AZUSA — In a matter of minutes, Azusa went from watching its winning run get erased on a hidden ball trick to celebrating a 6-5 walk-off victory in eight innings over visiting Mount Miguel in Thursday’s CIF Southern California Division V Regional semifinal at Azusa Pacific University.
Zach Huizar #6 of Azusa scores the winning run to defeat Mount Miguel 6-5 in eight innings to win a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Zach Huizar #6 of Azusa is mobbed by teammates after scoring the winning run to defeat Mount Miguel 6-5 in eight innings to win a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Josh Torres #10 of Azusa throws to the plate against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jacob Elliot #15 of Azusa scores on a double by teammate Matt Huizar (not pictured) against Mount Miguel in the third inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jacob Elliot #15 of Azusa scores on a double by teammate Matt Huizar (not pictured) against Mount Miguel in the third inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Edward (EJ) Romero #8 high fives teammates after scoring on teammate Matt Huizar (not pictured) of Azusa bases clearing RBI triple against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa slides into home plate safe against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa slides into home plate safe against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Terry Chavez #13 of Azusa reacts after being hit in the head by a pitch against Mount Miguel in the third inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Josh Torres #10 of Azusa reacts after giving up a game tying 3 run home run toJeremiah Castillo (not pictured) of Mount Miguel in the fifth inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jeremiah Castillo #11 of Mount Miguel reacts after hitting a 3 run home to tie the game against Azusa in the fifth inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Albert Sanchez of Azusa looks on against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Edward (EJ) Romero #8 reacts after scoring on teammate Matt Huizar (not pictured) of Azusa bases clearing RBI triple against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa reacts after scoring against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Right fielder Easton Sanchez #20 of Mount Miguel can’t catch a bases clearing RBI triple by Matt Huizar (not pictured) of Azusa in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Alfredo Rodriguez #17 of Mount Miguel after Azusa defeated Mount Miguel 6-5 in eight innings to win a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa hits a bases clearing RBI triple against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa reacts after scoring against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Jeremiah Castillo #11 of Mount Miguel reacts after hitting a 3 run home to tie the game against Azusa in the fifth inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Right fielder Easton Sanchez #20 of Mount Miguel can’t catch a bases clearing RBI triple by Matt Huizar (not pictured) of Azusa in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa slides into home plate safe against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Matt Huizar #19 of Azusa slides into home plate safe against Mount Miguel in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Matt Barton #2 of Mount Miguel throws to the plate against Azusa in the first inning of a Division 5 Southern California Regional semifinal baseball game at Azusa Pacific University in Azusa on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
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Azusa, which won the CIF Southern Section Division 8 title for its first sectional title since 1983, now gets a chance to play for its first regional championship.
Azusa (19-5), the No. 2 seed, will take on No. 8 Chavez of Delano (21-12) on Saturday at Azusa Pacific at 4 p.m. Delano advanced with a 4-2 victory over Shafter Thursday.
But Saturday’s final can wait. Azusa coach Albert Sanchez was still trying Thursday evening to digest what he just saw.
“These guys never stop,” Sanchez said of his team. “I always get the feedback that Azusa kids just have a lot of heart and don’t know when to give up. They’re proving it. We’re going to the dance and I want to get greedy. I want to win it.”
How the Aztecs advanced was a roller coaster for sure, with freshmen twin brothers Zach and Matt Huizar playing a major role in the outcome.
Locked in a tie game in the eighth inning, the Aztecs’ JoJo Duran was hit by a pitch and got to second with one out, representing the winning run.
Mount Miguel pitcher Tyler Kelly made a fake throw toward second, with both Matadors infielders pretending that it had been a wild throw that went into center field. Duran initially rushed back to the base, then tried to hurry to third thinking the ball had been thrown into the outfield, but Kelly had the ball all along. He charged off the mound and tagged out Duran as he headed toward third base.
Azusa coach Albert Sanchez talks about their walk off 6-5 win over Mt Miguel to reach Saturday’s DV regional championship game pic.twitter.com/KPm1caRlkJ
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) May 31, 2024
“Those are Little League plays, we should have known better,” Sanchez said of the hidden-ball fake throw. “For it to happen to us, that was pretty heartbreaking.”
That feeling didn’t last long, though.
Zach Huizar reached base with a two-out infield single that kept the inning alive. Isaac Miranda followed with what looked like a routine inning-ending ground out to short, but the ball was thrown away for an error. Zach Huizar, who got a good jump, wound up scoring all the way from first for the walk-off victory and a wild celebration by the Aztecs.
It was a big moment for Zach Huizer, who also came into pitch in the seventh inning and got out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam with a strikeout.
Azusa’s Zach Huizar walked then an throwing error on Isaac Miranda’s grounder allowed Huizar to score game winning run, Azusa wins, 6-5 and advances to Saturday’s championship at APU pic.twitter.com/oZNMpFWIsa
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) May 31, 2024
Not only did Zach Huizar score the winning run, he also earned the win by pitching the final 1 1/3 innings.
“I just tried to get the ball down. My coach says when you get the ball down, something good is going to happen,” Zach Huizar said of his hit that kept the final inning alive. “I got to first and luckily Isaac did the same thing as me and I was able to score from first.”
Early on, it felt like Azusa would sail to an easy win, and Matt Huizar provided the early fireworks.
Matt Huizar hit a bloop double to right with the bases loaded and two outs to score two runs in the first inning, and another run scored on a throwing error by Mount Miguel.
Matt Huizar later scored in the inning on a double steal to make it 4-0.
Azusa freshman twins Zach and Matt Huizar with a big impact in Thursday’s 6-5 win over Mt. Miguel that sends the Aztecs to Saturday’s title game pic.twitter.com/RtUOY6cyJ3
— Fred J. Robledo 👨🏻💻 (@SGVNSports) May 31, 2024
The Aztecs took a 5-0 lead in the third inning when Matt Huizar drove in his third run of the game.
But then the momentum swung.
Azusa pitcher Josh Torres had a perfect game going through three innings when Mount Miguel’s Jeremiah Castillo broke it up with a leadoff home run in the fourth inning.
In the fifth inning, after the Matadors scored to inch closer, Castillo tagged Torres again, belting a three-run home run to right field to tie the score, 5-5.
Sanchez wasn’t sure if they would be able to pick themselves up after that.
“For a moment there I thought we had a good run,” Sanchez said. “When that kid (Castillo) dropped that second bomb on us, most teams would have just said, that’s it, it’s over. But these guys never stopped.”
Torres gave up the two home runs, but was otherwise solid most of the day, finishing with 10 strikeouts while going 6 2/3 innings.
The twin brothers are looking forward to Saturday’s game.
“It’s crazy, I don’t know what to say. I’ve dreamed of this since I was a kid,” Matt Huizar said.
A moment later, his brother chimed in.
“We’re winning state,” Zach Huizar said with a big grin.
