BIG GAME : Top Pitchers Stand Aside, Orange Glen Beats Poway

This was supposed to be a pitchers showcase. This was supposed to be the matchup of the year.

That’s what it was supposed to be.

But neither Scott Coleman nor Danny Miller were around for the end of Orange Glen High School’s 6-4, nine-inning Palomar League baseball victory over Poway (5-3, 0-1). That’s not to say they didn’t try.

Miller went 8 1/3 innings in a losing cause, struck out 13, walked two, allowed 10 hits and gave up five runs, four earned.

Coleman went six innings, struck out seven, walked four, allowed seven hits and four earned runs for the Patriots (8-3, 1-0).

“No, I didn’t think it would be this kind of game at all,” said Poway Coach Rudy Casciato. “After (Orange Glen) scored the first two runs, I thought it might be around there the whole game.”

Why didn’t Casciato think there would be more scoring? Because Orange Glen’s Coleman set a San Diego Section record earlier this season by pitching 16 consecutive no-hit innings. Coleman entered with a 1.90 earned-run average and 37 strikeouts in 27 innings. He had allowed only 10 hits.

Miller was no slouch, either. He entered with a 0.59 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.

But the Patriots struck for two runs in the first inning. Lance Keller and Brian Kooiman singled to open the game, and Scott Porter doubled home the first two of his three runs batted in.

Kooiman, who singled in the third, eventually scored on Porter’s single to make it 3-0.

If that didn’t have Casciato and the Titans sweating, Orange Glen added another run in the fifth inning when Keller stole home in a first-and-third situation.

“We knew Poway was a good ballclub, but we are too,” said Orange Glen Coach Ken Walker. “After we scored the first two runs, we knew it wasn’t over, though.”

Coleman cruised into the sixth inning with a three-hitter, but his troubles were about to begin.

Brock Marsh and Greg Sorrell singled, and Matt Schwenke launched a 375-foot home run over the left-center-field fence to pull to 4-3. Two pitches later, Miles Kelly tied the game with an equally impressive shot over the left-field fence. Coleman got through the inning, aided by Orange Glen’s third of four double plays. Jim Roby pitched the final three innings.

“Our defense has been real sound and we’ve been able to do those types of things,” said Walker.

But Poway was not as fortunate.

Two throwing errors by Schwenke, the catcher, on successive sacrifice bunts allowed Gavin McQueen to score and Mike Russ to get into position to score on Scott Tittrington’s wild pitch.