Aragon Finally Has His Day Against Simi Valley, 8-7

Channel Islands High pitcher Angel Aragon has endured his share of long afternoons against Simi Valley the past three seasons. The Pioneers are responsible for four of Aragon’s 12 losses in that span, and it seemed like old times Wednesday at Simi Valley.

Aragon gave up five runs in the first inning. In the 2 1/2-hour Marmonte League game, he uncorked four wild pitches, hit two batters, balked and made 113 pitches.

But this time Aragon and Channel Islands escaped with an 8-7 victory that forged a three-way tie for first place among Channel Islands (19-4, 8-3 in league play), Simi Valley (16-6, 8-3) and Royal (14-6, 8-3).

Aragon (9-2), who has a 27-12 high school record but entered the game 0-4 against Simi Valley, struck out 11 and hit a decisive three-run home run.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this,” he said.

Aragon, who was three for three, received much-needed defensive support when the Raiders turned a double play that ended the game with the tying run at third base and the go-ahead run at second. In the sixth inning, left fielder Brian Ortiz made a diving catch that prevented a double.

Channel Islands blew a three-run lead in the first and, after Aragon’s fifth homer broke a 5-5 tie in the fourth, the Raiders nearly blew their 8-5 lead in the seventh.

Ryan Briggs (two for four) and Aaron Whitley singled to lead off the inning and, after the runners advanced on a wild pitch, Kevin Nykoluk’s groundout knocked in Briggs. After Aaron Fischer was hit by a pitch, Ryan Hankins (two for four, three runs batted in) followed with a single that drove in Whitley, and the runners moved to second and third when the ball skipped past Ortiz.

Britten Pond was intentionally walked to load the bases for Bryan Kraft, who had hit a two-run homer that capped Simi Valley’s five-run first. Kraft hit a hard grounder to second baseman Sam Monroy, who flipped the ball to shortstop George Macias and Macias relayed to first.

“What a way to end it,” Channel Islands Coach Don Cardinal said. “I don’t even know the last time we beat them, but I ain’t gonna worry about it. We beat them this time, and that’s all that matters.”

Macias had three hits and Alex Zavala added two hits and three RBIs for Channel Islands, which finished with 11 hits.

Simi Valley starter Chris Devlin allowed five hits, five runs and three walks in two-plus innings. Reliever Trevor Leppard (7-2) struck out nine in four innings but gave up Aragon’s blast.