Raba Falls Short Against Westlake’s Long Ball, 3-1

Of his 102 pitches Wednesday, Eric Raba would like two--just a measly two --back in his pitching hand.

Raba, Camarillo High’s hard-luck senior right-hander, felt that way after pitches Nos. 86 and 89 sailed over the fence in the sixth inning, enabling first-place Westlake High to escape with a 3-1 win in a Marmonte League game at Westlake.

Raba dueled with Westlake ace Mike Eby for five innings, allowing only one hit in a scoreless tie. But Raba’s 86th pitch was a waist-high fastball that Mike Lieberthal crushed over the left-center field fence to give Westlake (19-1, 7-0 in league play) a 1-0 lead.

Lieberthal, a senior catcher who has signed a letter of intent to play at Arizona State, is four home runs shy of the Southern Section season record of 16 with six regular-season games remaining.

“We wanted the pitch down and away, but he got it belt-high and Mike made him pay,” Camarillo Coach Jack Willard said.

Keith Hess followed with a home run to right-center that extended Westlake’s lead to 2-0. Westlake added an unearned run when Camarillo center fielder Tim Cornish misplayed Sean Howard’s single and Howard rounded the bases.

“Man, just two pitches,” Raba said. “I got the first one up on Mike, and the second guy just drilled a low, outside fastball.”

Those two tosses became more significant when Camarillo scored a run in the seventh. Mitch King (two for three) singled, went to third on Robert Sanchez’s double, and scored on Leonard Lopez’s sacrifice fly.

Camarillo (9-10-1, 2-5) failed to score after it loaded the bases with one out in the second. It left two other men in scoring position.

“Eric pitched a good ballgame,” Willard said. “I just wish we would have helped him out a little more.”

That is a difficult task against Eby, who has signed a letter of intent with UCLA.

Eby (7-0), a left-hander, allowed eight hits, struck out six and didn’t walk a batter. He tied John Chiaramonte’s 1987 school record for wins in a season.

“He’s hard to beat,” Willard said. “He’s been good, and he was good again today.”

Raba (5-4), a victim of six unearned runs in a 7-5 loss to Westlake on March 16, allowed only four hits and struck out six.

“It starts to make you feel like they have your number,” Raba said.