HEMET — On the 352nd pitch of the game, there finally was resolution of Thursday’s Sunbelt League baseball marathon between Hemet and Elsinore.
An errant throw that rolled into the Hemet dugout allowed Elias Mapstead to score the decisive run in Hemet’s 2-1, 13-inning victory.
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore’s Tino Zaia #21 as he tries to leap over him to score during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore’s Tino Zaia #21 as he tries to leap over him to score during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore’s Tino Zaia #21 as he tries to leap over him to score during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore outfielder Dillon Slayton #4 bunts against Hemet during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Marcos Mendivil #18 crashes into the fence trying to catch an Elsinore foul ball during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Timmy Lachappa #2 pitches against Elsinore during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Marcos Mendivil #18 dives back to first base against Elsinore during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore Semaj Moore #6 throws out Hemet’s Tyler Trout #7 on a bunt attempt during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore’s Tino Zaia #21 as he tries to leap over him to score during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore Tino Zaia #21 celebrates after hitting a double against Hemet during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore catcher Lucas Alberoni #9 dives back to third as Hemet’s Draven Lopez #13 collects the ball during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore outfielder Dillon Slayton #4 reacts after dropping a Hemet fly ball during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore’s Tino Zaia #21 as he tries to leap over him to score during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Tyler Trout #7 cleans his cleats during a picturing change as fellow outfielders from left Marcos Mendivil #18 and Dylan Lachappa #6 wait against Elsinore during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 beats the tag of Elsinore catcher Lucas Alberoni #9 to score the game tying run during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Jack Mapstead #4 strikes out against Elsinore during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore infielder Brody Boyd #5 is tagged out by Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s bench cheers against Elsinore during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 beats the tag of Elsinore catcher Lucas Alberoni #9 to score the game tying run during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore’s Tino Zaia #21 as he tries to leap over him to score during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 tags out Elsinore infielder Brody Boyd #5 as he tries to score on a bunt during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 celebrates his game tying score against Elsinore in the 9th inning of the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore head coach Matt Mosiello argues a call with an umpire during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore Chad Horton #44 beats the tag of Hemet’s Raul Plata #19 at third base during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore outfielder Dillon Slayton #4 is unable to catch a Hemet fly ball during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Quinton Skinner #14 picks the ball off the back of the home plate umpire after it was fouled off his shoe by an Elsinore batter during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore Chad Horton #44 and an umpire block the sun in the 13th inning of the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Elias Mapstead #9 has to run threw teammates to score the game running run after the ball rolled into the dugout against Elsinore to end the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Elias Mapstead #9 shoes the winning run as Elsinore catcher Lucas Alberoni #9 reacts after the 2-1 loss during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore John Emmerling #3 is tagged out in a rundown by Hemet’s Tyler Trout #7 during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Hemet’s Marcos Mendivil #18, right celebrate after game winning hit against Elsinore in the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore Semaj Moore #6 dives past second base during a rundown against Hemet as Elsinore John Emmerling #3 reacts during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore Chad Horton #44 tries to catch a pop up bunt against Hemet during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore catcher Lucas Alberoni #9 tags out Hemet’s Raul Plata #19 during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Elsinore catcher Lucas Alberoni #9 reacts after the 2-1 loss to Hemet during the Sunbelt League baseball game in Hemet on Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The outcome created chaos at the top of the Sunbelt League standings, as Hemet, Elsinore and Valley View are all within a game of each other.
After Mapstead drew a leadoff walk in the 13th inning, Marcos Mendivil drilled a double to left-center. Mapstead took a wide turn at third but was headed back to the base when the errant throw rolled into the dugout and out of play and Mapstead was awarded home.
The game ended Hemet’s four-game losing streak, although the Bulldogs (11-8 overall, 6-4 in league) are still searching for their offensive groove. They have scored just nine runs in the past seven games.
Mendivil had been pinch-hit for in the 11th, but he jumped on a 1-1 curve to end it in the 13th.
What was Mendivil’s approach to the final at-bat?
“What I said in my head, I can’t really say,” he said with a smile. “I’m gonna hit. That was really it.”
Each team used four pitchers, almost all of whom turned in a stellar performance. Each team was limited to six hits, combining for a batting average of .148.
Elsinore (15-6, 6-3) played the last three defensive innings with just eight players. The Tigers, carrying a roster of 12 players, had no remaining substitutions when third baseman Semai Moore was ejected following a baseline collision.
In the top of the 13th, Hemet intentionally walked Chad Horton with two outs, bringing up Moore’s spot and resulting in the automatic third out.
There were plenty of scoring chances. Hemet left nine runners in scoring position, including five at third base. Elsinore had two runners thrown out at the plate.
It was the third meeting of the week between the teams, the second to go extra innings. No team scored more than three runs in any of the games.
“Every time we play Elsinore, they are ultra-competitive,” Hemet coach Steven Brown said. “I think it’s fun. We play good baseball. I tip my hat to those guys. It’s a great program.”
Elsinore took the lead in the top of the ninth on a leadoff walk, Dillon Slayton’s sacrifice, a single by Horton and Moore’s groundout.
Hemet answered when Quinton Skinner laced a one-out double and scored on a close play at the plate following Jack Mapstead’s single
Despite the loss, Elsinore continued its pitching brilliance. The Tigers have allowed more than two runs just five times in 21 games.
“In high school baseball, you throw strikes and have two or three pitches and you’re going to be effective,” Tigers coach Matt Mosiello said. “We’ve been very effective lately.”