Prep Baseball Roundup : Mater Dei’s Corliss Continues to Impress, Strikes Out 10 in 9-4 Victory

Tony Pena, generally regarded as the best pitcher in Orange County, might have some competition from a member of his own team at Mater Dei High School before the season is over.

Scott Corliss continued an impressive senior season Saturday at Anaheim, striking out 10 and allowing only four hits in five innings in a 9-4 victory over Servite.

Corliss (4-1) was the team’s fifth starter last season when Pena (5-0 this season) fashioned a 10-1 record in leading Mater Dei to the Angelus League title. This year, Corliss has emerged as a college prospect with a lively fastball.

“Scott throws as well as Tony, he just doesn’t have the game experience,” said Bob Ickes, Mater Dei coach. “He’s getting better and better with each outing.”

Corliss was in trouble only once, yielding three hits in the third inning. He escaped without giving up a run, however, when Servite’s Ed Crippen was ruled out at the plate for aggressive contact with catcher Rob Ickes while attempting to score on a single by Rob Walker.

Corliss struck out five consecutive batters in the fourth and fifth innings before retiring at the end of the fifth after throwing 90 pitches in 90-degree heat.

Mater Dei (12-3, 3-1) scored three runs in the third inning and added four more in the fifth in coasting to its seventh consecutive victory.

The Monarchs used two hits with two walks to score three times in the third, and Jason Kirrer’s two-run double was the big blow in the fifth. Every starter had at least one hit except for Ickes and left fielder Juan Zarate.

Losing pitcher Chad Troxel (3-3) struggled with his control, walking seven before leaving in the fifth inning. Servite (9-6-1, 2-2) played without starters Tom Jacobs and Mark Tacconelli, who were suspended for two games for breaking a team rule.

“Tom is our best hitter and leads the team in RBIs and home runs, but I don’t know if the suspensions really affected us that much today,” said Mike McNary, Servite coach. “Corliss took the wind out of our sails. We were pretty laid back but finally came alive a little in the last inning.”

Walker, Servite’s designated hitter, drove a three-run homer over the center-field fence off reliever Brian Franklin in the seventh inning, giving him two hits for the day. Greg Carl, Mater Dei’s leadoff hitter, had two hits, a walk, stole a base and scored a run.

“If you can stop Greg, you can stop our offense,” Ickes said. “He came into the game hitting .559 and has now stolen successfully on 15 of 16 attempts. He’s played a big part in our success.”

Mater Dei lost its league opener to Bishop Montgomery for the second consecutive season, but the Monarchs have now established themselves as the favorite in the Angelus League, at least according to McNary.

“They were tough with Pena throwing, but now that Corliss has come on, they’re twice as tough,” McNary said. “Whoever wins the league, is going to have to beat Mater Dei to claim the title.”

In the Sunset League:

Edison 6, Westminster 2--Jason Serafin drove in four runs with a home run and a single and Jim Futami held Westminster to four hits to lift the Chargers (3-2 in the league). Center fielder Serafin hit a three-run home run in the top of the first, added a run-scoring single in the seventh inning, and also threw a runner out at the plate in the second inning. Futami (2-0) struck out eight batters and walked one. Westminster is 1-4 in league play.

Ocean View 2, Marina 1--Brent Woken went five innings, giving up four hits and striking out four to earn the victory. Mike Karpel picked up the save with two scoreless innings. Mike Burns, who was two for three, drove in both runs for Ocean View (12-4, 4-1) with a single in the third inning. Marina is 9-6 overall and 2-3 in league.

Fountain Valley 4, Huntington Beach 0--Jeff Hale pitched his second consecutive shutout, allowing six hits, striking out one and walking one. John Orcher provided the offensive punch for Fountain Valley (9-4, 4-1) with a two-run triple in the second inning.

In nonleague play:

Katella 9-6, Los Amigos 4-1, Right-hander Steve Ramey carried Katella (10-5, 4-1) with pitching and hitting in the first game of the doubleheader, and did more hitting damage in the second game at Glover Stadium. Ramey hit three-run homers in both games to knock in seven runs. He also picked up his first victory without a loss in the opening game. Eric Boyd (1-1) got the victory in the second game. First baseman Danny Kiker hit a two-run homer in the second game for Los Amigos (5-11, 2-2).