Warriors open baseball season with win over Division V champions

Fallbrook High School’s baseball team opened its 2013 season March 2 with a 4-1 win over Calvary Christian, who had won the CIF San Diego Section’s 2012 Division V championship.

“It’s a very big win for our program,” said Fallbrook coach Mark DiBenedetti. “We’re very happy.”

The game was part of the Pirate-Falcon Classic tournament and was played at Duke Snider Field in Fallbrook. Matt Jepsen earned the pitching win for the Warriors after allowing a run, nine hits, and four walks in 6 1/3 innings while striking out seven.

“We played good together, got a couple of clutch base hits, defense was solid,” Jepsen said.

“Jepsen was masterful on the hill,” DiBenedetti said. “Jepsen just pitched a beautiful game.”

Jepsen and center fielder Cy Vojak switched positions with one out in the top of the seventh and a Lions runner on first base. Vojak worked the Calvary Christian batter to a 2-2 count before coaxing a ground ball to shortstop Connor Stotz. Stotz threw to freshman second baseman Bryson Spagnuolo for the inning’s second out, and Spagnuolo then relayed the ball to first baseman Christian Soto to complete the double play and end the game. Because Vojak entered the game with the potential tying run on deck, he earned the save.

Spagnuolo had two hits in three at-bats and drove in a run during his first high school game. Fallbrook started two freshmen; Jonathan “Pepe” Soto played third base. The Warriors also had two sophomore starters: catcher Cedric Brown and left fielder Andy White. “We’re young,” DiBenedetti said.

Fallbrook only started three seniors: Jepsen, Vojak, and Christian Soto. Stotz and right fielder Alex Strizak were the two starting juniors. The Warriors eschewed the designated hitter option against the Lions.

The first of Strizak’s two doubles during the game resulted in Strizak scoring the game’s first run. His second-inning double was followed by a walk to Pepe Soto. Spagnuolo’s single drove in Strizak while advancing Soto to second. Vojak’s single loaded the bases, and a balk with Jepsen at the plate gave Fallbrook a 2-0 lead.

Walks to Christian Soto and Brown in the third inning were followed by Strizak’s second double, which drove in Soto. The Lions scored their only run in the top of the fourth when David Carpenter drove in David Flores, but the Warriors reclaimed their three-run advantage in the bottom of that inning. Spagnuolo singled, White’s ground ball forced Spagnuolo for the inning’s second out although the Lions were unable to turn a double play, Jepsen singled to advance White, and Stotz’s single sent White across the plate.

“We had a great baseball game,” DiBenedetti said.