Roundup : Santana DH Ambushes Grossmont from No. 9 Spot

Jim Saska, Santana High School baseball coach, uses the designated hitter as a way to give some of his non-regulars a chance to play.

It is no surprise, then, to find the Santana DH batting ninth in the lineup--which is just fine with Robert Tucker.

Tucker, the backup catcher, hit two home runs and had five runs batted in to lead fifth-ranked Santana to a 13-6 victory over Grossmont in a key Grossmont League game at Grossmont.

“I like it down there,” Tucker said. “(The pitcher) thinks, ‘This is the No. 9 hitter, he’s not going to be hitting, I’ll just throw him straight balls.’ ”

Tucker hit both homers--with the bases empty in the third and two on in the fifth--off Grossmont reliever Roy Neder.

Santana (15-5, 6-3) entered the game a half-game behind second-place Grossmont (10-8, 5-3) after being upset, 3-1, by Mt. Miguel Tuesday. Grossmont was also much in need of a victory after losing two of its past three league games.

But Santana drilled Grossmont starter Mark Gapski (3-3), who entered the game with a league-leading 1.04 earned-run average in 33 innings.

Gapski allowed a double, two singles and a walk and he hit a batter before being pulled with one out--on a sacrifice bunt--in the first.

Santana finished the inning with five runs on three hits and scored in each of the first five innings.

Grossmont tried to rally, scoring four runs on six hits off Santana starter John Barnhill to cut the deficit to 10-6 after four.

But Tucker extended Santana’s lead with his three-run homer in the fifth.