Albuquerque, N.M. – Three years of mounting frustration were finally jettisoned by Goddard as the Rockets won the Class 5A state baseball title Saturday, 10-3, over Albuquerque Academy after finishing runners-up by a single run in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Goddard lost to Academy two years ago in the championship game, making Saturday’s victory even sweeter for the Rockets.
So, when the final out was made late Saturday afternoon at Isotopes Park, the Goddard players joyously celebrated the school’s first state baseball championship in more than a quarter century.
Vindicated? To a certain extent, yes.
“We were definitely thinking about (the last three years),” Goddard senior pitcher Cal Villareal said after throwing a complete game. “There was a lot of pressure to finally get this one win and get over the hump and win a state championship. We’re been so close for the last three years.”
Besides winning a state title, Goddard’s senior class has established a high standard for future Rocket players by reaching the state championship game four straight years.
“It’s almost an expectation to make this game every year,” Villareal said. “Now we finally got the win we’ve been looking for the past three years. We had nothing but positivity and excitement for this game today. This win will help take some pressure off the program and everybody can play more loose.”
Goddard coach Alan Edmonson was smiling from ear-to-ear after the game, knowing his team had finally crashed through the championship barrier after so many close calls in the past.
“Getting here four straight years was really tough,” Edmonson said. “And then losing the last three (championship) games by one run. This tournament has had a lot of heartbreak for me personally and for these kids, but we put that behind us.
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“Our kids played a heckuva tournament for the past three days. Last night, our kids were probably the most confident I’ve seen them in my life. They had no fears. They were nails. They played solid all week. They are an incredible group of guys.”
Goddard quickly jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when leadoff hitter Ethan Coombes doubled to left, moved to third on a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Cameron Stevenson. Three batters into the game, the Rockets led by a run.
Academy evened the score on a one-out RBI single in the top of the second, but Goddard regained the lead in the bottom half of the second when a throwing error on a botched pickoff attempt allowed the Rockets baserunner to scamper home from first base.
Stevenson record his second RBI of the game in the bottom of the third when he singled home Cal Villareal, who had singled and advanced to third on a stolen base and throwing error by the Academy catcher.
After a double play, walk and stolen base, Ty Villareal ripped a RBI double over the head of the Academy left-fielder to widen Goddard’s lead to 4-1.
Goddard continued to hammer away at Academy pitching in the bottom of the fourth as they added two additional runs for a 6-1 lead. Coombes doubled down the third base line to score Matt Shanor from first base. Coombes scored moments later on a single by Cal Villareal before Academy could get out of the inning.
The Chargers got two runs back in the top of the fifth on a single, double, sacrifice fly, walk and infield single, and sent the tying run to the plate with two outs and runners at first and second. But a popup ended the inning with Academy still trailing 6-3.
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Goddard added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a controversial sacrifice fly (the umpires initially ruled no catch before reversing the call) that convinced the umpires to clear the field for a few moments when the argument got heated.
When play resumed, things fell apart for Academy quickly as a single, hit by pitch and sharp two-run double to left-center by Justin Miller gave Goddard a comfortable 9-3 lead. Miller strolled to third on a balk and raced home on a wild pitch to make it 10-3.
Three outs from the state title, Goddard finished off Academy in the top of the seventh after the Chargers filled the bases when Villareal fired strike three past the final batter.
“My fastball was moving and my cutter was on,” Villareal said. “But it was mainly fastballs. As soon as we won the semifinal game (Friday), Coach let me know this was my game.”
