Scripps Ranch errors open door for Saints

By Bill Dickens – Special to the Union-Tribune
Sunday, April 11, 2010 at 12:02 a.m.

Connor Hofmann and the St. Augustine Saints had Scripps Ranch on the run in yesterday’s City Conference Tournament championship game at Cathedral Catholic High.

“That’s our style – we force the issue,” Hofmann said.

The Saints’ center fielder was referring to St. Augustine’s aggressive baserunning.

“Every time the ball is in the dirt or someone juggles one in the field, we’re going,” said Hofmann, who batted .526 (10-for-19) in the six tournament games.

St. Augustine (10-8) capitalized on three Scripps Ranch errors for four unearned runs and ran away with the conference tournament title thanks to a 7-5 nod in the finale.

The Saints’ recent surge has centered on Hofmann, who drove in 10 runs, scored eight, whacked three doubles and a home run batting leadoff. He also stole six bases.

No individual awards were presented in the tournament, but that didn’t matter to St. Augustine coach Craig da Luz.

“Connor was the MVP in my book,” the coach said. “He was our catalyst.”

Two errors on the same play with the bases loaded handed the Saints their first three runs in the second inning.

“They chucked it around a little bit,” da Luz said. “But I think some of that was caused by the pressure of our aggressive baserunners.

Relief pitcher Eliot Lowell laced a three-run double to extend St. Augustine’s advantage to 6-0 in the third inning.

Michael Coyne was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs, while Cody Schiele had two hits and two runs scored for the Saints.

No. 9 Scripps Ranch scrambled back to slice the deficit to 6-5 with four runs in the third and Max Denhart’s RBI single in the fourth.

That’s when Lowell took over on the mound, blanking the Falcons over the final three frames to earn his second save.

Scripps Ranch (15-3) saw its 13-game winning streak come to an end.

To read the story online go to this link: Saints Baseball