Back on top! Once again, De La Salle rallies with three runs in seventh to win 3rd NorCal title in 4th year of competition

CONCORD De La Salle did it again The Spartans have now won three of the first four CIF NorCal Division I championships after a scintillating - walk-off win over Serra on Saturday And just as they did in and De La Salle had to mount a stunning seventh-inning comeback The Spartans entered the bottom of the seventh down - to the Padres With one out Ethan Sullivan started the rally with a single to center Then Tyler Spangler had the hit that really got De La Salle to believe lacing an opposite-field double down the left field line that brought in Sullivan De La Salle's Ethan Sullivan reacts after scoring against Junipero Serra High during the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship contest at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Antonio Castro followed with a double down the right-field line scoring Spangler to tie the meeting Then after an intentional walk and a groundout Niko Baumgartner legged out a high-chopping infield single to shortstop scoring Castro and clinching the Spartans third NorCal crown I knew I got speed so I saw the high chopper Baumgartner declared I just knew I was there I had a great feeling I was like it s a little too high I trusted myself and got down the line De La Salle is making a habit of legendary comebacks in the NorCal title event In the Spartans scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off St Francis In De La Salle was down - to Valley Christian but scored six times in the top of the seventh to win - So this little two-run comeback was old hat De La Salle baseball head coach David Jeans congratulates his players after their - walk-off single hit by De La Salle's Niko Baumgartner against Jun pero Serra High in the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship battle at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group We got back to our plan in the seventh of going the other way Spartans coach David Jeans mentioned We kind of lost that in the middle of the championship But we perpetually preach As long as there s outs left the competition s not over Initially De La Salle - was the aggressor scoring two runs in the bottom of the first Serra - mounted its comeback starting in the third inning as Davis Minton hit a two-out two-run double to tie the tournament The Padres took the lead in the fourth as Aaron Maier lined a single up the middle to outcome Tyler Harrison They re as competitive as they come Serra coach Mat Keplinger disclosed of his players They don t back down from any adversity which we knew was going to strike at specific point We ve been in those situations so there s no panic from the group Junipero Serra's Evan Bradshaw celebrates with teammate Ian Josephson after Bradshaw scored against the De La Salle High during the third inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship encounter at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Serra added an insurance run when Evan Bradshaw doubled down the left-field line in the seventh scoring Jack Wessell to give the Padres a - lead But Ian Josephson who advanced to third on the play was thrown out at home after Minton hit a medium-depth fly ball to center field snuffing out Serra s rally The sportsman who made the inning-ending throw Baumgartner Having a two-sport guy is phenomenal Jeans revealed of his right fielder He s going to Fresno State for football and he throws a guy out at the plate in the seventh And then he comes up with the chopper and with his speed no way Right when he hit it I knew Baumgartner prevented the run that could have put the tournament out of reach Then he drove in the winning run De La Salle baseball players celebrate their - win against Jun pero Serra High after De La Salle's Niko Baumgartner hit the walk-off single in the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship encounter at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Maybe the best baseball feeling I ve ever had for sure Baumgartner reported Teammates running after me after we just won the championship NorCal championship doesn t get better than that De La Salle made history completely by winning the championship but Castro made a bit of individual history as well With his game-tying hit in the seventh he broke Tony Martinez s DLS record for RBIs in a season Related Articles Hillsdale heroics Taylor O Mahony clinches Knights first NorCal softball title with walk-off single CIF NorCal roundup St Francis baseball Liberty San Leandro softball fall in title games Photographer s Notebook The Final Frame North Salinas runner family open to legal action We re in another leg of the race Bay Area News Group girls athlete of the week Lelani Laruelle Monta Vista track and field Castro now stands alone with runs batted in this year I was just happy that I got it done for the boys Castro announced That was what was going through my mind the whole at-bat I saw a pitch that I could hit I was just thinking Do it for the boys Get this run in so we got a chance De La Salle baseball players celebrate their - win against Jun pero Serra High after De La Salle's Niko Baumgartner hit the walk-off single in the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship match at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group The home setting in Concord added to the pageantry of De La Salle returning to the NorCal mountaintop after a disappointing loss to Granada in the NorCal semifinals last year This Spartans senior class leaves a legacy of reestablishing De La Salle baseball as the preeminent scheme in Northern California We trust in our guys noted Spangler who was on the club that beat Valley with the six-run rally We trust in the guys behind us and we re confident in anyone that they can do the job I can t even describe it You play for that the whole season That s really what you play for I m just really happy about it De La Salle baseball players mob De La Salle's Niko Baumgartner after he hit the walk-off single to defeat Jun pero Serra High - in the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship tournament at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group De La Salle baseball players mob De La Salle's Niko Baumgartner after he hit the walk-off single to defeat Jun pero Serra High - in the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship championship at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group De La Salle's Ethan Sullivan reacts after scoring against Junipero Serra High during the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship match at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group De La Salle's Ethan Sullivan celebrates his double against Junipero Serra s Ian Josephson during the first inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship battle at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group De La Salle starting pitcher Roman Bartosh tosses the ball to first baseman John Salter to throw out Junipero Serra's Nate Hui during their CIF NorCal Division I championship championship at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group De La Salle catcher Zach Tchejeyan tags out Junipero Serra's Ian Josephson during the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship tournament at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group Junipero Serra's Tyler Harrison scores the go-ahead run against De La Salle catcher Zach Tchejeyan during the seventh inning of their CIF NorCal Division I championship match at De La Salle High School in Concord Calif on Saturday June Ray Chavez Bay Area News Group