Sunset League Baseball : Westminster Hitters Pave Way for Stubbs, 10-1

Westminster High School provided starting pitcher Brian Stubbs with plenty of support in a Sunset League baseball game against Edison Saturday.

Westminster scored 10 runs, 7 in the first two innings, and had 12 hits to defeat the Chargers, 10-1, at Edison. Stubbs didn’t really need that much help, as he was in control the entire way, striking out 13 and allowing 5 hits.

After Westminster (11-7 overall, 4-3 in league play) scored three runs in the first inning and added four in the second, the only interest revolved around Stubbs. He gave up a first-inning single to first baseman Mark Whitcher, then retired seven in a row before giving up a double to Bill Bertucci and a single to Whitcher to start the fourth.

However, Stubbs (6-2) struck out the next three batters to get out of the inning. In the fifth, he struck out the side. He gave up an unearned run in the sixth but finished strongly by striking out the side in the seventh.

Stubbs, who lowered his earned-run average to 0.98, seemed to keep the Charger batters off balance with a wicked curveball and a hard fastball.

“This was Stubbs’ best game as far as location and strikeouts,” Westminster Coach Ken Ostrowski said.

Paul Harrell, Edison coach, was a tad miffed with the Chargers’ play Saturday.

“Nobody looked like they gave much of an effort, except for a couple of guys,” Harrell said. “There was no emotion. We gave up. It’s the first time I’ve seen that all year.”

Ryan Klesko, Westminster’s designated hitter, was as much to blame for demoralizing the Chargers (8-7-1, 4-3) as anything or anyone.

Klesko, a junior, got the Lions started in the first inning by driving in David Rodriguez with a sinking line drive to center field. Klesko went to second when Edison’s Jason Seretin mishandled the ball. After Jim Slagle walked, Klesko scored on Dax Hammers’ single to center. Slagle stopped at third.

Then Ostrowski called for a little trickery.

Hammers stole second and, on the throw, Slagle broke for home. He made it safely and Westminster led, 3-0.

It got worse for Edison in the second inning.

Brian Mantel, Westminster third baseman, led off with a walk, and Rodriguez singled off Whitcher’s glove to chase Charger starter Rob Simonson (1-3). Steve Colton came in and Joe Miasano bunted, moving Mantel to third and Rodriguez to second.

Ben Mendoza drew a walk and Klesko hit Colton’s first pitch over the right-field fence for a grand slam and a 7-0 lead.

“We need to get people to set the table for him,” Ostrowski said of Klesko, who improved his batting average to .471. “He’s just seeing the ball really well right now.”

Westminster added single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings, but the bulk of the damage was done in the first two innings.

In another Sunset League game:

Fountain Valley 5, Huntington Beach 3--Fountain Valley (9-8, 4-3) scored four runs in the third inning at Huntington Beach. With two outs, Tony Spaan singled for the Barons. John Dalpoggetto walked, then Mark Dodd hit a three-run home run. Jeff Watts followed with a solo home run. Fountain Valley pitcher Craig Lane went five innings for the win. Huntington Beach is 3-4 in league play.