Perce Lifts Moorpark With 11-Inning Gem

With a pitching staff that has been racked by injuries, a complete game is a rarity for Moorpark College.

It is even more of a rarity at Pierce, where complete games are as scarce as victories.

But for 11 innings Tuesday, Mike Clark of Pierce and Moorpark’s Paul Perce were locked in a pitchers’ duel--uncommon for two teams languishing at the bottom of the Western State Conference standings.

It took pinch-hitter Ed Aguilar’s run-scoring single in the 11th to snap the deadlock and lift host Moorpark to a 2-1 victory.

For Pierce, the loss was its eighth in a row and dropped the Brahmas to 10-13, 3-11 in WSC play.

For Moorpark Coach Ron Stillwell, the strong outing by Perce (2-3), a freshman right-hander who allowed seven hits, was a welcome change.

“It was nice to finally win one of these games,” said Stillwell, whose team improved to 8-15 and 3-11 in the WSC.

Stillwell is more accustomed to seeing his pitchers fall off the mound with an injury than go the distance. Moorpark has lost four starting pitchers this season to injury.

While Pierce has not been plagued by as many injuries as Moorpark, the Brahmas have not fared much better.

Pierce has lost four in a row, including a doubleheader to Ventura, since resuming play after spring vacation.

“We’re playing good games but losing,” Pierce Coach Bob Lyons said. “No matter how well we’ve played during this streak, we just can’t win.”

Pierce, however, appeared primed to snap its losing streak behind Clark’s strong pitching.

The hard-throwing right-hander pitched six shutout innings before giving up a home run to designated hitter Jon DeGennaro that tied the score, 1-1.

Moorpark loaded the bases after DeGennaro’s homer, but Clark got Greg Struhl to hit into an inning-ending double play.

Clark gave up just one hit the next three innings until Moorpark got two singles in the 11th. He allowed only one extra-base hit.

Kevin Medeiros led off the 11th with a single up the middle and advanced to second on Don Keathley’s sacrifice fly. DeGennaro was walked intentionally before Aguilar singled home Medeiros from second.

A frustrated Clark dropped to 2-4 after losing his third consecutive game.

“His record doesn’t indicate his ability,” Lyons said. “Clark’s one of the best pitchers in the conference.”

Pierce scored its only run in the fourth on three hits. John Brasher was hit by a pitch and advanced to third on Jim Doushgounian’s single to right. Brasher scored when Sebastian Goodlow hit into a double play.

The Brahmas missed a chance to go ahead, 2-1, in the 11th when Goodlow was picked off third.

Goodlow had walked, advanced to second on Jason Heckathorn’s infield single and moved to third on pinch-hitter Jeremy Lipton’s deep fly to center.