Derik Sandoval #21 of Cleveland reacts after scoring on a double by teammate Armando Flores (not pictured) of Cleveland in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Christian Mateo #44 of Cleveland and teammates celebrates after two runs score against Carson in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Cleveland bench reacts after teammate Kaeden Riepl (not pictured) of Cleveland hits a bunt single to load the bases against Carson in the fifth of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Aiden Brasher #44 of Carson reacts after a RBI triple against Cleveland in the third inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kaeden Riepl #99 of Cleveland is called out on a interference call with catcher Johnny Muñoz #7 of Carson in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Umpires discuss a interference call in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game between the Carson and the Cleveland at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kaeden Riepl #99 of Cleveland is called out on a interference call with catcher Johnny Muñoz #7 of Carson in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Kaeden Riepl #99 of Cleveland reacts after getting a out against Carson to end the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Derik Sandoval #21 of Cleveland reacts after scoring on a double by teammate Armando Flores (not pictured) of Cleveland in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Aiden Brasher #44 of Carson makes the catch on a bunt by Riley Shapiro (not pictured) of Cleveland in the second inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Cleveland celebrates after two runs score against Carson in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Noah Schreiber #15 of Cleveland tags out Ryan Camacho #25 of Carson on a attempted steal of second base in the sixth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Noah Schreiber #15 of Cleveland tags out Aiden Brasher #44 of Carson on a attempted steal of second base in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Kaeden Riepl #99 of Cleveland throws to the plate against Carson in the second inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Kaeden Riepl #99 of Cleveland throws to the plate against Carson in the second inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Peter Gunny of Cleveland reacts to a interference call in the fifth inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Sergio Padilla #3 of Carson reacts after hitting the game winning single in the eighth inning to defeat Cleveland 4-3 and win a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Aiden Brasher #44 of Carson throws to the plate against Cleveland in the first inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Anthony Dorado #10 of Carson reacts after striking out the side with bases loaded against Cleveland in the seventh inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Centerfielder Ryan Camacho #25 of Carson makes the catch on a fly ball by Armando Flores (not pictured) of Cleveland in the second inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Michael Kunipo-Aguirre of Carson pumps up his team against Cleveland in the second inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Peter Gunny of Cleveland reacts against Carson in the first inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Sergio Padilla #3 of Carson reacts after hitting the game winning single as teammate Joshua Montes, left, of Carson scores in the eighth inning to defeat Cleveland 4-3 and win a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Sergio Padilla #3 of Carson reacts after hitting the game winning single as teammate Joshua Montes (not pictured) of Carson scores in the eighth inning to defeat Cleveland 4-3 and win a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Sergio Padilla #3 of Carson is mobbed by teammates after hitting the game winning single in the eighth inning to defeat Cleveland 4-3 and win a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Aiden Brasher #44 of Carson reacts after a RBI triple against Cleveland in the third inning of a L.A. City Section baseball quarterfinals baseball game at Carson High School in Carson on Friday, May 17, 2024. Carson defeated Cleveland 4-3 in 8 innings. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
CARSON — Before Sergio Padilla stepped to the plate in the bottom of the eighth with the winning run on third, Carson coach Michael Kunipo-Aguirre checked in with the senior.
“I talked to him right before and I said, ‘is the game speeding up on you,’ ” Kunipo-Aguirre said. “He said, ‘coach, I’m calm’ and I said all right, you’re going to go win this game for us.”
That’s exactly with Padilla did.
On a 3-and-2 pitch from Cleveland reliever Alfredo Martinez, Padilla went up the middle of the drawn-in infield, bringing home pinch-runner Joshua Montes to give Carson a 4-3 win in Friday’s L.A. City Section Open Division quarterfinal.
The Colts (21-8) will face second seed Birmingham in Tuesday’s semifinals at Pepperdine. Birmingham defeated San Pedro 8-0 in a quarterfinal game Friday.
“I was just hunting for fastballs,” Padilla said. “Something I could hit and let the game do its thing.”
The inning started with Aiden Brasher and Dylan Mares both getting hit by pitches by Joshua Pearlstein. Pinch-runners came in for both and Johnny Munoz followed with a sacrifice bunt moving the runners to second and third.
The 11th-seeded Cavaliers (15-15) tied the game at 3-3 on Armando Flores’ two-run double in the fifth inning. In the top of the seventh, they were in a prime situation to take the lead.
Anthony Dorado relieved Brasher to start the seventh inning and he walked the first two batters. Next, Kaeden Riepl, in a bunting situation, popped up the bunt, but it still found a way to fall for a loading the bases.
“I might have been a little nervous,” Dorado admitted. “I look it (the situation) too big, but I settled in.”
He did more than settle in. Dorado rebounded to strikeout the next three batters to keep the game tied at 3-3. He would eventually end up getting the win.
The game was the first for the Colts since May 2 when their regular season ended. They received a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Things nearly started off horrendously for Carson. On the first at-bat of the game, Brasher took a line drive off his foot from Richard Libby. The Cavaliers got runners to second and third, before Brasher struck out two to end the inning.
In the third inning, Brasher drove in the first runs of the game with a two-run triple. A third run scored on an error, giving the Colts a 3-0 lead.
The Cavaliers scored in the fourth and finally caught the Colts in the fifth.
Riepl did his best to keep Cleveland in the game. He pitched seven innings and allowed three unearned runs, four hits, walked one and struck out four.
“He did a great job,” Kunipo-Aguirre said of Cleveland’s side-arm pitcher. “We definitely had some timing issues at the plate, especially for not playing for two weeks. It’s hard to get that atmosphere (in practice), but I’m just happy we came out on top.”
Cleveland began the playoffs with an 11-1 win over Legacy in Wednesday’s first round.
Last season, the Colts advanced to the Division I final at Dodger Stadium.
