Preston Exacts Revenge in Westlake’s 7-5 Win

Westlake High’s Todd Preston approached the plate in the top of the seventh inning of a tie game Friday. Two out, bases loaded, his pride in his back pocket.

It had been stuffed there by Eric Raba, Camarillo’s No. 1 pitcher, who got the better of Preston in the latter’s first two at-bats.

Preston, a junior, turned a Raba fastball into a bases-clearing double that propelled Westlake to a 7-5 win in a Marmonte League opener at Camarillo. Preston’s hit capped a five-run rally that helped Westlake (7-0 overall) overcome a 4-2 deficit.

Camarillo (5-3) scored three runs in the sixth to take a 4-2 lead. Tim Cornish’s bad-hop single, which bounced off Preston at third base and rolled out of play, drove in one run and Mitch King stroked a two-run single.

“After that ball bounced off me, I wanted to get in there and drive in some runs,” Preston said.

Preston got that opportunity in the seventh when Westlake scored five unearned runs.

Sean Howard led off by reaching second on a third-strike wild pitch that King, Camarillo’s catcher, ran down and threw into right field. Rick Wolters’ bunt single moved Howard to third, and, with two out, Tim Falsken doubled home Howard. After an intentional walk to Mike Lieberthal, who hit a two-run home run in the first inning, Wolters scored on a wild pitch to tie the score, 4-4.

Keith Hess was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Preston slapped a 1-0 fastball into the left-center field alley to give Westlake a 7-4 lead entering the bottom of the seventh.

In the home half, Corey Tucker’s two-out double cut Westlake’s lead to 7-5. Reliever Falsken (3-0), who struck out four in 1 1/3 innings, struck out Cornish with the bases loaded to end the game.

The loss was Camarillo’s third in as many days. Wednesday, Hueneme scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh and the Scorpions lost, 4-3.

Thursday, Camarillo forfeited its 4-2 win over Chatsworth in the Westside tournament’s Blue Division title game played last Saturday.