Southern Section Baseball Playoffs : Anaheim Changes Plan in Time for 3-1 Victory

Anaheim High School Coach Dave Torres’ scouting report on Capistrano Valley was that the Cougars were a good fastball-hitting team.

So Torres decided to start Robert Fernandez, a breaking-ball pitcher, in a first-round Southern Section 4-A playoff game Friday at Anaheim.

Well, Fernandez threw a lot of breaking pitches, but very few were strikes in the 1 1/3 innings he lasted.

Pete Gonzales, a junior who throws only fastballs, replaced Fernandez in the second and allowed no runs and two hits in relief as Anaheim won, 3-1, in front of about 400. So much for scouting reports.

The Orange League champions will play Cerritos Tuesday in the second round.

Fernandez allowed a walk and single in the first, but got a double-play grounder to get out of a jam. In the second, Fernandez walked the first two hitters, got a strikeout, but hit Chris Lugo to load the bases. He then walked ninth-place hitter Chris Lyons to force in a run.

Gonzales was then called in and got Mike Lavin to hit into an inning-ending double play.

“I was pumped when I was warming up,” Gonzales said. “I was hoping for a double play, but I just wanted to come in and throw strikes because we have a good defense.”

Gonzales (5-4) four strikeouts and walked three in the final 5 2/3 innings. Anaheim had five hits but scored three unearned runs, thanks to three Capistrano Valley errors.

“We played poorly today,” Capistrano Valley Coach Bob Zamora said. “First we slumped with the gloves, then the bats. I don’t want to take anything away from Anaheim but we handed them the game.”

Anaheim scored two runs in the second. Capistrano Valley pitcher Mark Mosebrook walked Ryan Jara to start the inning, then got Jose Gonzalez to hit into a force play. Danny Castro then singled to left field and Cesar Rojo walked to load the bases.

Mosebrook (9-4) struck out Fernando Castro for the second out and appeared out of the inning when Sammy Serna hit a ground ball toward second baseman Lyons. But Lyons bobbled the ball then threw high to first as Gonzales scored. Mosebrook then walked Joe Perez to force home the second run.

Anaheim (18-9) scored its final run in the fourth.

Rojo reached second on a throwing error by shortstop John Mackay and scored on a single by Fernando Castro. Capistrano Valley ends the season 16-10.