HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Montclair Prep Continues Change for the Better

After the Montclair Prep baseball team stumbled to a 4-3 start, Coach Walt Steele took a look at his defending Southern Section 1-A Division champion and grimaced. He had just two players batting better than .300 and a host of veterans in a slump.

“Boys,” he told them. “We are not hitting the ball. That has got to change.”

Taking their cue, the Mounties on Friday pounded visiting St. Genevieve, 10-2, in a nonleague game. Montclair Prep has scored 28 runs in its past two games.

Friday, the Mounties also received a sterling effort on the mound. Junior right-hander Russell Ortiz struck out 14, allowed just three hits and no earned runs as Montclair Prep improved to 6-3.

The Mounties scored five runs in the first inning, helped by a run-scoring double by catcher Dylan Jones, an RBI single by designated-hitter Andy Shaw and an RBI double by first baseman Brent Polacheck.

Brad Fullmer hit a solo home run for the Mounties, his second homer of the year.

Jones went two for two with two runs scored, Shaw went two for three with two runs scored and two RBIs, Ortiz went two for three and Geoff Taylor went two for three.

In other baseball games:

Rio Mesa 6, Newbury Park 3--Trailing, 3-2, in the sixth inning, host Rio Mesa rallied with four runs, including a three-run home run by Mike Mitchell, to win a championship semifinal game of the Babe Herman tournament at Stengel Field in Glendale.

Mitchell (1-0) also pitched one-third of an inning in relief and picked up the victory in a game shortened to six innings because of a time limit.

Angel Lopez spurred Rio Mesa’s two-out sixth-inning rally with an RBI double. Rio Mesa (8-1) will play in the championship game tonight at 7 at Stengel Field.

Hueneme 8, San Luis Obispo 6--Chris Baker singled in Jim Pettit with the go-ahead run and Hueneme’s three-run seventh inning proved decisive in a San Luis Obispo Easter tournament game at San Luis Obispo.

Frank Adame (3-1) picked up the win in relief for Hueneme (6-2).

Fountain Valley 6, Westlake 5--Fountain Valley scored three unearned runs, including the game-winner in the bottom of the ninth, to win an Upper Deck tournament consolation game at Fountain Valley.

The winning run scored on a passed ball with two out in the ninth.

Rico Lagattuta had three hits, including two doubles to pace Westlake. Todd Preston and James Jones each had three hits and Rob Neal added two for the Warriors.

Westlake (6-5) outhit Fountain Valley, 14-4, but stranded 13 baserunners.

Calabasas 20, Nordhoff 2--Paul Johnson struck out eight in four innings as Calabasas (2-4, 1-2 in league play) enjoyed a Frontier League romp at Nordhoff. The game was called after six innings because of darkness.

Johnson also went two for two, scored three runs and drove in two as Calabasas took a 9-0 lead after an inning.

Alex Armacost went two for three, making him 10 for 14 in his past five games.

SOFTBALL

Calabasas 8, Nordhoff 5--Four players managed two hits each to lead Calabasas in a Frontier League game at home.

Amy Kane and Heather Siegel went two for four.