Leading up to the CIF Division IV playoff matchup with the third-seeded Mater Dei, La Jolla Country Day (LJCD) baseball coach John Edman felt confident. It was the Torreys’ second game in three days against the Crusaders. “We lost to them once already, but we know that we can play with them,” Edman said. “We want another shot at them.” LJCD (22-10) did get their shot. But unfortunately, they came up just short, suffering a tough 6-5 loss in 10 innings to Mater Dei (16-16-1) in a third-round elimination game played at San Diego High on May 29. The Torreys received a quality start from Ian Lutz, who scattered seven hits over seven innings. Lutz, a sophomore right-hander, allowed three runs, only two of which were earned. LJCD also got quality play from junior outfielder Frankie Brown (3-for-4), freshman shortstop Tommy Edman (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 runs), and junior catcher Anthony Torres (3-for-4, 2 RBIs). “Our guys love to play baseball,” Edman said. “We played real well and real hard in getting to the third round.” The effort paid off for the Torreys in their second-round game against the Calvary Christian on May 28, as Country Day erupted for 13 runs in the second inning en route to an 18-3 route of the visitors from Vista. In the blowout win, LJCD was led by the play of Torres (2-for-3, 1 double, 3 runs, 4 RBIs), Tommy Edman (2-for-3, 4 runs), Brown (2-for-5, 2 runs), junior second baseman Austin Rooke (2-for-3, 2 doubles, 2 runs, 4 RBIs), senior third baseman Connor Gerhart (2-for-4, 1 double, 1 triple, 1 run, 3 RBIs), sophomore utility player Sam Ayala (2-for-3, 1 RBI), and freshman outfielder Dustin Hughes (1-for-2, 1 double, 1 run, 3 RBIs). “We were trying to step on them as hard as we could by getting hits early on in the ballgame,” Hughes said. Against Calvary Christian, Hughes also combined to hurl a one-hitter on the hill along with fellow freshmen right-handers Eduardo Garcia and Chase Merryman. “We jumped on them from the beginning,” Edman said. “We wanted to redeem ourselves.” The redemption Edman was referring to was for the 7-6 first-round loss at Mater Dei exactly one day earlier. “We were ahead of them (Mater Dei) 6-3 and gave up four runs in the seventh inning to lose it,” Edman said. In that contest, LJCD was led by the play of Hughes (2-for-4, 1 run, 2 RBIs), Rooke (2-for-3, 1 run), Tommy Edman (2-for-3, 1 home run, 1 run, 1 RBI, 2 stolen bases), and senior J.T. Kelley (1-for-1, 2 RBIs).