THE PREPS : Angelus League Baseball : Croghan Tosses Four-Hitter; Servite Beats Bishop Amat, 4-1

Andy Croghan struck out 10 and allowed 4 hits Wednesday as Servite High School handed Bishop Amat its first defeat of the season, 4-1, in an Angelus League game at Servite.

Servite (7-2, 2-0) scored all its runs in the first inning and Croghan (4-0) survived a late Bishop Amat (7-1, 1-1) rally.

Ken Kendrena, who allowed just two hits after giving up five hits in the first inning, was the loser.

“Andy had a better effort earlier this season against Esperanza,” said Willie Rubacaba, Servite assistant coach. “His split-finger fastball wasn’t breaking in the later innings, and that’s why they were hitting him hard then.”

Rubacaba managed the team Wednesday because Coach Mike McNary was with his mother, who had open heart surgery.

Servite opened a 2-0 lead in the first on bases-loaded singles by Tom Szymanski and Brian Criss. The inning started with singles by the Friars’ first two hitters--Jim Berry and Greg Coleman--and a walk to Mike Robertson.

Servite got its third run when Robertson scored from third on Mike Giuseffi’s double-play grounder, and the Friars made it 4-0 when Szymanski scored on Kendrena’s wild pitch.

Croghan, who didn’t allow a hit until Tip Franklin’s single with one out in the fifth, allowed the Lancers’ only run in the sixth on J.R. Phillips’ home run over the 306-foot sign in center.

Croghan struck out Adam Rogers after Phillips’ home run, then yielded a double to Tom Acuna and a walk to Kendrena. But Croghan ended the threat by retiring the next two batters--Hector Rodriguez and pinch-hitter Brian Harmon--on ground balls.

The Lancers threatened again in the seventh, with two runners on and only one out.

Croghan, however, ended the game by forcing Phillips to ground into a double play.

“We were hoping to avoid pitching to Phillips if we could in the seventh, but we couldn’t,” Rubacaba said. “Andy, however, made a good pitch to him.”

Mater Dei 10, Pius X 5--Jim Austin had 3 hits, including a home run, and 3 RBIs, for visiting Mater Dei (7-1, 1-1). Austin has 19 RBIs. Joe Ciccarella had three hits, including his fourth home run.