El Camino Trails by Too Many Too Early to Cleveland

Cleveland High’s baseball team called on its only junior Thursday as it tried to move into a second-place tie in the West Valley League with El Camino Real.

John LaRosa got the job done.

LaRosa allowed 3 runs and 7 hits, struck out 4 and walked 4 as he went all the way to lead Cleveland to an 8-3 win over El Camino and a share of second place. Both teams are 5-3.

“In the beginning, I was nervous because we were playing for second place,” said LaRosa, who ran his record to 2-1. “But after the second inning, I calmed down. They started hitting the ball right where our fielders were.”

LaRosa received five runs in the first two innings and was quick to share the credit.

“Our hitting looked great,” he said. “It helps a pitcher when the batters come through. We’re always going to get runs.”

Runs were anything but scarce for the Cavaliers. Mark Bowen led the offense with three hits, raising his average above .500 and drawing praise from Marty Siegel, the Cleveland assistant coach.

“I’ve been the assistant coach here for 15 years, and in all the time I’ve been here I’ve never seen a better-looking hitter than Bowen,” said Siegel. “We don’t play a game without him getting a hit.”

Cleveland struck early with a run in the top of the first, then exploded for four runs off Sean Davis, who also pitched a complete game. Davis, a sophomore, allowed 8 runs and 10 hits, walked 8 and struck out 5. The loss was his second, against one victory this season.

“We hit righties better than we hit lefties,” said Cleveland Coach Ray Todd. “This was a very important game, that we had to win. You can’t let this

team get up on you or else you’ll find yourself changing pitchers a lot.”

LaRosa made sure his coach didn’t have to make too many trips to the mound. In fact, Todd only visited LaRosa once, in the third inning, to discuss strategy.

Both pitchers seemed to get stronger as the game progressed. LaRosa allowed only one hit after the third inning, and Davis racked up all five of his strikeouts between the fourth and seventh innings.

“I started a little slow,” said Davis. “I didn’t take it to them in the first couple of innings. I took them too lightly. It wasn’t until the later innings that I started getting my stuff together. But I’ll get them next time.”

El Camino catcher Brien Pogue agreed. “I don’t think he was nervous,” said Pogue, “but it’s hard to say why he got off to a bad start. He’s a good athlete. I think he’s got a good chance to be an All-City candidate next season. He’s got a lot of potential.”

Tim Sparks opened the game with a walk and eventually scored on Ron Hedding’s two-out single. After LaRosa struck out two and retired the side in the bottom of the first, the Cavaliers went to work on Davis in the second.

Craig Shockency hit Davis’ first pitch into center for a double and scored when Boris Tuch doubled and went to third on El Camino left fielder Tony Schwartz’s throwing error. Tuch then scored after LaRosa walked and Sparks hit into a double play. Joe Beakham walked, Bowen moved him to second with the first of his three hits and Hedding drove them both in with a double to left, lifting Cleveland’s lead to 5-0.

In the fourth, Davis walked three and gave up a pair of doubles for two runs. Said El Camino Coach Michael Maio: “The first couple of innings he was nervous. He’s a young kid and it’s difficult making the jump from little league to high school. But I’m not making any excuses. I want to make it clear that I thought Cleveland simply outplayed us. They played a very good game today.