LIVERMORE – A.J. Martinez had already saved Granada’s season in the bottom of the seventh inning when he erased a one-run deficit with a game-tying double in the NorCal Division I playoff opener against visiting Clovis West.
Now up to bat in the eighth inning with two outs and the bases loaded, Martinez got a little help from the defense. His ground ball went deep in the hole to the shortstop, who then made an errant throw to first. Nate Brown raced home and then turned and ran to first to celebrate the 2-1 victory with Martinez and the rest of the Matadors.
A few minutes before, as Martinez walked up to the plate and teammate Riley Winchell headed back to the dugout to the dugout, Winchell learned in and told the senior, “This is your moment. You’ve got this … there’s nobody better here.”
“I knew that the second guy was throwing a lot of curveballs in warmups, and surely I got those in the first two pitches,” Martinez said. “Then he threw me a fastball and I stayed on it and got it up the middle.”
Granada High’s A. J. Martinez (24) hits the game-winning hit during their CIF NorCal playoff extra-inning 2-1 win against Clovis High at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
His teammate’s faith was deserved after Martinez had ended a 14-inning, two-day marathon to with a single to capture the North Coast Section title on Saturday, a victory that ended De La Salle’s 33-game postseason winning streak.
Down in Concord, the fourth-seeded Spartans defeated Rocklin 5-4 in the other quarterfinal. The East Bay Athletic League rivals will meet again on Thursday in the NorCal semifinals, and Granada, now 30-1, isn’t complaining.
“I love it,” said Martinez, who played JV last season as a junior. “Let’s get them again.”
The Livermore school’s depth, which helped win the first matchup against De La Salle, was tested against Clovis West.
After Tyler Patrick doubled in West’s only run of the game in the top of the first inning, sparsely-used Granada starter Logan Robinson was stellar, throwing four innings and allowing just three hits.
Granada High’s Logan Robinson (29) throws against Clovis West during their CIF NorCal playoff game at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
A.J Hattaway also shined in extended relief, pitching 2 ⅔ of hitless relief and striking out three to help get the game into extra innings. From there, Jake Sekany struck out a pair in his only inning of work in the eighth.
“We’re so deep, and we have a lot of confidence in our guys,” said Willis, who called pitching coach Jason Sekany the best in the Bay Area.
Mikey Boyd started the seventh with a single to second base, and then he advanced to second on a groundout. With a runner in scoring position, Martinez jumped on the first pitch he saw and lined the ball into the right field corner to tie the game.
“We just have so much fight in us and we never give up,” Granada’s Nate Brown said after going 2 for 3. “You saw it in the 14th inning game, and you saw it again when we went into extras today. We have no quit.”
Granada High’s Tyler Kardy (7) gets a hit during their CIF NorCal playoff game against Clovis West at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
After Sekany’s 1-2-3 eighth inning, Brown led off the eighth with a single into center field. A sacrifice bunt advanced Brown, and the ensuing intentional walk to Stanford-bound star Parker Warner backfired when a wild pitch moved the runners up to second and third.
Boyd was intentionally walked to set up the conventional double play, but Martinez’s ground ball to the shortstop ended up scoring Brown after the first baseman bobbled the wild throw at around the same time Martinez stepped on first, and secured another Granada home game against the Spartans.
“A.J has earned his big-time moments,” Willis said. “That kid works harder than anybody else, and his teammates respect the hell out of him.”
Granada High’s Logan Hahn (21) and teammates celebrate their CIF NorCal 2-1 extra inning playoff win over Clovis West at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Granada High’s A. J. Martinez (24) is forced out by Clovis West’s Marc Anthony Carroll (4) as he makes the throw to first base during their CIF NorCal playoff game at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Granada High’s Logan Robinson (29) throws against Clovis West during their CIF NorCal playoff game at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Clovis West’s Richie Valencia (2) can’t get to an infield hit by Granada during their CIF NorCal playoff game at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Tommy Brown (9) hits a single during their CIF NorCal playoff game against Clovis West at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Granada High’s Jake Sekany (22) throws against Clovis West during their CIF NorCal playoff game at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Granada High’s Jake Sekany (22) is congratulated by teammate Griffin Sutton (32) and others at the end of an inning against Clovis West during their CIF NorCal playoff game at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Granada High’s Nate Brown (5) hits a single during their CIF NorCal playoff game against Clovis West at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Granada High’s A. J. Martinez (24) walks off the field after hitting the game-winning hit during their CIF NorCal playoff extra-inning 2-1 win against Clovis High at Granada High School in Livermore, Calif., on Tuesday, May 28, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
