ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - At the start of the fifth inning in the Pleasant Grove Eagles’ series finale against the Jesuit Marauders, being down 3-0 might have seemed like every reason to roll over and get swept. 

After losing the previous two ballgames by a four and three-run margin, it seemed like it was going to be much of the same to get swept on April 12, especially when a routine ground ball was hit by sophomore Zac Black to start the inning but was bobbled at second. What ensued was the definition of “hitting is contagious.” 

Hits from pinch hitter Darian Roberts and Justin Dougan loaded the bases, followed by an RBI walk to Gabe Wolfgram and an RBI single from Cole Davis to move every runner up one base to make the score 3-2 with no outs. 

The big hit came from senior Alan Quirarte-Guzman, who hit a single to left field that skidded past the left fielder to give him two RBIs on the base, but it scored three runs with Quirarte-Guzman standing on second to give the Eagles the 5-3 lead that they would not relinquish. 

“We needed a spark and Zac getting on base got things going, and Darian coming up with a base hit, you could feel the momentum switch and we put a string of at-bats together finally where we executed and didn’t try to do too much and Alan came up with the big hit,” Eagles head coach Chris Terry said. 

The starting pitcher for the Eagles, junior Justin Dougan, has been essential for the team and entered this game with a 1.28 ERA in 27.1 innings pitched, sporting a 2-2 record, but it just wasn’t his day and after four innings pitched, he was in line for the loss. 

“He was off from what we’ve seen of him, and he struggled throwing strikes today at times but he competed and got out of some jams, and you can only do that for so long against Jesuit and his pitch count was up but I felt like Justin absolutely battled all day today and that’s a sign of a good pitcher,” Terry said.

Another instance where the Eagles could have rolled over was when freshman pitcher Matt Emmons came in for relief and gave up a single and a walk but was able to get out after recording the out on a sacrifice bunt, a fielder's choice and a strikeout. 

Hanging a zero in the top of the fifth gave way for the Eagles to make their comeback, which led junior Jake Dougherty to close out the game. He was not expecting to enter the game after going three innings and giving up five earned runs in the first game of the series. 

Terry said he knew his team could play in this game and “just needed things to go their way, and with that big fifth inning that was able to happen for them to hold on and it was a big win” for their program. 

As opposed to the first game, Dougherty went two innings with no earned runs with two strikeouts to earn the win. 

“Jake started the first game, which was a high-scoring game, and he got touched up by this same team and as a young pitcher as he is, to come back in that situation and asking him to hold them off to win a game is a pressure situation for him, but it was an opportunity for him to get redemption and he got some big outs in key situations,” Terry said. 

The Eagles are now 6-3 in the Delta, holding on to third place with a 10-9 overall record. 

“For us to come away with a win in this game was huge and we still have Davis and Franklin, and we have other big games coming up but anytime we can pick up a win against anybody in league, it’s good with how tough our league is,” Terry said.