Baseball: Tapia’s Walk-Off Sparks Glendale’s First Win of the Season

March 22, 2025 admin

The Glendale High School baseball team claimed their first victory of the season in thrilling fashion on Monday, March 17, walking off Maywood Center for Enriched Studies with a dramatic 5-4 win in extra innings.

After falling behind early and struggling at the plate, the Nitros found their spark late in the game and carried it all the way through to the bottom of the eighth, where Joseph Tapia’s clutch walk-off single sealed the deal.

“Really proud of the guys for pulling this one off,” said first-year head coach John Botelho. “To get our first win this way, in walk-off style, makes it extra special. We can definitely build off this.”

A Tale of Two Halves

Glendale went hitless through the first five innings and found themselves trailing 4-1, but Botelho kept the energy high in the dugout, urging his team to stay locked in.

The Nitros scored early in the bottom of the second when right fielder Dean Molina drew a bases-loaded walk, giving Glendale a brief 1-0 lead. But Maywood responded quickly, capitalizing on defensive miscues and timely hitting. A Glendale error and an aggressive baserunning play by Aisaiah Monge helped Maywood grab a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Then, two more runs followed in the fifth on a two-RBI single by Patrick Benavidez, stretching the Wolfpack’s advantage to 4-1.

But Glendale wasn’t done.

Momentum Shifts

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Dante Vasquez broke the hitless streak with an RBI single to right field, bringing the Nitros within two. Though they couldn’t capitalize further in that inning, the energy had shifted.

In the seventh, a dropped fly ball by Maywood opened the door for Glendale again. The Nitros loaded the bases, and after a strikeout, Derek Chalian drew a full-count walk to make it 4-3. Moments later, Brady Aldrete drew another bases-loaded walk, tying the game in a tense, last-strike scenario.

Walk-Off Magic

In the top of the eighth, Glendale’s defense held strong, setting the stage for a final push. August Kalaba led off with a walk, and Dean Molina followed with a double, putting runners on second and third with no outs.

With the infield drawn in, Joseph Tapia stepped up and delivered—lining a fastball past the shortstop and out of reach of the shallow outfield alignment. Kalaba raced home, and the Glendale bench erupted as Tapia’s hit gave the Nitros their first win of the season.

“I just wanted to put the ball in play and get that run in,” Tapia said. “I got a pitch I liked and went for it.”

Looking Ahead

After losing multiple close games earlier in the season, this walk-off win could mark a turning point for Glendale. Botelho believes the resilience shown in this game can serve as a blueprint for success going forward.

“This is something we can build on,” Botelho said. “They believed, they battled, and they came through. That’s how we turn the season around.”