JC BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Four Pitchers Share Load as Valley Pounds Oxnard, 13-5

Unlike some pitchers, Tim DeGrasse has learned to be unselfish when it comes to yielding the mound. The sophomore right-hander understands that there is a cozy spot waiting for him in the Valley College dugout when his pitches aren’t hitting their spots in the strike zone.

So, when DeGrasse’s control began to waver in the sixth inning against Oxnard on Wednesday, he sought a little help from his friends.

And got it.

Four Monarch pitchers combined to scatter seven hits as Valley knocked off Oxnard, 13-5, in the first round of the Western State Conference Shaughnessy playoffs.

Valley (28-10-1) will play host to Moorpark in the second round at 2 p.m. Thursday. Oxnard finished the season with a record of 17-15.

“It’s reassuring to know that if I don’t have my stuff we’ve got somebody who is fresh waiting,” said DeGrasse (9-1), who allowed five hits and a run, struck out five and walked four. He was relieved after he walked the first batter in the sixth inning.

Monarch Coach Chris Johnson balks at charges that he is trigger-happy in pulling his pitchers.

“DeGrasse got to 90 pitches and we’d like to possibly use him Thursday,” said Johnson, who added that Valley’s pitching has been somewhat suspect lately. “The way we’re pitching, I’m going to be much quicker with the hook.”

Oxnard Coach George Peraza had no qualms about going to the bullpen, either, but his personnel wasn’t nearly as effective. Five Condor pitchers allowed 10 hits. In addition, they hit three batters and walked 11--eight of whom scored.

Valley scored two runs in the first when Harold Ciccone and Steve Ross walked, advanced on a double steal and scored on Ray Sabado’s ground out and Vladimir Pajcin’s sacrifice fly.

The Monarchs scored once in the second, once in the third and twice in the fourth. In the sixth, Mike Suarez hit a bases-loaded double to left, scoring Pajcin, Mike Caputi and Greg Struhl. Eric Vargas singled home Suarez in the next at-bat.

Trailing, 10-1, in the seventh, Oxnard mounted a rally. Gil Valencia singled to center to drive in John Swanson and Manny Mejia, both of whom had walked. Blake Babki, who also had walked and had advanced to third on Valencia’s hit, came in on a balk by Wayne Schull.

Finally, Steve Cerio hit a deep fly to center, allowing Valencia to tag and score.

Struhl answered in the seventh with a three-run home run over the fence in right that dampened any Oxnard hopes of an comeback.

As for Thursday’s game, Johnson doesn’t plan to abandon his philosophy.

“We’re going to throw the whole staff at (Moorpark),” he said.

DeGrasse figures that will include him.

“I’ll be strong,” he said. “I’ve worked hard to get into shape. But I ain’t the only pitcher on the team.”