Meyer’s gem clinches Colt championship for Bruno

With the Orioles having entered the game with a one-game lead over the Ravens atop the Peninsula standings, the victory shored up the regular-season league championship for the boys from Bruno.

“It’s summer ball,” Orioles manager Michael Tursi said. “They’re happy. They know what they accomplished. But there is still plenty of baseball left to play.”

Meyer locked up with Redwood City left-hander Derek Sichlinger, who was virtually unhittable through the first five innings. Sichlinger yielded four runs on three hits while taking the complete-game loss, but allowed just one run on one infield hit through the opening five frames.

“He’s gotten stronger for us every game he’s started,” Ravens manager Mike Doyle said. “His defense didn’t help him out as much as they should. [The defense] just wasn’t crisp.”

But it was disputable if that run should have even scored.

The Orioles pushed their first run across in the second by virtue of an infield error with the bases loaded. It was a grounder off the bat of Conon Meehan that the Ravens infielder bobbled, but recovered and hurried the throw that beat Meehan to first base. The throw was wide, forcing Redwood City first baseman Tyler Caldwell to use his 6-4 frame to stretch while trying to stay in contact with the bag.

Caldwell said he thought he was in contact with the bag when he caught the ball, but Meehan was called safe, allowing Meyer to score from third with the go-ahead run.

Sichlinger threw just one more pitch in the inning, as Redwood City catcher J.P Boyle threw behind Meehan at first base to pick him off and end the inning. Sichlinger went on to retire the next 10 batters he faced to keep the deficit in check at 1-0 through five innings of play.

“That’s something we talk to the kids about, is how to handle adversity,” Doyle said. “And they responded great.”

While Redwood City committed three errors to San Bruno’s one, both sides made some stellar defensive plays in the field.

In the second, the Ravens had one of their best threats. After a one-out single from Caldwell, Max McClellan scorched a double over the bag at third. Caldwell seemed like he was going to advance to third base easily on the play, but a long and tremendous throw by Orioles left fielder Tyler Firpo got to third base on the fly. Caldwell was initially called safe by the field umpire, but upon appeal the home plate umpire overturned the call.

In the top of the third, Meehan at shortstop made an incredible 360 play for San Bruno, ranging up the middle while a slide to his knees to wrestle a hard grounder, then spin all the way around as he made his feet to gun down the runner at first.

In the bottom of the third, Redwood City center fielder Nolan Doyle made an equally stellar diving play ranging straight in on a sharp liner off the bat of Jack Peterson, making an all-out diving grab to retire the side.

But perhaps the biggest defensive play of the night came in the fifth after Travis Reeves led off the inning for the Ravens by reaching on an error. The next man up, however, cued a slow grounder to the left side of the infield that Meehan charged and somehow started a 6-4-3 double play.

“It was big,” Doyle said of the twin-killing. “A lot of times we bunt in that situation. But the kid who hit into the double play, he has a little bit of power. So we rolled the dice.”

Redwood City continued to threaten, seeing two more base runners reach in the sixth with nothing to show for it. The Ravens left just five runners on base in the game, but four of them were stranded in scoring position.

“We had runners in scoring position, but we just didn’t string hits together,” Boyle said.

Meyer got stronger as the game progressed. The right-hander was dialed to the strike zone early on. He retired the first four batters he faced on 11 pitches, 10 of which were strikes. He went on to strike out five, three of which came in the seventh as he struck out the side to end the game.

“At the end of the game, I felt more warm,” Meyer said. “I could have thrown another game.”

The Orioles broke through in the sixth. Nick Solorzano started the three-run rally with a picturesque bunt single. Then Jack Peterson drilled an RBI double down the left-field line. Sichlinger bounced back to get the first two strikes against Justin Verna, but then hit him with the following pitch. After a bunt by Meyer put both runners in scoring position, Frankie Pellegrini hit a sharp grounder to the left side that was misplayed by the Ravens infield, allowing two more runs to score.

“When we had the one run, I felt alright,” Meyer said. “But when we got the four runs … I still just wanted to pitch well, so I just tried to dominate.”

With the win, San Bruno claims the regular-season Peninsula Colt League pennant. But both the first-place Orioles and the second-place Ravens earn byes in the opening round of the playoffs, beginning Saturday. The first round pairs the sixth-place South City Indians traveling to the third-place PenCities Colt .45s. The fifth-place Burlingame Sox travel to the fourth-place Pacifica Lions.

The semifinal round will be held next Monday, with San Bruno and Redwood City hosting. The championship game is slated for next Thursday at Lara Field at San Bruno Park.