Angelus League Baseball : Servite Clinches Share of Title, 6-5

Tim Rosenkranz grounded a single to center field with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh Friday to give Servite High School a 6-5 win over Bishop Amat on the Friars’ field at Anaheim.

The wins gives the Friars (11-4, 15-7) a share of the Angelus League title with St. Paul, which beat Bishop Montgomery, 10-1, Friday night. The Friars earn the league’s No. 1 playoff spot by virtue of their 2-1 season-series edge over the Swordsmen.

Servite led, 5-4, in the top of the seventh with two out and two strikes on Carlos Salazar, but Salazar homered over the right-center field fence off reliever James Ferguson to tie the game, 5-5. Salazar also hit a solo home run to lead off the second to tie the game, 2-2.

In the bottom of the seventh, Brian Criss reached on an error. After a ground out, Jim Sanford was hit by a pitch and Mike Cornelius was intentionally walked before Rosenkranz’s single.

Ferguson, who replaced starter Todd Cook in the sixth, retired the next batter after Salazar’s game-tying home run and picked up the win. Brian Kelly took the loss for Bishop Amat (10-5, 14-7-1).

Jay Speidel hit a home solo homer, his fourth of the season, and went 2 for 3 for Servite. Catcher Jason Rolish had a single and an RBI before being ejected for throwing his bat and helmet after striking out in the sixth.

In other Angelus League action:

Mater Dei 7, Pius X 3--Sophomore right fielder Jim Austin hit two home runs to help the Monarchs defeat the Warriors at Pius X High. Austin, who finished the season with five homers and 20 RBIs, hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and a solo shot in the fifth.

Mike Kelly added two doubles and Mike McCarthy pitched the last four innings to gain the win for Mater Dei, which closed the season at 8-7 in league, 14-9 overall. The Monarchs failed to reach the playoffs for only the third time in Bob Ickes’ 13 years as coach.