STATE JUNIOR COLLEGE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Berman Pitches Moorpark to 1st-Round Victory, 5-1

Moorpark College might have been a bit rusty at the plate after a one-week layoff, but sophomore right-hander Jeff Berman was razor sharp for Friday’s Southern California regional opener against visiting Long Beach.

Fourth-seeded Moorpark, the top-seeded team from the Western State Conference, collected only five hits. But Berman yielded only four while going the distance as the Raiders won the opener of the three-game series, 5-1.

Berman (9-1) struck out nine, including the side in the fourth and fifth innings, while logging his sixth complete-game victory of the season.

Marcus Lockwood hit his fifth home run, a solo shot in the sixth inning, to give Moorpark (23-12) a 4-1 lead.

Steve Shinar had two hits to lead Long Beach (16-22).

San Bernardino 5, Mission 2--Sophomore infielder Chris Romo had two hits, including a double, and scored both runs for Mission in a first-round loss at San Bernardino.

Jose Garcia (7-2), relieved in the seventh by Tom Daniels, took the loss for Mission (24-12-1). Tom Ball relieved Daniels in the seventh.

The Moorpark trio allowed 10 hits.

Mission will play San Bernardino again today at 11 a.m. If Mission wins, a third game will follow with the winner advancing to one of two four-team state regional finals beginning Friday.

San Bernardino is 30-13.