ENCINO — The Crespi baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth to come back and defeat El Dorado 5-2 in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.
“Something this team has done well all year is how they have responded to adversity,” Crespi coach Mike Glendenning said. “I don’t like how we kinda lay back and feel the game out a little bit, but the guys respond and just the way they respond has been fantastic to watch all year.”
Second-seeded Crespi (23-2) will be home against Mira Costa in the quarterfinals Friday.
Going into the bottom of the sixth Crespi, the Mission League champions, was trailing 2-1. El Dorado (21-9) brought in its ace, Logan Steenburgen, to try to get the final six outs. Pinch hitter Julian Weiss and shortstop Diego Velasquez each had two-run singles with the bases loaded in the sixth.
Postgame with Crespi shortstop and USC commit Diego Velasquez and starting pitcher Jackson Eisenhauer. @haleymsawyer @CrespiAthletics @JacksonEis64118 pic.twitter.com/QtX8OJDKmo
— Jack Gillespie (@dnsjackg) May 21, 2025
“Coming back in the game is always the best part of the game,” Velasquez said. “We were kinda shaky in the beginning, but I have so much faith in my teammates and know I can always count on the guy behind me.”
First baseman Josh Stonehouse, an Xavier commit, got the rally started in the bottom of the sixth with a leadoff double. Mikey Martinez walked and Troy Miller hit a single to load the bases for Crespi.
“We put up one in the first inning and kind of dipped out,” Stonehouse said, “so to just kind of come back and get that win and bring that energy it feels good going into the next game.”
Weiss hit his two-run single following the Miller at-bat to give Crespi a 3-2 lead.
Gavin Huff reached on a bunt single and Krystan Bell walked to load the bases again for Crespi.
Velasquez hit his two-RBI single with two outs in the inning to make the score 5-2.
Velasquez finished the game 1 for 3, was hit by a pitch and scored Crespi’s first run of the game in the first inning.
Crespi starting pitcher Jackson Eisenhauer threw a complete game. Eisenhauer went seven innings, allowed only two runs on five hits and two walks with seven strikeouts, including the last batter of the game to seal the win.
“I feel like I could have done better,” Eisenhauer said, “I feel like the fastball command was there for the most part but still have some things I gotta tweak and fix for next time I pitch.”
All of El Dorado’s runs came in the fourth inning. The first El Dorado run came when Xavi Cadena scored on a wild pitch to tie the score 1-1.
Later in the inning, Aiden McNaughton hit a single to drive in Diego Gonzalez and give El Dorado a 2-1 lead.
Eisenhauer struck out the side in the fifth inning to bounce back strong. He gave up only one hit in the last three innings of the game.
Bell had two walks in the game and also had a strong defensive showing in right field. Huff went 2 for 3 with two singles and Nate Lopez was 1 for 4 with an RBI double.