Royal Rally Falls Short as Losing Streak Hits 8

The Royal High baseball team began the season with a seven-game winning streak but has now eclipsed that mark--in a backward fashion.

Channel Islands edged the Highlanders, 5-4, Friday in a Marmonte League game at Royal, stretching the Highlanders’ losing streak to eight games.

“We’re just not getting timely hitting,” Royal Coach Mike McCurdy said.

His team proved that by hitting well with the bases empty--Travis Kinyoun and Jason Jones each hit solo homers--and poorly with runners on base.

In the first, Royal (9-11, 1-6 in league play) loaded the bases with one out, but Jones popped out and Kinyoun flied out to deep center. An inning later, Bill Egan popped out to shortstop with runners on first and second and two out.

Channel Islands (10-9, 5-2), opened the scoring in the third, Ronnie Vasquez’s single driving home Richard Ortiz. Pitcher Andy Beltowski added an RBI double an inning later to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead.

“When you’re in a losing streak, the important thing is to get the lead early,” McCurdy said. “Not only for the sake of getting the lead but also to raise your confidence. You’re only going to get so many opportunities in a game.”

Despite its early problems, Royal did have a chance to end the streak in the bottom of the seventh.

With his team trailing, 5-3, 4-foot, 11-inch, 90-pound pinch-hitter Dennis Gildehaus opened the inning with his first hit of the season. Egan returned to the game as a pinch runner and was forced at second on Sean Sullivan’s grounder. One out later, Sullivan scored on a double by Jones.

Channel Islands Coach Don Cardinal summoned Julio Gonzalez to replace Beltowski and face Kinyoun. Third baseman Patrick Avila made a diving catch of Kinyoun’s short pop foul to end the game.

The Raiders touched Sullivan (3-4) and reliever Brian Skow for two runs in the fifth on a single by Avila, increasing their edge to 4-1.

“That base hit made the difference,” Cardinal said.

Beltowski (5-0) pitched 6 innings and allowed 10 hits to post his second win over Royal.