Matzek dominates
It’s just a week away before left-hander Tyler Matzek of Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley becomes an instant millionaire by his expected top 10 selection in baseball’s amateur draft, and he showed Tuesday how golden his skills truly are.
With a trip to Angel Stadium on the line, Matzek threw a two-hitter and also drove in the game’s only run with a single in the first inning of Capistrano Valley’s 1-0 victory over Riverside Poly in a Southern Section Division I semifinal game at Blair Field in Long Beach.
Matzek (12-1) hasn’t given up a run in 17 playoff innings.
He will have three innings left if Capistrano Valley (25-6) needs him to pitch in Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. final against Huntington Beach Edison, which defeated Santa Ana Mater Dei, 2-1.
“This is the place we wanted to be,” Coach Bob Zamora said.
Matzek wasn’t overpowering, striking out seven and walking three, but his fastball came in at 95 mph, and he used it to get out of a jam in the seventh when freshman R.J. Ybarra led off with a double.
But pinch-runner Andrew Gomez was thrown out by first baseman Kevin Chambers trying to move to third on a grounder.
After a walk, Matzek struck out the next batter, and catcher Nolan Clark ended the game by picking off Austin Haner, who had wandered too far from first.
“Tyler is just good,” Zamora said. “He’s a dominant high school pitcher.”
Matzek needed to be good because Poly junior left-hander Dylan Stuart matched him, giving up two hits -- both to Matzek -- with six strikeouts.
“I got to believe most days he wins giving up two hits,” Poly Coach Aaron Moore said.
In the other semifinal, Edison (23-5) pulled out the victory when Kyle Jones delivered a run-scoring single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh off Mater Dei closer Matt Blanchard. The Chargers got two walks and a sacrifice to set the stage for Jones’ hit up the middle.
Sophomore pitcher Henry Owens (10-1) struck out 10, walked two and gave up five hits and one unearned run in seven innings for Edison.
Ryan Little had an RBI single in the fourth for the Chargers.
“This is a team that doesn’t quit,” Edison Coach Steve Lambright said. “It’s a team loaded with chemistry.”
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