Colton Stinkeoway and some of his Valhalla High School baseball teammates went to the Pony League World Series in 2019.
Tuesday, Stinkeoway played a major role in Valhalla's 5-4 win over Monte Vista, a victory that gave the Norsemen (19-6, 9-0) the Grossmont Valley League Championship before a large crowd at Valhalla on Senior Day.
The win was the 12th in a row for the Norsemen, who are currently the No. 2 team in the Division 3 Playoff Power Rankings behind El Camino. Monte Vista came into the game ranked No. 3 in Division 4 behind University City and Imperial.
"Playing in the World Series was a big deal, but winning this championship at home on Senior Day, feels better," said Stinkeoway, a senior. "I came here as a freshman, so to win league as a senior, with this group of guys means an awful lot. I'm older now, so I can appreciate things more than in 2019."
The Norsemen certainly appreciated Stinkeoway's two-way effort.
He doubled in a run and scored in a four-run first inning. After Monte Vista (18-8-1, 6-3) had rallied to tie the game with two out and two on, Stinkeoway came in from right field to pitch.
The left-hander killed Monte Vista's rally with a strikeout, then struck out the side in the top of the seventh.
Mathew Ibrahim threw five scoreless innings for Valhalla, striking out nine before running into trouble in the sixth.
After the first inning, Gavin Bailey was brilliant for Monte Vista, not allowing a run over the next five innings while striking out nine in the game.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Valhalla catcher Mace Wheeler, who was on Stinkeoway's Pony League World Series team, doubled. Senior Daniel Baker beat out, but Wheeler stayed at second.
Senior Julian Jergees hit a ground ball to second that bounced off the fielder and into right field. But right fielder Trevor Gonzales made a perfect throw to the plate to cut down Wheeler.
"Shouldn't have even been a play if Mace was on third," said Valhalla coach Ryan Wheeler, Mace's father. "He's my son, and I was still upset with him. He said he was gassed, and we won the game. So I can forgive him."
With Baker on second and Jerjees on first, Stinkeoway hit a grounder to short. The shortstop tried for the force at second, but threw the ball into right field and Baker scampered home with the winning run.
"My job there is to put the ball in play, preferably on the ground," Stinkeoway said.
"It got the job done."
The league championship is the first for Valhalla since 2019.
Monte Vista, which needed a win Tuesday and another Thursday at home to force a tie atop the league, hasn't won a league championship since 1989 when Mark Smelko was the coach.
"Winning league means an awful lot," said Mace Wheeler. "I've been playing with these guys since I was 8.
"I wanted to send them out winners, especially on Senior Day."
Mace Wheeler also walked and scored in the first inning, doubled in the second and picked a runner off third to help stunt Monte Vista's four-run sixth inning.
Ryan Wheeler estimated it was the 12th time Mace had picked a runner off third.
"I love doing that," Mace Wheeler said. "The runner kind of falls asleep, and we steal an out. I'll do anything I can to help this team.
"We have our eye on a CIF championship. I'd like one last ride with these guys before they graduate."
This story originally appeared in San Diego Union-Tribune .
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