Tyler Fick started and got a 1-2-3 first inning although 1 ball almost decapitated him, and another line to left was caught. Then in the Hart half it looked like they were going to be in a cake walk. Ryan Gagnon singled and was sacrificed to 2nd by Matt Valaika. Shane Carlson doubled down the left field line, and then Tyler Fick unloaded a big homer to left center and before the giant sized crowd could get in their seats Hart was up 3-0. Poly Riverside pitcher Lacurtis Mayes gave up another single to Brian Charnock, but got a strikeout and flyout to end the inning.

Fick could not find the plate in the 2nd inning, walking the first 2 batters. Then a fly ball to right was misjudged near the wall and fell for a hit loading the bases. Fick then walked Austin Barnes forcing in a run, before getting the side out with the lead now 3-1.

Riverside Poly the # 1 Seed in the Division 1 playoffs then decided to put in their Ace reliever a junior, Hector Rabago to start the 2nd inning. Rabago then proceeded to pitch almost perfect baseball the rest of the game giving up only an infield single in the bottom of the 8th and striking out 10.

In the Poly 3rd Fick hit the leadoff batter Alec Roldan and then gave up a walk to Hector Rabago. With 2 on and none out a single by Mayes scored Roldan. Fick got the next 2 men easily but the lead was cut to 3-2. In the 5th Fick gave up a leadoff single to Roldan and a popup for 1 out. A wild pitch put Roldan in scoring position and Mayes singled him in. Fick got a strikeout and a flyout, but the score was tied 3-3.

Although Hart could get no hits off Rabago, Hart had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the 7th. With 1 out Pat Sarkissian was hit by pitch and Jake Supowit ran for him. Kevin Baker moved Supowit to 2nd with a check swing grounder to the right side. With 2 out the Poly coach decided to walk Ryan Gagnon intentionally and pitch to Matt Valaika. Valaika struck out on a pitch in the dirt which got away from the catcher and reached first safely thus loading the bases with Hart's best hitter Shane Carlson, coming up. Poly Pitcher Rabago then went to a 3-1 count on Carlson, and the big Hart crowd was roaring. The next pitch was just a bit high, but Carlson swung on it and lofted a lazy fly to center.

In the 8th, Donny Williams came in to pitch. The leadoff batter, catcher, Sharif Othman hit a little hump back liner that 2nd baseman Baker just missed for a single. Othman was sacrificed to 2nd. A bounding ball between 3rd and short bounded off Carlsons glove moving Othman to 3rd. Poly leadoff hitter Mike O'Neill then hit a sacrifice fly to center scoring the lead run.

Hart tried to make some noise in the bottom of the 8th. Tyler Fick beat out a grounder to 2nd. Matt Sreden tried to sacrifice him to 2nd but the bunt was too sharp to the 1st baseman and Fick was forced. Brian Charnock walked to put 2 on 1 out, but Rabago then got 2 strikeouts to end the game.

All 4 of Poly's runs in the 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 8th were the result of the leadoff batter getting on base. Hart batters for the 3rd straight game recorded strikeouts in double figures as they struck out 11 times, 7 swinging, 4 called. Hart managed only 5 hits, 4 in the 1st inning.

Narrative courtesy of Mike Gaber.