Steventon's shutout performance gives Oaks Christian the CIF-SS Division 3 baseball title

When Joseph Steventon learned Wednesday he would start on the mound for the Oaks Christian School baseball team in its championship contest, his reaction was succinct and on point.

"Lots of nerves," he said.

Three days later, he delivered excellence in the most significant outing for a Lions pitcher in nine years.

Working almost entirely in relief in his two seasons in the program, Steventon was selected by coach Royce Clayton Sr. as the starter Saturday and played the hero's role in the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 championship game.

The junior righthander scattered six hits, struck out four, walked just one and hurled a shutout in Oaks Christian's 1-0 victory over top-seeded La Quinta at Cal State Fullerton.

"I looked at it that I have worked so hard my whole life for this opportunity," Steventon said, who finished with 89 pitches. "Really, it was the support of my teammates and coaches that are responsible. They told me I was ready. They told me all the hard work I had put in during practices and bullpen sessions had prepared me for this moment."

More: Hueneme's late rally comes up short in CIF-SS Division 7 baseball final

More: Moorpark softball team can't complete comeback in CIF-SS Division 4 final

Steventon's prodigious effort and a single run produced by the Lions offense without a hit in the third inning earned the program its first Southern Section championship since 2013. Oaks Christian won the Division 4 title that season behind a dominant performance by ace Phil Bickford — now a relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers — in a 4-0 victory over El Rancho.

Steventon's title-game stint would have seemed unlikely — even to the pitcher himself — at the start of the season.

"Definitely. I don't know if I would have predicted this happening," he said. "I haven't been a starting pitcher since the eighth grade. I was so used to coming into the game in relief. This was a different feeling."

Perhaps just as unlikely a few months ago was the prospects of Oaks Christian emerging as a section champion.

The Lions finished 6-14 a season ago and 4-11 in the Marmonte League. This year's squad features 16 underclassmen and seven sophomores and juniors in the starting lineup Saturday.

But Oaks Christian (20-11) jelled, bonded and ultimately flourished. The Lions finished in a three-way tie atop the league and hurdled every obstacle in postseason.

"It feels amazing," said sophomore third baseman Christopher Tampoya. "We've all become so close. We hang out together, even when we're not on the baseball field. We've developed strong friendships."

Steventon concurred.

"This is definitely the most unselfish team I've ever been a part of," he said. "Everybody cares about each other. We all want to win and we're willing to do whatever we have to do to help the team do that."

Oaks Christian notched just two hits Saturday, including a double by junior left fielder Tommy Farmer, but it proved to be enough.

The Lions tallied the game's only run in the bottom of the third, helped by a clutch at-bat by Tampoya.

La Quinta installed ace pitcher Julian Cazares on the mound in the third inning and he issued one-out walks to Jaden Onaca and Elijah Clayton. Up the plate came Tampoya and he soon found himself in a two-strike hole.

Tampoya didn't budge. He worked the count to 2-2, all the time fouling off pitches. He saw nine pitches in all before he was plunked by a pitch that loaded the bases.

"It's about doing everything I could to get on base," said Tampoya. "I told myself to keep battling, keep fighting. I wanted to give the next guy an opportunity."

Cazares came up with a strikeout for the second out, but he followed with his third walk of the inning — to Farmer — and Onaca strolled home with what would be the only run of the game.

Clayton Sr., a major League shortstop for two decades, clearly knows a thing or two about picking the right guy for a key situation. He trusted his judgement in picking Steventon to start the CIF-SS final.

"We have a lot of guys I could have gone to," said Clayton Sr. "The way he'd been throwing the ball in the playoffs, the way he's been attacking the strike zone, I just felt that Joseph gave us the best chance to win.

"Obviously, he stepped up. He came up big when we needed him."

Steventon faced his toughest moment in the first inning.

A walk and a base hit enabled La Quinta (25-7) to place runners on first and third with no outs.

Aiden Arriaga, batting third, lifted a fly ball to medium left field that Farmer caught. With Brandon Leon tagging up from third and heading to the plate, Farmer unleased a strong throw on the fly that catcher Leo Baez grabbed and applied the tag for the double play.

A ground ball ended the top of the first.

"A great play and a great throw," said Steventon. "If Tommy doesn't make that throw, it's 1-1 and we might still be playing."

Farmer's key play really epitomized Steventon's mindset for the entire game.

"I wanted to trust my defense," he said. "I think my command was the big thing for me. I was able to throw strikes and put the ball where I wanted to. When they put the ball in play, my defense made all the plays behind me."

Oaks Christian now plays on. The Lions will accept a berth in the CIF State SoCal Regional playoffs. The pairings will be released Sunday.

Loren Ledin is the Prep Editor for The Star. He can be reached at loren.ledin@vcstar.com or 805-437-0285.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Steventon's shutout lifts Oaks Christian to Division 3 baseball title