Lemmerman received his opportunity in the eighth and he came through with two outs. The Duke-bound senior shortstop hit a walk-off two-run home run to right-center field, as the Sea Kings beat the Hawks, 8-6, Friday.
As Lemmerman came around third base, Emme's eyes were bulging out. Amazing is how Emme said he felt after the come-from-behind victory over the CIF Southern Section Division III fifth-ranked program.
No. 8 CdM (7-2, 2-0 in league) won its seventh consecutive game, and handed Laguna Hills (7-4, 0-2) its second extra-inning loss this week.
The only thing satisfying to Laguna Hills Coach Pete Tereschuk was that this game wasn't decided in the 12th inning.
"We gave that game away," said Tereschuk, referring to the Hawks giving up six runs in the 12th and seeing University win, 8-2, Monday. "We got enough [big] hits [one two-run home run, two solo home runs and two doubles] to win the game. We've got to play better defense and finish the game.
"Up by three and we need three outs to finish the game."
Starter Jeff Rauh couldn't get outs for Laguna Hills with a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh.
The junior tried, but appeared worn out and lost control against the defending league champs. He hit leadoff hitter Vinnie St. John, and then threw back-to-back wild pitches that allowed St. John to scoot to third.
Out came Rauh after six solid innings, and entered Alex St. Pierre, one of the Hawks' aces.
Three pitches later, Lemmerman found himself on board via walk for the second time.
Elliott stepped up, and St. Pierre jumped ahead of him by fooling him with a couple of changeups. Then Emme advised the team's RBI king to make sure to just get a hit and not a home run, because as he said, "you never hit home runs when you're trying."
