Moorpark, Ventura Put Finishing Touches on Foes : Raiders: After Berman wins they have first place to themselves.

Moorpark College batters gave pitcher Jeff Berman more than enough help in a 12-9 win over host Pierce on Thursday. But for a while it seemed otherwise.

After walking the leadoff batter in the third inning, Berman recorded two outs and was eager to get the third.

His zealousness showed.

Berman walked the next batter, surrendered a two-run double to Pat Huston and gave up a run-scoring single to Billy Chavez as Pierce quickly cut a five-run Moorpark advantage to 6-4.

“I was rushing,” said Berman, a sophomore. “I was pitching sloppy like the way I did two years ago (at Newbury Park High).”

Coach Ken Wagner made the situation clear to Berman.

“He just lost his composure,” Wagner said. “He needed to slow down and work on his mechanics. I told him he’d better square away and bear down or we’d have to get him out of there.”

Berman (5-0) did as he was told and was able to finish the game for Moorpark (15-7, 10-2), which is alone in first place in the Western State Conference race.

Dan Smith had four hits and two runs batted in for Moorpark, and Mike Suarez, Henry Schelb, Don Smith and Chris Bannon each had three of the Raiders’ 21 hits.

Pat Huston (three RBIs) and Carl McFadden each had three hits for Pierce (11-14, 4-8).

The Raiders, who scored in each of the first seven innings, pushed across three runs in the fifth to take a 10-4 lead.