BANNING — It was the same crazy plot, but this time the Banning Broncos were able to edit a happy ending into the final scene.
After allowing an eight-run lead to slip away in the top of the seventh inning, the Broncos escaped with a 10-9 victory Thursday over Miller on Marquis Stewart-Vaughn’s walk-off single in the bottom of the inning.
Banning (17-7) advanced to a Division 7 second-round matchup Tuesday at Rancho Christian.
Thursday’s finish was only slightly wilder than the teams’ first meeting in February, when Miller rallied for six runs in the seventh to erase a five-run deficit.
This time, Miller (13-7-1) got a few timely hits in the seventh, but most of Banning’s wounds were self-inflicted. Three Broncos pitchers issued six walks, and there was an error and a wild pitch. By the time Banning recorded an out, the lead was gone.
“We brought three different pitchers in and they all struggled to find the plate,” Banning coach Troy Knesel said. “This is the biggest crowd we’ve had, and there was a lot of pressure.”
After a fielder’s choice brought the tying run in, another walk loaded the bases, but Nathan Cardiel finally retired leadoff hitter Landon Herrera on a hard line drive to second.
It had taken 60 pitches for Banning to stagger through the top of the seventh, but only five to end it in the bottom.
Cardiel reached second on a single and error on the first pitch in the inning, then stole third. Stewart-Vaughn laced a 2-1 pitch to center to trigger the celebration.
“I was just thinking, ‘Hit the ball hard somewhere,’ ” Stewart-Vaughn said. “I had to go all-out.”
Stewart-Vaughn started on the mound, giving the Broncos five strong innings. He allowed a quick run in the first but retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced, and the only runner in that stretch was eliminated in a double play on the next pitch.
Miller starter Gabe Mendez didn’t allow a ball out of the infield through a perfect first two innings, but the bottom three in the Banning order triggered a seven-run third.
“It depends on the pitcher,” Knesel said of the bottom of the order’s effectiveness. “Against pitchers who throw as hard, they tend to do better.”
For Miller, staging a second huge comeback against Banning wasn’t quite enough.
“They (Miller players) have been a scrappy bunch all year,” Miller coach Steve Mann said. “They play til the bitter end. It’s not a Banning thing. Our players just showed a lot of heart.”
