McMackin Tempers El Camino Real Bats

Reed McMackin admittedly has the fabled temper of an Irishman.

So, too, it seems, does Ryan McGuire.

And both showed it in Tuesday’s West Valley League baseball showdown between Chatsworth and El Camino Real highs.

Still smarting from an early-season loss to McGuire and El Camino Real, McMackin, a senior right-hander, psyched himself into a controlled rage for the rematch. And he confounded the Conquistadores, hurling a three-hitter with six strikeouts as the Chancellors emerged with a 9-3 victory at Chatsworth.

The win moved Chatsworth (16-4-1, 8-3-1 in league play) to within two games of first-place El Camino Real (13-2-1, 10-1-1) with both teams scheduled to play again Thursday at Chatsworth.

“I wanted to come out and beat them and prove to people that I had some stuff,” said McMackin, who improved his record to 7-2. “It was kind of a moral victory. I’ve never pitched well against these guys.”

McMackin was charged with the loss last month when El Camino Real defeated Chatsworth, 6-2. McGuire, a senior left-hander who has signed to attend UCLA, allowed only one hit in 5 1/3 innings to earn the win.

On Tuesday, McGuire (5-1) walked five batters in the first inning (he threw 47 pitches) and eight by the time he exited in the fourth with Chatsworth ahead, 5-0.

McGuire, who was hitless in three at-bats, also struck out twice--both times swinging at 3-2 fastballs. He has struck out only five times this season.

Afterward, a visibly disgusted McGuire sarcastically remarked that his head was elsewhere.

“There is no excuse for a performance like that,” McGuire said, fuming. “I didn’t pitch well at all. The first inning was a pretty good indication of how I was throwing. I had a lousy day.”

Despite wildness, McGuire struck out the side in the first inning and limited Chatsworth to a 2-0 lead. He struck out the side in order in the second inning and in the third collected his seventh of eight strikeouts.

McGuire, however, walked three more batters in the fourth and allowed three hits as Chatsworth scored six times.

Adam Pearlman and Mike Mancuso did the most damage with run-scoring singles in the inning.

McMackin retired 11 of the first 12 batters he faced before El Camino Real struck for two runs--one unearned--in the fifth.

McMackin doused the threat with consecutive strikeouts of Sean Boldt and pinch-hitter Evan Howland with a runner at second.