LA COSTA CANYON HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

North County Times, By Scott Bair, Staff Writer

  "SAN DIEGO -- The first high school baseball game played at Petco Park was set to be a classic.  La Costa Canyon High and Rancho Bernardo were tied 3-3 in extra innings, leaving dramatics  to decide this well played Palomar League affair.

  A Padres-imposed time limit, however, robbed the game of its rightfull conclusion Friday evening.  The Padres mandated that any of the five prep contests played at Petco Park on Friday and Saturday left undecided after three hours be stopped without a victor and decided at a later date somewhere else.

 "It stinks that we couldn't finish it right here," said RB right fielder David Ring, whose RBI single in the sixth created the deadlock. "It was a great experience playing in this environment, but it would've been even better if we could've seen it through."

  This game will have an ending, but on a much smaller stage.  The teams will conclude the contest at Rancho Bernardo High -- where it was originally scheduled -- on a date to be determined.  Palomar League teams play three times per week, meaning a conclusion may not happen soon, partly because this was the final meeting between the teams.  The stalemate was reached thanks to a late charge by the Broncos.  They struggled early against Mavericks ace Garrett Hughes, but battled back with an rbi single from B.K. Santy in the fifth. Wynton Bernard drove in another run in the sixth, just before Ring's big two-out single.

  La Costa Canyon squeaked an equal number across, with a run in the first, fourth and sixth innings.  Each team had opportunities to up the run total, but left a combined 20 runners on base, creating an awkward end to an otherwise positive experience for the players involved.  "The end is what counts, and it's a bummer we didn't get to see this one out," said Mavericks first baseman Brandyn Delgado, who reached base four times, twice with base hits. "That said, we're all grateful for the chance to play here. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

  Petco Park played to its reputation for the most part.  Outfielders were rewarded for playing shallow, as precisous few metal-bat swinging hitters reached the deepest parts of the field.  RB first baseman James Dykstra was an exception, as he smacked a hard liner that rattled off the left-field wall.  No amount of effor, however, could break the tie -- at least within the allotted time limit.

  "II'S AN HONOR TO BE ONE OF THE FIRST TWO HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS TO EVER PLAY ON THIS FIELD,"  Mavericks coach Justin Machado said.  "We played good baseball, but we ended up kissing our sister."