Costa Mesa baseball rallies to beat Estancia for Battle for the Bell bragging rights

It’s hard to imagine a more pressure-filled situation than the one Costa Mesa High baseball sophomore Michael Joyce found himself in Wednesday afternoon.

Estancia was down to its last out in the top of the seventh inning, but refused to go quietly. And when Joyce hit the Eagles’ James De La O and Cole Lefebvre on back-to-back pitches, the second one forced in a run.

Costa Mesa’s lead was trimmed to one and the bases remained loaded. Estancia had the tying run on third base and the potential go-ahead run on second base.

Joyce just had to breathe.

Costa Mesa starter Michael Joyce pitches against Estancia during the second inning in a Battle for the Bell game on Wednesday.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

“I was rushing it,� he said after the game. “I just had to calm down and throw strikes and let my defense work.�

Mission accomplished. Joyce got the next batter to hit a ground ball to shortstop. Costa Mesa hung on for a 5-4 victory at home in the third and final Orange Coast League game between the rivals this season.

Costa Mesa (11-10, 4-7 in league) won the rubber match, and the Paul Troxel Trophy stays with the Mustangs as they won the Battle for the Bell series for the second straight year.

As importantly, fifth-place Costa Mesa stayed in the playoff race with four league games remaining. Joyce played a big role with his complete-game victory, improving to 4-4 this season. He allowed seven hits and two earned runs, striking out five and walking none.

“Michael was a bulldog on the mound, and we made the plays we needed to make,� Mustangs coach Jim Kiefer said. “That’s how you win a one-run game. I’m proud of the kids. It was a much-needed win after a couple weeks of struggle, and they showed a lot of heart today.�

Estancia pitcher Adam Mits (2) is congratulated by teammate Trevor Scott, left, after he struck out a Costa Mesa batter to close out the third inning in a Battle for the Bell game on Wednesday.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Fourth-place Estancia (18-5, 6-5), coming off an 8-2 home victory over Costa Mesa on Tuesday, seemed to be headed to another victory. The Eagles took a 3-0 lead after three innings, with De La O notching a pair of run-scoring singles. Estancia starting pitcher Andrew Mits was cruising, throwing three perfect innings to start.

But Costa Mesa responded. Chris Hall led off the bottom of the fourth with a double, then scored as the throw got away at first base on Sam Stute’s bunt up the third-base line. After an infield single by Jordan Stucki, Mits recorded a pair of fielder’s choice outs. But sophomore designated hitter Caleb Robeck roped a double to the wall in left-center field, scoring Matt Anderson and J.J. Kibin and tying the score at 3-3.

The Mustangs scored two more runs in the fifth. Vaughn Eberly started things off with another leadoff double, and he and Brennan Borg would both cross the plate to give Mesa the advantage. The Mustangs held the lead, stopping Estancia’s late rally.

“We thought if we get up on them, that’s the position we like to be in,� said Estancia coach Nate Goellrich, whose team is ranked No. 5 in CIF Southern Section Division 6. “We play a lot better that way. We put ourselves in a position, but all the credit to Mesa. Their season was on the line today, and they came through in the fourth and fifth inning. We just didn’t match their level of intensity in those two innings. The little details got to us. We’ll learn and get ready for next week.�

Estancia catcher Blake Peck, left, makes the tag at home plate against Costa Mesa’s Sam Stute during the fourth inning in a Battle for the Bell game on Wednesday.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Costa Mesa celebrated and took pictures with the trophy in left field after the game. The Mustangs have had to deal with adversity lately, as freshman shortstop Omar Gutierrez broke his hand against Orange on March 22. Kiefer said a senior-to-be shortstop quit the team prior to the season, so the combination of events has left the Mustangs in a tough position.

Costa Mesa had also lost three straight league games headed into Wednesday’s showdown. But the Mustangs came up big when it mattered.

Stucki, who turned 18 on Wednesday, also had a sacrifice fly as the senior earned a big victory on his birthday.

“I’m blessed to be able to play with these guys,� he said. “To get a win on my birthday is huge, but it wasn’t just me today. We had some key at-bats. It was 3-0 in that third inning, and it could have gone either way. I just think it shows how tough we are as a group, and how resilient we are. I thank these guys for how hard they’ve worked.�

Costa Mesa hosts Orange on Tuesday, while Estancia hosts last-place Saddleback. Orange, Santa Ana and Calvary Chapel remain in a three-way tie for first place in league with identical 7-3 records.

Costa Mesa’s Vaughn Eberly secures a toss to first base for an out against Estancia during the third inning.

(Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

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