Prep Wrapup : Mira Costa Proves it Can Win Close Games, Nips West, South Torrance

After being on both ends of several blowouts, Mira Costa baseball Coach Jim Beaumont entered the Ocean League season this week wondering when the Mustangs would finally play a close game.

By week’s end, his curiosity was cured.

The Mustangs opened league play with two heart-stoppers, rallying for nine runs in the bottom of the seventh inning Wednesday to pull out a 9-8 thriller over West Torrance, and scoring a run in the bottom of the 10th inning Friday to edge South Torrance, 4-3.

“It was scary, to say the least,” Beaumont said. “It’s funny because all through the pre-league season we would either get blown out or we would blow out the other team. Most games were over by the third inning. I was wondering when we would get into a dogfight. Now I’m ready for another blowout.”

The first-year coach, a former player and assistant coach at Katella High in Anaheim, knows it’s too early to expect his young team to contend for the Ocean League title. But, so far, he can’t complain.

Mira Costa (6-3 overall, 2-0 in the league) has won six of its last seven games and is tied for first place with Redondo and Culver City. That’s quite a start for a program that has struggled in recent years. The Mustangs were 9-17 and finished fifth out of six teams in the Ocean League last season.

Beaumont is determined to turn things around.

“I’m happy with our record so far, but I think we’re better then we’ve been playing,” he said. “It’s just a matter of us being consistent. Some games we hit everything, and other games we struggle to get a run. I don’t think we’ve seen great pitching that should really shut us down.”

Mira Costa was productive this week, totaling 14 hits and 13 runs in two games. The Mustangs took advantage of walks and errors in the win over West. Friday, it was a matter of capitalizing on an opportunity against South.

After squandering scoring chances in the fifth and seventh innings, the Mustangs changed their offensive philosophy with the score tied 3-3 in the 10th. Beaumont, instead of allowing his hitters to swing away, called for a hit-and-run with one out and runners at first and second.

Sophomore Andy Owens delivered by smashing a high pitch between third base and shortstop for the game-winning hit. Pinch runner Scott Yetter came around from second to score, marking the second time this week he scored the winning run.

Others who came through for the Mustangs were heavy-hitting catcher Dave Jund, who went 2-for-4 and slugged a 400-foot RBI triple, and pitchers Jason Garner and Tim Abrams. Garner (3-1), a sophomore, struck out eight and walked one in eight innings, and Abrams got the victory with two innings of two-hit relief.

Because of Mira Costa’s inexperience--the Mustangs start one freshman, two sophomores and three juniors--Beaumont isn’t sure where his team fits in with the rest of the league.

“We started off the league schedule in a pretty good way,” he said. “Our first two games were at home, and maybe the teams we played (West and South) are not the toughest, although they turned out to be tough games.

“I know Culver City will be tough and Redondo is always tough. North Torrance has been struggling a little, but I know they can beat anybody. South gave us all we can handle. I think a couple of teams are down, West and Morningside, but there’s no doubt it’s a competitive league.”

Mira Costa resumes league play Wednesday at Centennial (1-1 in league) and plays host to North (1-1) on Friday.

When was the last time Carson’s baseball team swept San Pedro in a two-game series, as the Colts did this week?

Coach Marty Blankenship, who played for Carson in 1966-67, said he couldn’t remember it ever happening before.

“I think in the ‘80s, it’s probably never happened,” he said. “It’s a good shot for the program.”

Carson, which has played second-fiddle to San Pedro and Banning in league play for several years, moved into a second-place tie with San Pedro in the Pacific League by beating the Pirates, 9-3, Tuesday and 9-7 Thursday. Both teams are 3-3 in league play, two games behind first-place Banning (5-1).

Blankenship credited his pitchers for keeping San Pedro’s hard-hitting lineup off balance.

“Off-speed breaking stuff, that’s how we beat San Pedro,” he said.

Blankenship said pitching coach Joe Triana has done a good job working with the team’s staff, headed by Keoni Kaono and Alfredo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, the team’s starting shortstop, was pressed into pitching duty because of injuries. You’d never know it by his numbers. Through 19 innings, he has an ERA of 0.72. He pitched six innings Thursday for his first win, allowing no earned runs and striking out eight.

It was also a big week for Carson’s Steve Rubio, who went 4-for-6 with three home runs and seven RBIs in the two games.

Two of the favorites in the Bay League will meet this week when first-place Rolling Hills (2-0) plays a two-game series with Leuzinger (1-1), which lost a stunning 6-2 decision to Inglewood Friday.

The teams meet Tuesday at Leuzinger and Thursday at Rolling Hills in 3 p.m. games.

Rolling Hills (6-5 overall) boasts one of the South Bay’s best hitting lineups, while Leuzinger (8-3-1) has an overpowering pitcher. Rolling Hills collected a total of 24 hits in 11-4 and 10-6 wins over Beverly Hills this week. Leuzinger left-hander Tyrone Scott (4-1) has allowed three hits and struck out 30 batters in his last two outings.

Redondo and North Torrance, two of the top teams in the Ocean League, will meet at 3 p.m. Wednesay at North.

Redondo improved to 2-0 in league play and 6-4 overall Friday with a 15-0 victory over Morningside. Sophomore Brian Fitzgerald pitched a perfect game, striking out 10, before the game was called after five innings.