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Dougals McPeak started Saturday’s championship game. Kelli Luberda | CBN
The Cats salute their fans after Saturday’s State Championship game. Kelli Luberda | CBN
Cole Yocum at the plate during Saturday’s game. Kelli Luberda | CBN
Copper Basin News
For a while it looked like the second-seeded Ray baseball team might lose last Saturday’s Division IV Baseball State Championship game without recording a hit against top-seeded Desert Christian’s starting pitcher Andrew Edwards.
But the Bearcats wouldn’t go down without a fight, coming up with a valiant comeback attempt before being defeated by the now Three-Peat Champions, 13 – 6.
The Eagles senior left-hander no-hit the Cats during the game’s first five innings, as the back-to-back defending State Champion Eagles were making it look easy, leading 8 – 0 going into to the sixth inning.
Ray had a chance to score first in the bottom of the second with runners and second and third, no outs, and their 1-2-3 hitters coming up. But Edwards was able to get out of the jam without any damage being done.
“We felt our 1-2-3 hitters were capable of scoring at least one, if not two runs,” Ray head coach Rene Pacheco said after the game. “When you face a dominant pitcher like Edwards, he controlled those three at-bats.”
He added, “Looking back, if we could’ve scored one, if not two the outcome of the game could’ve been a little different.
The Eagles took the lead in the bottom of the third, taking advantage of some errors to score five runs in the inning. Ray starting pitcher Douglas McPeak, who pitched out of trouble in the second, was not as fortunate in the third and was relieved by senior Destry Yocum.
The Cats gained some momentum in the bottom of the fifth when center-fielder Robbin Newman made a sliding two-out catch on a line drive with the bases loaded. Ray’s season might have ended there if not for Newman’s outstanding defensive play.
“Robbin made a great play to end the inning,” Pacheco said. “(He) allowed us another at-bat to make a game out of it and we had a little bit of life left.”
Boy did they.
The Bearcats sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the sixth, scored six runs, and chased Edwards, who was obviously upset as he returned to the dugout.
Derek Pacheco led off the inning with a walk, which was followed by Yocum getting hit by a pitch and single by Seth Harmon to load the bases. Jacob Pace came up with the first big hit of the inning, an RBI single that scored Pacheco and Yocum. Harmon, who was trying to score on an error, was out at the place, but the throw home allowed to Pace to move to second.
Jacob and his brother Jordan scored two more runs on a throwing error by the Eagles’ first baseman.
Douglas McPeak later hit a two-run double, scoring Newman and Cole Yocum, who had previously singled and doubled, respectively.
“Our kids had quality at-bats, executed when we needed to, and made things happen,” Pacheco said. “To make that run it’s just quality at-bats, quality hits, a little bit of luck, and we put some pressure on their side.”
Pacheco, who said the both the crowd and atmosphere “was unbelievable” during Saturday’s game, was pleased by the support of the fans in attendance and effort of his players.
“Our fans never gave up on us and I honestly believe our kids never gave up on us,” he said.
Desert Christian answered back in the bottom half of the inning, scoring five runs to effectively seal their third-straight championship.
The Bearcats started the season 1 – 6 – 1, facing some stiff competition before playing in a section that featured three teams in the final eight of the state playoffs.
“We told the kids we’re going to work hard, we’re going to try to get better every year, and we’re going to try to go deeper in the playoffs,” Pacheco said, recalling what he told the team he took over. “This year we knew we were going to be prepared.”
Pacheco, who took over the Bearcats’ program three years ago, was proud of his players, many of whom were friends with his son, Derek. He’s been around them most of their lives.
“I truly believe our team left everything they had on the field,” he told the Copper Basin News. “We accepted the defeat in the end, but our kids fought until the end.”
Pacheco talked briefly about the opportunity to coach his son Derek during his final season at Ray.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience,” he said about coaching son. “I’m proud of him as a baseball player, but I’m more proud of him as a person.”
The last month has been difficult for the Pacheco family, especially for Derek, who lost both of his maternal grandparents during that time, including his grandmother only days before Saturday’s championship game.
The younger Pacheco, who is a straight-A student and ranked at the top of his graduating class, has made his family and father very proud.
“He has an academic scholarship to NAU,” said Derek’s coach and dad. “He’s been a role model for all the kids in our community and I’m very proud of that.”
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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