High School Baseball : Camarillo Gets a Biggs Lift to 2-1 Victory

Steve Biggs decided to take matters into his own hands Friday, driving home the winning run and pitching a five-hitter to help Camarillo High hand Newbury Park its first Marmonte League loss of the season, a 2-1 decision at Newbury Park.

Biggs, a senior right-hander who signed with Cal, struck out three and raised his record to 5-1. It was Biggs’ bat, however, that gave Camarillo the victory.

With one out in the top of the sixth and Camarillo trailing, 1-0, Mike Muncy and Matt Tackett hit consecutive singles. Chris Johnson then scored Muncy with a base hit. Biggs then singled to score Tackett, who narrowly beat the tag by Panther catcher Danny Madsen. The at-bat was the first of the game for Biggs. Designated hitter Jason McAtee struck out twice in both previous at-bats.

“It makes you look good when those guys come through for you,” Camarillo Coach Ken Wagner said.

Chris Johnson was two for three for Camarillo (11-8, 4-2 in league play), which is in third place. Newbury Park (14-2-3, 5-1) dropped into a first-place tie with Simi Valley.

Newbury Park’s Jeremy Dewey (5-1) pitched a complete game with six strikeouts and two walks. Newbury Park’s run came on a solo home run by Wayne Cook, his second of the year.

In other Marmonte League games:

Simi Valley 12, Thousand Oaks 1--Mike Jenkins pitched a one-hitter and struck out 15 and the Pioneers hit four home runs at Thousand Oaks.

Jenkins, who struck out eight of the final nine batters and the last six in a row, improved to 4-0. The only ball to leave the infield was Mike McNellis’ double to center in the fifth inning.

Jesse Anguiano led Simi Valley (16-2, 5-1) with two home runs. Greg Santos and Kenny Hood hit Thousand Oaks starter Scott Barkman’s first two pitches of the second inning for home runs. Anguiano, the Pioneers’ leadoff batter, leads the team with four homers.

Andy Hodgins and Hood had three hits each and Terry Hill had two hits and three RBIs.

Westlake 7, Royal 3--Steve Susko’s two-run single in the fifth inning broke a 2-2 tie for the Warriors at Royal.

Susko had two hits and Mike Lieberthal had three and scored two runs. Rob Neal, a sophomore playing in his second game since being promoted from the junior varsity, was two for four and scored three runs.

Mike Eby pitched a four-hitter to improve to 4-4 for Westlake (8-10, 2-4).

Jason Jones hit a solo homer in the second for Royal (8-11, 2-4).

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY LEAGUE

La Salle 1, Notre Dame 0--Two La Salle pitchers limited Notre Dame to three hits and the Lancers scored a run in the first inning to beat the Knights at Notre Dame.

The loss broke Notre Dame’s seven-game winning streak. The Knights (14-2, 1-1) had also won their first seven games of the season before losing.

“They played real sound baseball,” Notre Dame Coach Bob Mandeville said of La Salle, which improved to 2-0 in league. “They were ready for us and they were excited, I tell you.”

Luis Solis started for the Lancers and gave way to Brian Esquival in the sixth. The Knights, who threatened in the sixth when they left the bases loaded, and the seventh, stranded 12 baserunners. With Notre Dame runners on first and second and one out in the seventh, La Salle turned a double play to end the game.

Chaminade 7, Harvard 2--Chris DeCristo drove in three runs, two with a third-inning home run, to support the combined three-hit pitching of Greg Galloway and Greg Baumgartner at Chaminade.

Galloway (2-3) allowed three hits and two unearned runs in six innings for Chaminade (6-10, 1-1).

Marty Holly’s sixth-inning double drove in both runs for Harvard (6-10, 0-2).

St. Genevieve 8, Bell-Jeff 0--St. Genevieve pitcher Herman Merchan (1-2) pitched a five-hit shutout with three strikeouts and knocked in five runs to led the Valiants at St. Genevieve (8-5, 2-0). Merchan had three hits, all for extra bases. He had two doubles and added a bases-loaded triple in the fourth.

DEL REY LEAGUE

St. John Bosco 3, Crespi 2--Crespi (6-11-2, 0-5-1) lost a 2-0 lead as St. John Bosco scored two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth to rally for a win at St. John Bosco.

Chad Nichols scored Crespi’s first run on John Dempsey’s ground out. Mark Maurizi walked, moved all the way to third on a wild pitch and then stole home to give Crespi a 2-0 lead.

Pat Bennett (3-4) pitched the final four innings and took the loss. Scott Barton had two hits, including a double.

GOLDEN LEAGUE

Saugus 5, Antelope Valley 1--Scott Warr and Roger Salkeld combined on a four-hitter for the Centurions at Saugus (13-2-2, 7-0).

With the bases loaded and two out in the fifth, Salkeld relieved Warr and promptly picked an Antelope Valley runner off second base to end the inning.

Salkeld allowed no hits, struck out two and walked two in 2 1/3 innings to pick up his second save. Warr allowed four hits, struck out two and walked one in 4 2/3 innings.

Canyon 3, Quartz Hill 2--Roy Bjorklund doubled home two runs in the Cowboys’ three-run second inning and Rod Markovich drove in another with a fielder’s choice at Canyon. Senior right-hander Sean Nichols gave up six hits and struck out three for Canyon (8-8, 5-2).

CHANNEL LEAGUE

Rio Mesa 10, San Marcos 3--Shay Freeman had two hits, including a two-run homer in the sixth, and Tom Deardorff doubled home two runs in the fourth at Rio Mesa as the Spartans snapped a three-game losing streak.

Jon Rust gave up five hits and struck out eight in 6 2/3 innings for Rio Mesa (7-7-1, 3-2-1).

PACIFIC LEAGUE

Hoover 7, Glendale 2--George Trejo’s three-run double highlighted a four-run third inning, and Jose Robles doubled and tripled, leading the Tornadoes (10-4, 5-3) to the win at Glendale. David Burkey (4-1) pitched a four-hitter, striking out five. Glendale fell to 7-7-1 and 2-5.

FOOTHILL LEAGUE

Burroughs 3, San Gabriel 0--Chris Westbury pitched his fifth consecutive complete game and drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in a three-run eighth inning to lead Burroughs at San Gabriel. Westbury (5-2) scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out five.

Burroughs (11-7, 5-2) loaded the bases in the eighth inning on Tom Phillips’ leadoff single, an error and a walk. Tony MacCaughtry hit a sacrifice fly to left to score the first run. The Indians scored twice more on an error and Westbury’s sacrifice fly to right.

FRONTIER LEAGUE

Agoura 9, Calabasas 5--Six Chargers had multiple-hit games as Agoura pounded out 15 hits at home.

Dave Aronowitz, the winning pitcher, had three hits, including a two-run homer in the first. Josh Smaler and Chris Pittenger also had three hits each. Getting two hits each for Agoura (7-6, 2-0) were Nelson Townes, Zac Miller and Brian Smith.

Scott Faer hit a three-run homer in the sixth for Calabasas (6-5-1, 1-1).

ALPHA LEAGUE

Montclair Prep 9, Maranatha 1--Jared Baumblatt, Keyaan Cook and Brent Polacheck each had two hits to lead the Mounties’ 11-hit attack at Encino Colt Field.

Polacheck drove in three runs with a bases-loaded double in the fourth inning and Cook drove in two runs with a third-inning home run.

Chris Andersen (6-0), pitched a four-hitter, striking out eight for the Mounties (8-5-1, 3-0).

Village Christian 17, Western Christian 6--Matt Henzie and Craig Hudspeth had four hits each and David Brownfield hit a three-run homer in the fifth for the Crusaders (12-4, 3-0) at Western Christian.

TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE

Moorpark 21, Bishop Diego 0--Frank Fernandez went four for four, including a solo homer, and scored four runs in a game called after 5 1/2 innings at Moorpark by mutual agreement.

Robert Hernandez (5-0) pitched a three-hitter, had two hits and scored twice.

The league-leading Musketeers (10-2, 6-1), pounded out 19 hits, with six players having multiple-hit games.