Imperial baseball drops close Division IV title game

Late mistakes from the Tigers cost them as a season to remember comes to a close for Imperial

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Imperial baseball (24-8) came into Saturday's Division IV title game hoping to make one more upset.

However, despite only giving up only one earned run, it would be the one seed, University City (27-5) taking the game 2-1.

The Tigers would strike first, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth thanks to a RBI single from junior Carter Tucker.

University City would strike right back in the bottom half, with an RBI groundout from junior Nate Thy.

After a scoreless fifth inning, the bottom of the sixth is where disaster would hit for Imperial.

A bad hop to Tigers senior second baseman Luis Gonzalez allowed Centurions senior Jack Clark to reach first base safely.

Then a wide pickoff attempt from senior pitcher Angel Barron would allow UC senior Sergio Cebrero, who pinch ran for Clark, to reach second.

On the very next pitch, a wild throw would then allow Cebrero to go to third, with a later wild pitch sending him across home to give the Centurions the lead.

Imperial would give themselves a chance in the top of the seventh, getting a runner on third with two outs for Gonzalez.

However, it would end up in a groundout to first base to end the Tigers season.

Tigers head coach Javier Ramos said after the game that some missed opportunities cost his team.

"We had that intent to put runners in scoring position, make it tough on them, I thought we did a good job early, and we let them off the hook," Ramos said.

Overall, a runner-up finish caps off what was still a season to remember in Imperial.

It was their first year finishing with a winning record since 2021, when the Tigers went 12-10.

Imperial also improved from last season, adding 11 more wins than they did a year ago.

"This team had fun you know, they're a good bunch of kids that came to practice and played and did the best they can and so you know when you have that it makes coaching enjoyable," Ramos said.