MURRIETA — Southwestern League baseball wins rarely come easy.
Vista Murrieta Gavin Kramer #19 scores on a base hot with his tongue out against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta catcher Brady Luyben #9 tags out Chaparral’s Darin Osterloh #8 as he tries to score on a line drive in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Chaparral’s Braylon Doughty #27 pitches against Vista Murrieta in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s Vaughn Neckar #17 pitches against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s RJ Holmes #24 is unable to field a Chaparral line drive ground in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s Ryland Duson #2 tags out Chaparral’s Caleb Udell #4 after as he tries to get back to third base in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Chaparral’s Darin Osterloh #8 dives back to first base as the pickoff throw bounces over Vista Murrieta Taytum Reeves #11 glove in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Chaparral’s Darin Osterloh #8 fields a Vista Murrieta ground ball and throws out the batter at first base in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s RJ Holmes #24 holds on to the ball after the force out at second base against Chaparral’s in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Chaparral’s Brady Pavlovsky #10 scores past Vista Murrieta catcher Brady Luyben #9 in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta outfielder Mikey Hollis #13 is unable to catch a foul ball against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s Ryland Duson #2 knocks down a line drive and throws the Chaparral batter out at first basein a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta Taytum Reeves #11 catches a Chaparral’s popup fly ball in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Chaparral’s Braylon Doughty #27 pitches again s tVista Murrieta in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s RJ Holmes #24 scores on a single by Vista Murrieta’s Vaughn Neckar #17 against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta catcher Brady Luyben #9 is unable to field a Chaparral’s but in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s RJ Holmes #24 catch a Chaparral foul ball in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s RJ Holmes #24 celebrates after a hit against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s Vaughn Neckar #17 hits a two run rbi single off Chaparral pitcher Braylon Doughty #27 in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Chaparral catcher Mikey Ong #12 tags nothing by after Vista Murrieta outfielder Quintin Diaz #8 scored on base hit in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta coaches and players watch the game from the dugout against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta’s Vaughn Neckar #17 kicks up his leg after walking a Chaparral batter in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta relief pitcher DC Ruth #5 grabs his arm after a pitch against Chaparral in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta center fielder Logan Colmer #3, left and pitcher Brandt Ross #27 fold Old Glory from US Army sgt. Cody Legg’s memorial on the first base side of the baseball diamond after defeating Chaparral 4-3 to win the Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta catcher Brady Luyben #9 tags out Chaparral’s Darin Osterloh #8 as he tries to score on a line drive in a Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
Vista Murrieta player of the game Vaughn Neckar #17 puts on the teams firefighter helmet after defeating Chaparral 4-3 to win the Southwestern League baseball game in Murrieta on Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo by Terry Pierson, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)
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Vista Murrieta jumped out to an early lead Monday afternoon in the opening game of a three-game series with Chaparral. However, the Broncos had to withstand a late rally and prevailed 4-3 to win their ninth straight league game and clinch at least a share of the program’s third consecutive league title.
With two games remaining in the regular season, Vista Murrieta (18-7, 10-3 in league) holds a two-game lead on Temecula Valley (15-9-1, 8-5).
It was a battle of aces on the mound, as Vista Murrieta’s Vaughn Neckar and Chaparral’s Braylon Doughty pitched before a backstop full of pro scouts.
Scoring started early, as Neckar helped his cause in the bottom of the first inning with an opposite-field double that scored Gavin Kramer and RJ Holmes with one out. Doughty used a lineout and strikeout to escape further damage.
During one stretch, Doughty retired seven straight batters, with six of the outs coming on strikeouts. That included striking out the side in the fourth inning.
“Doughty is probably one of the best pitchers we’ll see this year, and we were lucky to be able to put some things together offensively against him,” Broncos coach Michael Tousignant said. “Our defense struggled today, but Vaughn made the pitches he had to for us to keep that lead.”
Chaparral (14-11, 7-6) got a run back in the third inning, when Kayden Winfrey and Charlie Blackwell started off the inning with walks. Winfrey eventually scored when Doughty was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but Neckar struck out Grant Israel to get out of the jam.
Vista Murrieta got two insurance runs in the fifth inning, as Logan Colmer led off with a single and later scored on a two-base error. Neckar’s run-scoring groundout brought home another run and the Broncos led 4-1 after five innings.
“Good teams make you pay for mistakes, and we weren’t as sharp as we needed to be defensively behind Braylon today,” Chaparral coach Chris Dress said.
Israel hit his third home run of the year over the left field wall to get Chaparral within 4-2 after six innings. Masaki Brey reached on an error with one out, but Neckar got Winfrey to ground out, and Brey was picked off at second base to end the threat.
Chaparral cut the deficit in half when Jonas Ballesteros singled home a run with one out in the seventh inning. DC Ruth came on in relief of Neckar an got Israel to ground into a fielder’s choice for the second out. Ruth, Vista Murrieta’s starting shortstop, threw a first-pitch strike to Darin Osterloh but exited the game after experiencing elbow discomfort. Dylan Berentis entered the game and got Osterloh to ground out to secure the win
“We didn’t let the slow start get to us, but just went back to work,” Neckar said about Vista Murrieta’s 1-3 start to league play. “And seeing guys like Dylan rise to the occasion when called upon is also a big part of that rally.”
Neckar allowed three runs on three hits, walked three and struck out six over 6 1/3 innings of work to earn the victory.
Doughty allowed four runs (two earned) on four hits, walked one and struck out nine in his six innings Monday afternoon.
