All of this hard work by a freshman paid off. Sage Hill followed.
Sage Hill came back from three runs down to advance to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in the varsity baseball program’s seven-year history, beating Bellarmine-Jefferson, 10-3, at home.
After battling for six innings, striking out six, picking off three runners, walking five, and allowing three runs and five hits, Heffron (4-3) anxiously waited for the end.
Once Alex Jimenez, in relief, recorded the last out by striking out a batter looking, Sage Hill Coach Andy Berglund knew what Heffron longed to do next. Hop on a golf cart and start raking the infield dirt.
“For some reason he likes doing it,” the first-year coach said. “He’s all out there by himself.”
That sure wasn’t the case in the first three innings.
Sage Hill (15-6), making its first postseason appearance since 2004, flirted with disaster before moving on to play Apple Valley Christian (18-2) in the second round Tuesday.
Bellarmine-Jefferson (9-12) jumped to a comfortable 3-0 lead on Daniel Diaz’s one-run double. But it was too comfy for Coach Hector Perez’s liking. Perez said he’s experienced it before with a young squad.
The big letdown soon followed. Bellarmine-Jefferson, the third-place team out of the Santa Fe League, committed four errors and pitchers balked five times, three runs came across on balks.
Heffron performed at his best, in trouble, by coming up with crucial strikeouts. Nick Ongaro figured it was his time to step up offensively.
The junior delivered the biggest hit of the game during a five-run fourth inning. Ongaro, facing a full count, gave Sage Hill its first lead at 5-3, going the other way to right field with a two-run triple.
