Valley Star

Issue date: 5/2/07 Section: News

ON TARGET: Pitcher Jordan Brandt of Valley College went seven innings for the victory as the Monarchs beat L. A. Mission College, 4-2, Thursday, May 3, 2007 in Sylmar, CA

Media Credit: Paul Olden 'JEEP' DOES THE DRIVING: J. P. Hollywood singles to center-field to drive in Sammy Sabourin from third base in the Valley College, 4-2, win over L. A. Mission College in Sylmar, CA , Thursday, May, 3, 2007.

Media Credit: Paul Olden OUT!: Valley College baserunner Julian Gestewitz is tagged out at the plate by L. A. Mission catcher Pedro Trujillo (35) during the Monarchs' 4-2 win in Sylmar, CA, Thursday, May, 3, 2007.

Media Credit: Paul Olden BIG HURT: Valley's John Henry Jacobs (R) leaves the field with Head Coach Dave Mallas and the L. A. Mission College trainer after injuring his left wrist while making a tag on a baserunner. The Monarchs won the game, 4-2, in Sylmar, CA, Thursday, May 3, 2007 against Mission College.

Media Credit: Paul Olden GATHER 'ROUND: Valley College players surround Head Coach Dave Mallas (Center) after the last regular season game. The Monarchs won, 4-2, at L. A. Mission College in Sylmar, CA, Thursday, May, 3, 2007. Valley 26-8 overall record and 15-9 WSC South finish might be good enough for a post-season berth.

It's hard for the Valley College baseball team not to play the old game of, "What if?"

What if they didn't blow a ninth inning lead and lose a recent game at Glendale College?

Or, what if they didn't drop both games last weekend at Bakersfield?

But lose they did.

And now the Monarchs (26-8, 15-9 in WSC) are waiting game to see if their faint Western State Conference playoff dream can come true.

After Thursday's 4-2 win at Los Angeles Mission College, Monarchs' Head Coach Dave Mallas looked reality in the eye and talked about the chances of post-season play.

"A lot of things need to happen. We won't find out anything until Sunday," Mallas said.

"Winning Tuesday (at Pike Field vs L.A. Mission) and today gives us a shot at possibly getting a wildcard berth [in the playoffs.]"

Both Valley and Bakersfield College (the 2006 WSC Champion) have 15-9, third place records in the WSC South. The tie-breaker favors the Renegades.

The Monarchs have a chance of being one of the two teams in the WSC play-in game scheduled for May 8.

As for the game at Mission College, there was good and bad news.

Shortstop J. P. Hollywood drove in two runs, Jordan Brandt pitched seven innings and Max Limonick pitched the eighth and ninth innings to earn the save and preserve the win for Brandt.

But John Henry Jacobs suffered a left wrist injury during an eight inning collision at first while attempting to tag a base-runner. The severity of the injury will be determined over the weekend.

Coach Mallas says losing Jacobs for any possible post-season play would be noticed.

"He's [Jacobs] is a key player for the success of this program."

With the season in the maybe-it's-not-over stage, a Friday morning May 4 practice has been scheduled.

If Valley fails to make the playoffs, they'll have another game of sorts.

The gut-churning contest of, "What if?" will last until next season.

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