PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Davison Blanks Eagles for 15th Win; Redondo Clinches Share of Title

Redondo High baseball Coach Harry Jenkins called it “vintage Davison.”

Nothing new about that. So far this season, that’s all Redondo pitcher Scott Davison has shown opponents.

The senior right-hander was on his game again Wednesday night, pitching a four-hitter and striking out 14 as the Sea Hawks clinched a tie for the Pioneer League title with a 6-0 win over El Segundo before an overflow crowd at Redondo.

To the surprise of no one, Davison (15-0) reduced a big game to a routine one.

“Davison obviously has a lot more stuff than the usual pitcher,” said El Segundo Coach John Stevenson, whose team was shut out for the first time this season. “He was by far the best pitcher we’ve faced.”

Redondo (9-0 in league play, 27-1 overall) can capture the Pioneer title outright with a victory over the Eagles (8-1, 20-8) on Friday night at El Segundo Recreation Park.

And Davison made it clear he won’t be satisfied with anything less.

“We want to get it outright,” he said. “We don’t want co-champions.”

Davison is accustomed to being at the top. Wednesday’s win clinched the fourth league championship for Redondo since Davison began pitching for the varsity as a freshman. He improved his career record to 45-5, and his 15th triumph set a single-season school record.

Davison’s performance was expected. What was unexpected was Redondo’s main source of offensive punch.

Dane McKay and Jaysen Surber, the 7 and 9 hitters, each homered in a four-run fourth inning to give the Sea Hawks a 5-0 lead. McKay hit a three-run homer to right-center field and, one out later, Surber belted a solo shot to left for his first homer of the year.

Tom Doyle also had a big night, going 3 for 3 with a run-scoring single in the fifth to bring home Davison, who had doubled.

“We talked to the players about being aggressive and swinging the bats,” Jenkins said. “We didn’t want to sit back and wait. I think they responded well.”

Redondo collected 11 hits against two pitchers--Chris Ashelford (6-3), who lasted 4 innings, and reliever David Lubs. Stevenson saved right-hander Heath Jones (6-3) to start Friday’s game.

Davison kept El Segundo’s hitters fishing for his slider much of the night.

“My slider was working well,” said Davison, who walked three. “They were sitting on my fastball. I knew I had to keep them off balance with my slider.”

Redondo, the top-ranked team in the Southern Section 4-A Division, scored one run in the first when sophomore Brian Davison led off with a double to right-center field, took third on a ground out and scored on a ground out by brother Scott.

After that, the Sea Hawks were quiet until the fourth when Doyle led off with the second of his three singles. Henry Schelb walked after a sacrifice by Nate Perry, setting the stage for McKay’s homer.