the last time Riverdale won a baseball state playoff game.

On Tuesday night at Bonnabel Stadium, a team changed uniforms in the middle of the game in a game that changed constantly with two teams matching runs in often unorthodox fashion. When the smoke cleared, the 29-year drought for Riverdale baseball came to a glorious end.

Diego Zepeda scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 10th inning to lift the 13th-seeded Rebels to a thrilling 8-7 victory over 20th seed Leesville.

Zepeda had reached on a single, his second hit of the game and stole second before advancing to third on a wild pitch and scoring on another wild pitch from losing pitcher Sabian Matuu. Zepeda reached safely in five of six at-bats including a pair of walks and he was hit by a pitch and he stole four bases.

“It feels amazing to just come out and pout out for my team,” Zepeda said. “We really worked hard to get here and I’m glad that I’m able to capitalize and finish it off. I was trying to steal every time I reached base.”

Leesville jumped on top in the top of the second inning on a two-out, two-run double by Caleb Westfall to make it 2-0.

Riverdale got even in the bottom of the fourth inning. Zepeda and Eric Chacon walked. Will Flynn bunted into a fielder’s choice, forcing Zepeda at third. Ryan Martin followed with an RBI double to right-center field, scoring Chacon to make it 2-1. Manny Rosado followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Flynn to make it 2-2.

Riverdale had a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases, but Chacon grounded out, sending it to extra innings.

The Wampus Cats took the lead in the top of the eighth inning as Baylor Dilliun and Andrew Chaparro singled before Triston Doyle belted a three-run home run to center to make it 5-2.

The Rebels rallied to tie it in the bottom of the eighth. Flynn was hit by a pitch, Martin walked, Flynn moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Rosado to make it 5-3. After a walk to Kyle Collet and a single by Zach Schnauder, Matuu delivered a wild pitch, scoring courtesy runner Alquan Cornish to make it 5-4. Brendan Baudry followed with a sacrifice fly, scoring Collet to tie the game 5-5.

In the top of the ninth, Riverdale saw its defense fall apart, committing three errors, including one on a grounder by Doyle which allowed two runs to score to make it 7-5.

Interestingly, Leesville switched from light jerseys to black jerseys prior to the bottom of the ninth inning. The unusual move did not benefit the Wampus Cats.

The Rebels got consecutive singles from Zepeda and Chacon to start the bottom of the ninth but Leesville turned a double play. Matuu proceeded to walk four straight, including a bases loaded walk to Kyle Collet, scoring Zepeda to make it 7-6. He then walked Zack Schnauder, scoring Martin to tie the game 7-7, setting the stage for the winning rally in the 10th inning.

John Harmon started and went five innings for Leesville, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. He walked three and struck out seven. Harley Gill pitched two innings, allowing allowing one run before giving way to Matuu, who struggled with his command. He walked six, hit a batter and had three wild pitches, including the one which decided the game to take the loss.

Doyle was 2-for-4 with a single to go with his three-run home run to pace Leesville (17-18). He also reached base on a walk and an error.

Former Crescent City Christian player and head coach Oscar Reed returned to Jefferson Parish as the head coach of Leesville and he left in disappointing fashion.

“I tip my hat to Riverdale first off,” Reed said. “That’s a great ball club over there. Take nothing away from them. Both teams played hard. It was a fun game. Tough for us because it’s our last one this season. It’s the last one for our seniors. I couldn’t be more proud of our guys today and the way they competed. I coach these guys tough for moments like this. The ball just didn’t bounce our way the last inning. You can’t be mad. Both teams played well enough to win the game. They laid it all on the line.”

Leesville came without one out of a win in the ninth inning but could not finish the deal.

“That’s why they pay these closers 10 million dollar,” Reed said. “To pitch one inning, they pay you 10 million dollars to get three outs. That’s why baseball is so unique. That’s why I love this game. That’s why they love this game. Both teams played hard. That’s baseball.”

Rensuke Higashihama went the first eight innings for Riverdale. He allowed five runs on five hits. Higashihama walked four, hit a batter and struck out nine, using 124 pitches, including 80 strikes. Will Flynn picked up the win, going two innings, allowing two unearned runs on just one hit. He struck out one.

“I think that’s at least our fifth or sixth extra inning game this year,” Riverdale head coach Sean Temple said. “This was by far the best. They got three, we got three. They got two, we got two. I can’t say enough about them. We talked all day about not giving up and leaving it on the field. I’m excited for them. This is the first win in the playoffs for Riverdale since 1989. As a Riverdale grad, I can’t tell you how excited I am. That’s a big, big deal for us.”

Riverdale advances to the regional round to take on fourth seed South Lafourche at Galliano. The Tarpons blasted 29th seed Beau Chene 10-0 in five innings. Game one is set for Friday night at 6:30 p.m., with game two at 1 p.m. Saturday and the third game, if necessary set for 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

“This one’s very special, we stayed with it,” Zepeda said. “It means a lot to be here for four years and to come through and actually win the first playoff game since 1989. We might as well keep it going. We’re on a roll.

Temple concurs.

“It’s not over for us,” Temple said. “That’s what we’ve saying all year, to get to the three-game set and we have a shot, we hope we have a shot. The monkey’s off my back. It’s definitely off my back. It’s something I’ve been worrying about. We won the district four straight years and then we got three straight years of losses in the playoffs. It’s a relief. We endured.”

Final
LHS 020 000 032 — 7 5 1, 7 LOB
RHS 000 200 031 — 8 9 4, 15 LOB
WP—Will Flynn
LP—Sabian Matuu
Time of Game: 3:19

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