Bonita Downs San Dimas 7-3

Josh Yepez fired for Bonita to earn the victory against San Dimas.

Keyed by 2-run RBI singles by both Brian Tuttle and JC Huth in the bottom of the fifth, the Bonita Bearcats broke open a 3-3 ball game and went on to defeat cross-town rival San Dimas, 7-3, at Bonita High School.

Bonita’s big inning started harmlessly enough. Greg Victoria earned a free pass after being plunked in the middle of the back. He stole second and an errant pick-off placed him on third. Next, Matt Gelalich walked and stole second, putting runners on second and third with no outs. After Robert Mier fanned, Tuttle slapped a single, plating both Victoria and Gelalich.

They weren’t done however. After Evan Highley hit into a force play, Mark Lindsay and Anthony Ramos both singled to load the bases. Then Huth hit a flare to left that scored Highly and Kyle Moderow who was running for Lindsay. In the pivotal inning, Bonita sent nine batters to the plate to take a commanding 7-3 lead.

Bonita starter Josh Yepez pitched well giving up three runs, but none earned through four and one-third innings.

After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a double by Mier who later came around to score on a sacrifice fly by Highley, Bonita surrendered the lead in the top of the third, San Dimas taking advantage of two errors before Justin Winrow collected a 2-run RBI double scoring Shawn Kennedy and Brandon Yepiz.

Bonita, however, tied the score at 3-3 in the bottom of the fourth, this time aided by San Dimas’s fielding woes, which included missing a chance to shut down the front end of a Bonita double steal and also cut down a runner at the plate after an infield bobble. In the top of the inning, San Dimas also ran into two pickoffs, potentially taking them out of a big inning.

“Josh showed a lot of heart and grit,” Bonita coach John Knott said. “He had pretty good command. He was poised in critical situations and picked a couple of guys off.”

Knott also like the way his players bounced back from their loss to Claremont on Saturday.

“That’s what good teams do,” Knott said. “You can’t dwell on the negative. You have to live in the moment and capitalize on your opportunities.

“Evan Highley showed up and swung the bat real well for us. We got a huge 2-run RBI hit from Brian Tuttle, and then KC had a flare there that made up for the one-hopper that he hit up the middle to lose a hit on a great defensive play.”

Knott called the victory a total team effort.

“We played a number of guys on the team, which was good to give them experience,” Knott said. “Being a young group, we have a ways to go. We know that. We still made a ton of mental mistakes, but we’re working on it. One day at a time, one step at a time, one thing at a time.

“I think this group is going to turn a corner here.”

Bonita turns and faces Charter Oak on the road this Thursday at 3:15 p.m.