PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : El Dorado’s Weitzman Starts and Finishes Strong in Victory

Sophomore pitcher Jerry Weitzman was perfect in every inning but one in his first start of the season Monday in the third Upper Deck Classic.

Weitzman, aided by six outstanding defensive plays, retired the first 12 batters he faced, gave up a pair of runs in the fifth inning and then retired the last six batters in El Dorado’s 7-2 victory over Marshall High of Falls Church, Va., at El Dorado High.

Weitzman displayed plenty of poise in the fifth inning after allowing two runs by giving up three consecutive hits and then committing a balk. Marshall had runners on second and third with nobody out when Weitzman struck out Marshall’s Brian Edwards and got Dan Vaughan to hit into an inning-ending double play.

“That’s the type of pitching performance you need from your third pitcher if you hope to do well in a tournament,” El Dorado Coach Steve Gullotti said.

Weitzman got a big assist from shortstop Chris Remala, who opened the game by retiring Marshall’s Chris Crawford and Ted Kinsman on slow rollers. Then, in the third, he robbed Adam Farrar of a hit by going high into the air to snag a line drive.

First baseman Andy Osborne, third baseman Shawn Holcomb and second baseman John Street also made fine plays in support of Weitzman as El Dorado (10-4) won for the fifth consecutive game.

Marshall, which raised $17,000 to make the West Coast trip, lost for the first time after six consecutive victories. Losing pitcher Dan Schourek (3-1) had problems holding runners as El Dorado stole nine bases.

Marshall Coach Dean Sissler dismissed criticism of Schourek’s pitching style, calling his slow delivery a trade-off.

“He’s averaged 11 strikeouts in his first three games and allowed only four earned runs, so there weren’t many guys getting on base to steal against him before today,” Sissler said.

In another Upper Deck Classic game:

Esperanza 4, Mountain View 3--Billy O’Connor scored the winning run on a passed ball in the sixth inning at Esperanza (7-7). Randy Wilson (1-1) didn’t allow a hit in 2 1/3 innings of relief.

In the West Anaheim Lions tournament:

Dana Hills 5, Troy 2--Tim Wolter hit a home run in the third inning for Dana Hills (10-5-1, 4-3).