Prep Baseball : Calabasas Has the Wright Stuff in a 7-1 Victory

Cort Wright struck out eight and surrendered just six hits Tuesday to lead host Calabasas High to a 7-1 Frontier League victory over Santa Clara.

Wright, who three-hit Agoura last week but lost, 1-0, had a shutout beginning the seventh. But the Saints put together three straight singles to score.

“I just started to get the ball up, and I got a little lazy,” Wright said. “At that time I just told myself to bear down because I knew I had the defense behind me. I felt it going wrong, so I just tried to do the things that were working for me in the beginning of the game.”

Wright struck out the first two batters and at least one in every inning but the last. He did not allow a ball to be hit out of the infield until the fourth inning when left fielder Mike Lhursen singled.

“I felt good today--no arm problems and my breaking ball was working,” Wright said. “When I know my breaking ball is working I’m OK. I just have to try to remember to be consistent.”

Calabasas jumped on the board in the first inning when Bob Lustig doubled home Rob Beaty and Greg Ruh, who had opened with a single. The Coyotes threatened to score again, but Lustig was cut down trying to score on Wright’s sacrifice fly.

“I knew the guy didn’t want to load the bases, so I went up there looking for my pitch,” Lustig said. “It felt good because I think we shook them up. We were all working real hard this week and it all came together today.”

Santa Clara starter Frank Madrid settled down after a shaky start and did not allow another base hit until the fifth when the Coyotes scored twice.

“My curve was up and the ball carried pretty well in the early part of the game,” Madrid said. “I just didn’t have the velocity and the zip to my ball that I usually have.”

What Madrid didn’t have, Wright seemed to have, mixing fastballs with curves and knuckle curves that kept the Saints on their heels.

“He’s a good pitcher and he made me uncomfortable at the plate,” said Santa Clara second baseman Jaime Beltran, who struck out twice. “The first two times up he got me rushing myself.”

Both pitchers settled down in the middle innings with the help of good defense. Calabasas first baseman Eric Clove took Santa Clara out of two possible big innings with diving stops.

“Our defense was very, very good today--in fact, they played exceptionally well,” Calabasas Coach Gary Gray said. “I’m still a little reserved about their performance, but at least they know that they are capable of playing this way.”

Santa Clara Coach John Lorenzana said he thought his team, which began the day atop the Frontier League, has been up and down in 1985.

“The other day we were great, but today we were inconsistent and not hitting the ball well at all,” he said. “At this point in the season we’ve really been up and down. I just hope it’s not a pattern that we’re developing.”

Calabasas improved to 2-1-1 in the Frontier and 5-1-1 overall. The Saints dropped to 3-1 in the league, 5-1 overall.

Gray said he was more than pleased with Wright’s performance and hopes the senior can stay in a groove.

“Last year he was No. 4 in the rotation, and this is actually his first year as a starter,” Gray said. “He’s becoming very consistent, though, and he’s gaining maturity in each game.”