COLTON — Colton baseball coach Scott Mendoza entered Tuesday’s game against Fillmore on crutches after blowing out a knee in a second-round win against University Prep
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Colton second baseman Steven Aguayo, (#2), fields the ball and throws to first base against Fillmore in a CIF Southern Section Division 8 baseball semifinal game, Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
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Colton second baseman Steven Aguayo, (#2), fields the ball and throws to first base against Fillmore in a CIF Southern Section Division 8 baseball semifinal game, Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Contributing Photographer/John Valenzuela)
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Mendoza was overenthusiastic in waving home a runner that day and injured himself.
Against Fillmore, Mendoza was hardly in the eye of the storm as Colton advanced only one runner as far as third base in a season-ending loss. The 5-0 setback came in the CIF Southern Section Division 8 semifinals.
Fillmore (13-17) now advances to meet Pioneer for the section title Friday or Saturday at a site to be determined.
Fillmore’s Santiago Avila dominated against Colton, pitching a complete game and allowing just one seventh-inning hit. He struck out seven and walked two.
“Just throwing strikes worked for me,” Avila said. “I feel like that was the most strikes I’ve thrown all year. I was throwing about 80-20 fastballs to curves.”
Colton did not get a hit until two out in the seventh. Yellowjackets pitcher Jesse Ruiz hit a grounder to the right of Fillmore shortstop Javi Contreras that Contreras could not corral. It didn’t matter because Ruiz likely would have beaten it out anyway.
“Honestly, I didn’t really care,” Avila said. “I knew I had the no-hitter going on the whole game, but I just had to stay focused and do my job.”
Avila retired the next batter on a routine fly to end the game, then was deluged by teammates.
“One thing we’ve taken pride in is being able to pound the zone (throw strikes),” Fillmore coach Jr. Sandoval said. “(Avila’s) been a horse for us.”
Fillmore will now seek its first section title since 2018.
Ruiz pitched well for Colton (12-17), throwing 6 2/3 innings and allowing seven hits and three runs. He struck out seven and walked one.
“The fastball and my slurve were working well for me,” Ruiz said. “I started to get a little tired in the seventh inning. I was feeling it in my arm. I wanted to close it out, but …”
Fillmore scored the only run it needed in the fifth inning. Thomas Alamillo led off with a bloop single to center field. Preston Spiker then beat out a bunt to put runners on first and second with nobody out. Adrian Magana followed with a sacrifice bunt to move runners to second and third.
Avila then stepped to the plate and laid down a squeeze bunt. Ruiz tried to nail the runner at the plate, but the throw was too late.
Fillmore blew the game open with four more runs in the seventh.
The Flashes caught a break with one out when Ruiz struck out Magana, but the ball got loose, and Magana wound up on first base. One out later, Miguel Rincon singled to put two runners on and prompt Mendoza to make a pitching change.
An error followed to load the bases, then a walk put made Fillmore’s lead 2-0. The Flashes’ Jacob Renteria followed with a solid, two-run single to center field to increase Fillmore’s lead to 4-0. Colton was not going to bounce back from that, not the way Avila was pitching.
Ruiz, who led the Yellowjackets on the mound and at the plate this season, was disappointed with the loss, but not crestfallen.
“I really loved the season,” Ruiz said. “I loved being around all my teammates. We made some really good memories here.”
Colton advanced to the semifinals by defeating University Prep 3-2 and Duarte 15-5 but couldn’t solve Avila under a hot sun.
“It was disappointing today,” Mendoza said. “The effort was there, and the pitching performance (by Ruiz) was outstanding. I can’t question one person’s desire and their commitment to each other. We can leave with our heads held high.”
Fillmore out-hit Colton 10-1. Contreras had three hits for the Flashes and Thomas Alamillo and Spiker had two hits each.
