With the score tied 4-4, Cabrillo had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the eighth inning and a chance to win the game.

St. Joseph pitcher Matt Hartin got a strikeout for the second out, then induced a ground ball for a forceout to get out of the inning.

In the ninth, the Knights took advantage of their new life, scoring five runs on six singles and outlasting the Conquistadores 9-5 in an important Los Padres League battle for first place at a very cold and windy Donald McIntyre Field on the Cabrillo campus.

“We had the top of the lineup coming up,” Cabrillo coach Jonathan Osborne said. “They made a good defensive move by walking our lead-off hitter and loading the bases to get the force out.

“That makes it easier to play defense. We just didn't put the ball in play.”

With the win, the Knights (4-0 LPL) earned a victory for coach John Osborne over his son Jonathan's Conqs (3-2 LPL).

It was a sloppy defensive game by both teams with St. Joseph committing three errors and Cabrillo five. The Knights scored three unearned runs and the Conqs scored two.

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“The weather was horrible - the wind was so cold,” said St. Joseph's Osborne. “I know that's not an excuse, we're supposed to be able to play, but you know, it does have its effects.

“Look at both teams, they didn't play very well.”

Cabrillo's Osborne said it's been some time since the defense struggled.

“It was uncharacteristic for us the way we played on defense,” Osborne said. “We haven't played like that in a while - it just happened to be at a time when we didn't need to play that way.”

Cabrillo starting pitcher Aaron Naputi did not allow a St. Joseph hit until there was one out in the sixth inning, but walks and errors put him behind.

“Naputi didn't give up a hit until the sixth, but we can't keep playing like that and giving teams extra swings,” Osborne said. “Good hitting teams like St. Joseph are going to put the ball in play.

“He hurt himself when he walked some guys and that puts pressure on the defense. Little balls that maybe are routine plays become harder when there are runners on base.”

Cabrillo took an early 1-0 lead after the first inning. Ryan McGinty reached first on a fielder's choice. He went to third with two stolen bases, then Brian Engler followed with a walk.

With runners on first and third and Kevin Harmon at the plate, Engler took off from first towards second. The Knights tried to chase down Engler and McGinty came home on the play.

In the St. Joseph second, Luke Reccord reached first on an error by the Cabrillo third baseman. After he was sacrificed to second, Naputi walked two batters, loading the bases. Reccord scored on a sacrifice fly by Paul Rodriguez and Jason Buchanan scored on an error by the shortstop.

The Conqs tied the score 2-2 with an unearned run in the fifth. Deuce Galvin reached on an error by the St. Joseph third baseman then raced around to third on a fielder's choice grounder by Patrick Somers, who beat the throw to first. Galvan came home on a two-out bunt single by David Fraats.

St. Joseph quickly took a two-run lead in the sixth on an RBI single by Buchanan and a sacrifice fly by Gavin Kelly. One of the runs was unearned as the Conqs committed two errors in the inning.

Galvan doubled home pinch runner Thomas Lee, who reached second on a wild pitch after Harmon singled. After stealing third, Galvin tied the score, coming in on an error by the Knights shortstop.

Neither team scored in the seventh, even though the Knights had a runner on base and the Conqs had two in the bottom of the inning.

The extra-inning fireworks then followed.

“I thought they both pitched real well - they deserved a better fate,” John Osborne said about the two starting pitchers. “I think the defense kind of deserted them on both sides.”

In spite of the fielding woes, Osborne thought both of his St. Joseph pitchers did a good job.

“Pitching lately has been our strong forte,” he explained. “We've had really good starting pitching in the last six games.

“And (Matt) Hartin is usually a one- or two-inning guy, but he gutted it out.”

Hartin earned the win, pitching three-and-two-thirds innings, allowing two runs - one unearned, on three hits, three walks and two hit batters.

Somers took the loss, pitching the ninth.

“It was just a difference of a good hitting team that was able to put the ball in play after a couple walks,” Jonathan Osborne said, “and a team that is struggling to put the ball in play with runners on.”

With the win, St. Joseph stays in first, but John Osborne is not quite comfortable there.

“All the games are going to be pretty evenly matched, whether you play well or not,” he explained. “Any team can beat anyone and I think that will be the story of the Los Padres League this year. And whoever gets some breaks and plays well will win it.”

St. Joseph hosts Morro Bay on Friday, while Cabrillo travels to Lompoc.

Nipomo 5, Pioneer Valley 0

Andy Bachtel struck out nine hitters and walked only one as he pitched a complete-game shutout at Pioneer Valley.

Manny Reyes got the Titans (2-2 PAC-7 League, 9-3 overall) rolling with a bases-clearing double in Nipomo's four-run first inning. Teammates Mason Sperakos and Matt Limon were both 2-for-3.

Bachtel scattered seven hits. Reese Edwards went 2-for-3 for the Panthers (3-4, 7-8).

Righetti 2, Arroyo Grande 1

Sam Halop won a pitchers' duel with Corey Butcher at Arroyo Grande, and the Warriors moved to 3-4 in the PAC-7 League and 7-8 overall.

Tim Dwyer, Chris Rivera and Dillan Quigley all doubled for Righetti. Nate Raubinger doubled for Arroyo Grande (2-4-1, 7-7-1). Halop is 4-0 this year.

Morro Bay 9, Santa Maria 4

The Saints had a 4-2 lead, but the Pirates took command at Morro Bay with five runs in the fifth inning.

Andrew Clark was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in for Santa Maria (0-5 Los Padres League, 2-13 overall). Teammate Jason Regalado doubled.

VCA 12, Shandon 2

Valley Christian Academy pitcher Mike Calderon helped himself by getting two hits and driving in two runs as the Lions (1-2, 1-7) won for the first time this year.

This Coast Valley League game at VCA ended after five innings because of the 10-run rule.

Calderon scored twice. Drew Schettler, John Doupe and Brighton Sheets all drove in two runs for VCA. Schettler, Doupe and Matt Kiger (one RBI) all had two hits.

Calderon struck out 10 and walked just one in a two-hit complete game.

College baseball

Moorpark 1, Hancock 0

Raiders pitcher Troy Warn made a first-inning run stand up.

Warn pitched a six-hit shutout. Jonathan Ramirez went 3-for-4 for Hancock (5-9 Western State Conference North Division, 15-18 overall). Teammate Dane McLaughlin was 2-for-3.

Moorpark is 6-8, 13-18.

Softball

Morro Bay 2, Santa Maria 0

At Morro Bay, the Saints' Alyssa Gutierrez pitched a solid game. However, her single was Santa Maria's only hit against Kim Dauer.

The Pirates scored both their runs in the first inning. Claire Hoose doubled in the first run. Dauer struck out 12 for the Pirates (3-1 Los Padres League, 12-6 overall). Chelsea Duclos went 2-for-2.

Santa Maria is 1-4, 6-12.

St. Joseph 9, Cabrillo 1

Kailey Snyder tossed a complete-game two-hitter, striking out 10 in the LPL win.

On offense, St. Joseph's Melissa Armero went 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Alexa Sanders hit a triple and contributed two RBIs. St. Joseph (3-1, 9-7) faces Morro Bay on Friday.

VCA 29, Shandon 11

Krista Hall drove in four runs at Valley Christian Academy, and Jessica Sendejas knocked in three. Those two helped the Lions (2-6 overall) square their Coast Valley League record at 2-2.

The Lions countered six Outlaws first-inning runs with nine in the bottom of the inning. They scored 10 fourth-inning runs. The game was called after the top of the fifth because of the 10-run rule.

April 09, 2008