Damien’s Devin Perez, left, is tagged out at the plate as he collides with Upland catcher Brody Morgan during the second inning at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
UPLAND — Damien senior Nathan Ries said he felt good warming up before Wednesday’s Baseline League baseball game against Upland.
That feeling did diminish after the game started.
Damien’s Nathan Ries delivers a pitch against Upland at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Devin Perez, left, is tagged out at the plate as he collides with Upland catcher Brody Morgan during the second inning at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien shortstop Julian Hines puts on a late tag on Upland’s Jake Mensen durijng a pick off attempt at second base at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Upland third baseman Martin Hernandez fields a Damien ground ball at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Upland’s Jake Mensen slides safely into second base as Damien shortstop Julian Hines puts down the late tag at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Nathan Ries, right, is congratulated by catcher Ty Tancredi, left, a throwing a 3-0 shutout over Upland at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Devin Perez, left, is tagged out at the plate as he collides with Upland catcher Brody Morgan during the second inning at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Julian Hines, right, reacts towards teammates after hitting a double against Upland at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Nikko Paoletto, right, is congratulated by teammate Julian Hines, left, after scoring in the first inning against Upland at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Upland starting pitcher Max Biddle delivers a pitch against visiting Damien at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Devin Perez, left, is tagged out at the plate as he collides with Upland catcher Brody Morgan during the second inning at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Upland’s Jake Mensen slides safely into second base as Damien shortstop Julian Hines puts down the late tag at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Julian Hines, right, reacts towards teammates after hitting a double against Upland at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Upland starting pitcher Max Biddle delivers a pitch against visiting Damien at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien shortstop Julian Hines puts on a late tag on Upland’s Jake Mensen durijng a pick off attempt at second base at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Damien’s Devin Perez, left, is tagged out at the plate as he collides with Upland catcher Brody Morgan during the second inning at Memorial Park in Upland on Wednesday, March 27, 2024. Damien shutout Upland 3-0 in a Baseline League baseball game. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Ries pitched a three-hitter, striking out five as Damien blanked Upland 3-0 at Upland Memorial Park. The teams split the first two games of their three-game series with the final game Thursday at Damien.
“My fastball and slider were working pretty well for me,” Ries said. “My curveball wasn’t on today, but the fastball and slider got it done. I feel like if I can locate those two, I know it’s going to be a good day.”
Ries retired the first seven batters before Joaquin Covarrubias reached on an infield single in the third inning. Ries hit one batter but did not walk any.
“Nathan was absolutely fantastic,” Damien coach A.J. LaMonda said. “Commanding the zone with two pitches in and out was huge for us. The big thing for us is trying to get ahead in the count early. I thought he did a good job all day with that.”
Ries, who will be playing at UC San Diego next year, allowed a runner to reach base only once more: in the sixth inning when he surrendered the other two hits.
Jake Mensen led off that inning with a single for Upland (11-3 overall, 1-1 league), stole second and with one out went to third on a bunt single by Dom Nava. But Ries retired Upland’s No. 3 and 4 hitters, Martin Hernandez and Josh Angely, on a flyout and a popup to end the threat.
“It would’ve been nice to get Ries out of the game an inning early,” Upland coach A.J. Garbick said. “We had some shots to score, but we couldn’t get that hit.”
Damien (7-6-1, 3-1-1) took advantage of some wildness by Upland starter Max Biddle to score twice in the first inning.
Julian Hines doubled with one out and then Biddle hit back-to-back batters to load the bases. Eli Bechtel followed with a two-run single to left center to give the Spartans the early lead. Bechtel drove in Damien’s other run with a third-inning sacrifice fly.
It was not a pretty performance by Biddle, as he hit five batters and allowed nine hits, but he pitched out of some jams and didn’t force Garbick to go to his bullpen.
“He’s been working through some mechanical issues,” Garbick said of Biddle. “He only gave up three (runs). I think with a couple of (different) defensive alignments we make a couple of plays. But at the end of the day we didn’t score.”
Wednesday’s win was big for Damien, which can win the series Thursday.
“Our big goal is to win every series,” LaMonda said. “If you win every series, you put yourself in a pretty good position … to get yourself a playoff berth.”
