ARCADIA — With the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning, Arcadia’s baseball team looked like it was going to squander a big opportunity when Damian Cataño’s ground ball appeared to be the final out of the inning with the Apaches down a run.
A Westlake coach argues with the umpire crew as he’s ejected from a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia celebrates after defeating Westlake, 2-1, in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Gabriel Lopez (14) is surrounded by teammates after he pitched a complete game in the team’s 2-1 win over Westlake in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake’s Dillon Marrisett at bat against Arcadia during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Gabriel Lopez (14) pitches against Westlake during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Jordan Vogel gets in position to catch a fly ball during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game against Westlake at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Jerry Carlos tries to bunt the ball during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game against Westlake at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake celebrates after Nolan Volantis (55) scored a run against Arcadia during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Damian Catano (22) gets into position to catch a hopping ground ball during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game against Westlake at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Aaron Prieto hits the dirt after catching a bouncing ground ball during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game against Westlake at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Fernando Palencia tosses the ball to first base during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game against Westlake at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake’s Johnny Backus at bat against Arcadia during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake’s Dylan Volantis fires off a pitch against Arcadia during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake players react after a 2-1 loss to Arcadia in a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia’s Fernando Palencia looks over his shoulder before attempting to tag Westlake’s Nolan Johnson as he slides into second base during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Arcadia watches as Westlake warms-up for a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Players from Westlake watch as their team warms up for their CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake’s Nate Johnson (28) tosses the ball over Arcadia’s Maverick Silva (9) during a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Westlake’s Nolan Johnson (55) tosses his hat after he was ejected from a CIF Southern Section Division 2 baseball quarterfinals game at Arcadia High School on Friday, May 10, 2024. (Photo by Trevor Stamp, Contributing Photographer)
Cataño was ruled safe at first on a close play, allowing the tying run to score.
Amid a score of angry Westlake coaches arguing with the first-base umpire and the confusion, Arcadia’s Jordan Vogel came around from second base to score the go-ahead run.
Arcadia held on to defeat visiting Westlake 2-1 to advance in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 playoffs.
Arcadia (22-7) will play in the semifinals Tuesday at Hart.
“In my head, I said ‘(Vogel) should go, he should go,’ ” Cataño said. “Coach didn’t send him, but (Vogel) went anyway. It was a real heads-up play. In a close pitching battle, every step matters and every step counts… Hustling is always going to win you games.”
Westlake (26-5) found itself in the bases-loaded predicament in the bottom of the sixth inning after ace pitcher Dylan Volantis walked a batter and hit two of the first four batters that inning.
Until that point, the left-hander hadn’t let an Arcadia runner past first base.
But Cataño’s game-tying RBI single and the heads-up base running by Vogel didn’t come without controversy. As Cataño reached first base and was called safe, all the players stopped, except Vogel, as a couple of Westlake coaches began to argue the call.
Vogel came around from second base and beat the throw to home.
“It was stolen from us,” Westlake head coach Wally Barnett said. “He was out (at first base) and that ends the inning. I felt our guys deserved better. Not taking away anything from (Arcadia). They’re a good team and they’re going to do good next week.”
Before the contentious sixth inning, Volantis and Arcadia starting pitcher began Friday’s quarterfinal in complete control. Volantis and Lopez combined for 10 strikeouts through the first three innings. But, unlike Arcadia, the Warriors managed to put at least one runner on base.
In the fourth inning, the Warriors finally cashed in one of those runners. After a leadoff single by Nolan Johnson, Noah Stead brought Johnson in from second base with an RBI single to give Westlake a 1-0 lead.
Volantis continued without a blemish until the sixth inning. He finished with 10 strikeouts and two earned runs.
Lopez pitched a complete game with 11 strikeouts and one earned run.
“(Volantis) is by far the best pitcher we’ve seen. Those curveballs — to be able to throw them like that is next level,” Arcadia head coach Nick Lemus said. “I knew it was going to be a close game because I knew (Lopez) was going to keep us in the game.”
