Anyone who has spent any time around professional baseball knows first-hand that it is, without exception, the most confidence-driven game in all of professional sports. There is no greater example of this than last Wednesday’s exciting game between the High Desert Mavericks and Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in the fifth and final game of the California League South Division Championship Series at LoanMart Field.

Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth with the bases empty and down to their final strike, Quakes left fielder Jacob Scavuzzo worked out an incredible walk after being down 0-2 in the count. That was followed by a single off the bat of first baseman Cody Bellinger to put runners at the corners which, in turn, was followed by a four-pitch walk by catcher Tyler Ogle to load the bases.

Where things really got crazy was when Quakes manager Bill Haselman sent Delvis Morales to the plate to pinch-hit for pitcher Joshua Sborz, having lost his designated hitter slot when he made defensive switch the inning before. Even though the light-hitting Morales hadn’t had even one plate appearance to that point in the five-game series, he etched his name in Quakes history when he hit a sharp single off the glove of Mavericks third baseman Alberto Triunfel to score Scavuzzo from third base and Bellinger, who was running on contact, from second base for one of the most incredible walk-off wins in franchise history.

“This is baseball, man. Even if you’ve seen some pretty strange things, anything can happen,” said Quakes right-hander Chase De Jong of Wednesday’s unlikely win. “As soon as [Scavuzzo] walked, there was an aura that went through the dugout. We knew we were going to win the game.”

Scavuzzo’s remarkable walk after falling behind 0 and 2 with two outs and nobody on base in the bottom of the ninth was the game-changing moment that helped send the Quakes into the Cal League Championship Series. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

De Jong, who started Game-1 of the California League Championship Series the following night and led his team to a dominate 12-3 win over the San Jose Giants, likes his team’s chances as the series moves north to San Jose for Game-3 later tonight. And although he is very confident that his teammates will win it in three, he insists that he’ll be ready to go again on three days rest, should the series go five games.

“I’m hoping we only go three [games] but I think I’d be doing my team a disservice by checking out and not being ready in case we do get to a Game-5, because if we get to a Game-5, it’s all hands on deck,” De Jong said. “You better believe that if we get to a Game-5 – hopefully we won’t – the first thing out of my mouth when I get in the clubhouse that day to Haselman is ‘I’ve got bullets for you, I’m ready.’ But that’s up to him.”

Although Quakes right-hander Chase De Jong likes his team’s chances heading into Game-3 of the Cal League Championship Series, he absolutely wants the ball in the event that a fifth game is necessary.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

After Friday night’s tense 4-3 Game-2 win over the Giants to give the Quakes a commanding 2-0 advantage in the best-of-five series, winning pitcher Scott Barlow echoed De Jong’s confidence.

“I really like our chances. We’re bonding as a team, really coming together, the chemistry is great,” said Barlow. “We’re not trying to do too much and just being a team really.”

Barlow’s battery mate, catcher Spencer Navin, is also confident heading into Game-3.

“I love out chances. We’ve got a lot of momentum, we’re just having fun,” said Navin. “These last couple games is what it’s all about and hopefully we’ll finish it out.”

You won’t find confidence listed in any box score or on any stat sheet, but if you did, the Quakes would be pitching and hitting a thousand.