Santana Throws Vista a Curve in Its 4-0 Victory

Almost every time a Santana High School catcher put two fingers down, Vista’s batters were as good as out Tuesday in Santana’s 4-0 victory in the third round of the Lions baseball tournament at Sweetwater High.

Two fingers signify the curveball. Nine of the times he threw that pitch, Santana starter Jeff Matranga got a strikeout. He also used a curve to retire Jeff Cargile on a grounder after Vista loaded the bases with two out in the sixth inning. And, in pitching a scoreless seventh, reliever Tim Barry notched strikeout No. 10 with the curve.

“I’ll tell you, those guys couldn’t hit a curveball,” Matranga said. “If I find a weakness, that’s what I go after. They were on top of the fastball. Anyone can hit a fastball.”

Said Jim Saska, Santana’s coach: “You’ll find in high school (that) most hitters sit on fastballs. They don’t like to see the curveball. And Jeff snaps off a pretty good one.”

Two years ago, when Matranga was a sophomore, he was cut during tryouts. His junior year he opted for the Lakeside Colt League but was slowed by a sore elbow. Now as a senior in his first year pitching for Santana (9-2), he has won his first three games.

“Jeff got a little bit discouraged back then, after he was cut,” said his older brother, Ron. “But I’ve never seen him pitch like this, and he’s been pitching since he was 8.”

Tuesday’s outing was the longest of the year for Matranga, a 6-foot 2-inch, 150-pound right-hander, and it sent Santana into today’s 10:30 a.m. 3-A division semifinals match against Poway (6-4) at Sweetwater.

Santana started quickly Tuesday.

In the first inning, Bruce Moutaw singled and reached second when shortstop Mark Webster erred on Barry’s groundout. Jason Cabral singled to center field to score Moutaw, and he and Barry each advanced a base when center fielder David Stronjy’s throw sailed over third base. Barry O’Gorman followed with a two-run single to make it 3-0, and Santana added another unearned run in the sixth.

Meanwhile, Matranga cruised. He didn’t walk a batter and reached a three-ball count only once.

For Vista (6-7-1), left-hander Reggie DeLeon allowed only three hits after the first, and Kris Kjeldsen and Chuck Foreman each had two singles.