Hanford captures D-III baseball title

Strengthening Stallions look toward next year.

Published online on Friday, May. 29, 2009

HANFORD -- Storied won out over a story only beginning to be written Friday, as Hanford High beat Madera South 11-7 to win the Central Section Division III baseball championship.

Hanford won its 10th title but its first since 1994, holding off a group of Stallions just beginning to come into their own in their third varsity season.

Erik Casida went 3 for 3 with four RBIs, and Gage Dominguez used 112 pitches to get through six innings for the win.

At the helm of the Bullpups' drive back to glory was first-year coach Tim Scott, the ex-major leaguer who prepped at Hanford in the early 1980s. It was in that decade that the Bullpups reached seven finals, winning three.

"Everything's kind of a blur," said Scott, whose mind raced through memories of long days in which he, players and parents went through a sometimes difficult adjustment period.

In the end, he said, everyone learned to pull together.

"It's been a long ride," Scott said, "but well worth it."

Credit on offense went to Casida, who erased a 2-0 deficit with his two-run double in the bottom of the first. When the Stallions closed to within 7-5, Casida provided some breathing room with a solo homer in the fifth.

"That was probably the fastest I've ever run around the bases," Casida said. "I just wanted to get back in and celebrate with my teammates."

Dominguez had a two-hitter through four innings, but the Stallions kept fighting back.

"My hats off to them," he said. "That's one good ballclub."

And one that very well could be a force next season. Madera South's roster had four seniors.

"We've learned so much, grown so much," coach John Fernandez said. "We want to start next year where we just finished."