CHINO — When the Chino and Chino Hills baseball teams played a nonleague game nearly three months ago, few could have expected that the district rivals would play each other again as part of a deep run in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
After all, Chino Hills finished in last place in the Baseline League last year, and Chino lost in the first round of the playoffs.
The Chino Hills High School team rushes on the field celebrating their win in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Don Lugo’s Steven Marker #3 collides with Don Lugo’s Troy Aguilera #2 as they force out Linfield Christian Gavin Kramer #19 at second base in the CIF Southern Section Division 4 baseball second-round playoff game in Chino on Tuesday, May. 9, 2023. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
The Chino Hills High School team celebrates their win for the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ pitcher Favian Vasquez #5, turns to strike out a Chino player on first base during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
The Chino Hills High School team celebrates their win for the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
- See AlsoObituaries in Binghamton, NY | Press & Sun-BulletinObituaries in Binghamton, NY | Press & Sun-BulletinPress & Sun-Bulletin Memorials and Obituaries | We RememberNEW: Other driver charged with DUI-manslaughter in crash that killed eight farmworkers
Chino’s pitcher Paccelli Nieto #13, strikes out a Chino Hills player in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills Frankie Brazil #2, runs to first base after hitting the ball during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ Brody Buoncristiani #16, tags out Chino player, Matthew Gomez #20 at first base during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills player cheers for his teammates during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ Jacob Jimenez #9, makes it to second base as Chino player on first base during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ Jacob Jimenez #9, makes it to second base as Chino playerNathan Sena#2 attempts to tag him out in theCIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino’s Xiovany Ochoa #6, walks to first base during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino Hills High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills Frankie Brazil #2, makes it to first base after during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino’s Grant Vasquez #1, hits the ball during theCIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino Hills High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ pitcher Favian Vasquez #5, strikes out a Chino player during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ Matt Mendez #4, prepared to throw the ball in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills Frankie Brazil #2, hits the ball during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ pitcher Favian Vasquez #5, slides into second base during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
The Chino Hills High School team celebrates their win for the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ Tatum Borgogno #31, hits the ball during theCIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino Hills High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
Chino Hills’ pitcher Favian Vasquez #5, strikes out a Chino player during the CIF Southern Section Division 5 baseball semifinal game against Chino High School on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. (Photo by Anjali Sharif-Paul, The Sun/SCNG)
of
Expand
Tuesday, that unlikely rematch happened, and it was Chino Hills who combined on a four-hitter to down Chino 2-0 in a Division 5 semifinal at Chino High School. It was the second straight shutout for the Huskies, who have allowed just two runs in four playoff games.
Chino Hills (20-8-2), making its first championship game appearance since 2015, will play Santa Monica for the title on Friday at 4 p.m. at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore.
“The boys showed us that they bought in,” Chino Hills second-year coach Alex Sanchez said. “They believed in us coaches, they believed in what we were trying to teach them. They believed if they kept true to their approach, that good things would happen.
“For me, it’s exciting because it’s a cumulative effort from the coaches and the players and everyone giving their time and effort and energy that was awesome this year.”
Chino Hills got the only run it would need in the third inning, when Josh Mendez led off with a single, was sacrificed to second by Tatum Borgogno and scored on a single by Jacob Jimenez.
The Huskies doubled their lead in the fourth. A two-out error put Frankie Brazil on first, then Favian Vasquez hit a blooper to right-center. Right fielder Eric Hernandez made a diving attempt but couldn’t quite come up with the ball. Brazil raced to third and when Vasquez noticed Chino didn’t have anyone covering second, he raced to second. That was enough of a distraction for Brazil to sprint home to make it 2-0.
It was plenty of offense for Vasquez (4 ⅓ innings) and Andrew Baldomino (final 2 ⅔ innings), who turned the Cowboys away time and time again.
Vasquez allowed three hits, three hit batters and three walks but consistently came up with big pitches. Chino had 10 baserunners, but the Huskies picked off two baserunners and turned two double plays. The Cowboys were retired in order only once (sixth inning) but got a runner to third base only once, with two outs in the third inning.
“I stuck with my fastball and curveball and I was able to get out of some big jams,” Vasquez said. “I trusted in my defense and trusted my offense to put up some runs and after we got those two runs, I was able to pitch confidently, and it all worked out.”
Chino’s Paccelli Nieto deserved a better fate. He pitched a five-hitter, allowing one earned run while walking one, hitting one and striking out three. Ironically, the other time the teams met this season it was also a Vasquez-Nieto pitching matchup. It was also won by the Huskies, but the first one was 3-2 in eight innings.
“We played through from the first pitch to the last pitch,” Chino coach Mike St. Esteben said. “I’m proud of our guys. A month ago or so, we were not hitting the ball well, but things turned around.”
“Probably the second go-around of league was when we started putting wins together.”
It was a special run for St. Esteben, who played in the semifinals as a Chino senior in 1988. The Cowboys were also in the semifinals in 2006, and another 18 years later, they were back.
