High School Roundup : Carlsbad’s Myers Shuts Down San Pasqual, 2-0

Carlsbad High School Coach Joe Pimental was wary of starting his ace, Jeff Myers, against San Pasqual in Tuesday’s Avocado League showdown.

Myers had pitched in Carlsbad’s only league loss when San Pasqual jumped all over him three weeks ago.

This time Myers redeemed himself, allowing just four hits--two infield hits and two other ground balls that got through the infield--en route to a 2-0 shutout.

“I was thinking of starting Scott Karl,” Pimental said. “Jeff had already seen them once, but I talked to him before the game and he told me, ‘Yeah, I want them again.’ ”

OK, so it didn’t take much to change Pimental’s mind, but later, he was glad that he listened to Myers.

“Jeff was just fantastic,” Pimental said. “This is the best game I’ve seen him pitch, as far as mental outlook goes.”

Myers only struck out four, but other than two base hits that bounced between short and third, he did not allow the Eagles to get a ball out of the infield.

“He sure made the most of it,” said Bill McAlister, San Pasqual coach.

And he got all the runs he needed in the fifth and sixth innings. In the fifth, Jeff Jerrard opened with a single.

After pinch-runner John Tinger moved to second on an infield hit to the right side from Ron Bynes, he scored easily on a double to right-center by Larry Griffith.

Karl gave Carlsbad its second run in the sixth inning. After walking and stealing second, he came in on Brian Vasey’s single to right-center.

It was a run that would later prove important. San Pasqual loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn’t cash in.

“You can’t sacrifice a kid to try to chance in a run when you need two,” McAlister said.

The loss dropped San Pasqual (6-5, 15-8 overall) further from Avocado leader Carlsbad (10-1, 17-8) and a San Diego Section playoff berth.

“We’re past the point of no return,” McAlister said. “We have to sweep our last three games or a week from Thursday we’ll be turning in our stuff.”