Empire League : El Dorado’s Oakum Shows ‘Em in 3-2 Victory

It took pitcher Scott Oakum only two days as a member of the El Dorado High School baseball team to register his first victory.

Oakum, a junior left-hander who moved to Orange County from Missouri this week, allowed one hit and struck out nine in five innings of relief Friday to lead the Hawks to a 3-2, 11-inning victory over Loara at the Saxons’ field.

Oakum’s first day of school was Wednesday, after which he threw during practice for the El Dorado coaches Steve Gullotti and assistant Steve Leavett. They were impressed enough to give Oakum a spot on the varsity roster.

The move paid immediate dividends. Oakum relieved starter Jeff Petredes to start the seventh and allowed only a lead-off bloop single to Ray Odegard.

He held Loara scoreless and came away the winner after Rob Sporrer homered to left-center field in the 11th inning.

Jeff Patterson, a sophomore right-hander who allowed eight hits and struck out 11, was the loser.

El Dorado took a 2-0 lead in the third inning when Joe Cribari singled, stole second and scored on Brett Boone’s single. Todd Holt then tripled to right-center field for the second run.

Loara came back with two runs in the sixth inning, the first coming on Brian Roberts’ RBI single and the second on Jerry Post’s sacrifice fly.

In other Empire League games:

Katella 10, Kennedy 6--Knight pitcher Chris Doll walked nine batters, but still improved his record to 5-0. Katella (8-0, 14-3) took a three-run lead in the second inning after Knight center fielder Manny Villanueva tripled with runners on first and second.

Villanueva scored on Phil Axtell’s single. Katella got two more runs in the third, one on Glen Mares leadoff home run and another on a RBI single by Joe O’Brien.

Axtell had three hits and got his second RBI when he singled home Mike Slagle in the fifth. Slagle had opened the inning with a double. Katella has won 14 of its last 15 games.

Cypress 6, Los Alamitos 3--The Centurians evened their record at 4-4 thanks to Kevin Black, Ray Brandenberger and Tom Stowel. In the third inning, Black led off with a single and was followed by Brandenberger’s two-run homer.

It was his second home run of the season. Cypress scored again in the third when Tom Stowel got an RBI double. The loss drops Los Alamitos into third place at 5-3, a game ahead of Cypress. Black was 4 for 4 with one RBI. Stowel was 2 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIs.

Esperanza 5, Pacifica 2--Aztec pitcher David Salcido (8-1) went the distance and won his sixth game in row. The 5-10 senior struck out six and walked four. Esperanza (6-2, 11-7) scored its first run when Kevin Clancy walked, moved to second on a wild pitch and was doubled home by losing pitcher Greg Tupa.

Tupa got Pacifica even in the second when he doubled home first baseman Bill Schumway who had reached base on an error. Esperanza went ahead to stay in the fourth when they scored four times--the key hit being an RBI double by Eric Cox.