Saugus Discovers Right Combination to Stop Palmdale

Do you throw the heat early and bring in the less-experienced pitcher later? Or do you see how long the latter can go before giving the ball to the ace?

Remember the rule: no more than 10 innings a week.

Plan B worked Friday for Saugus High in a 3-2 Golden League baseball victory over visiting Palmdale. Sophomore John Maggiora got the start, junior Bobby Cowan the win and senior Brian Worley the game-winning, run-scoring single in the sixth inning.

Saugus Coach Doug Worley likely had an aspirin.

Because of rainouts in March, the first-place Centurions (14-3-1, 8-0 in league play) are in the middle of the first of three consecutive weeks in which they will play three games. Saugus will play a makeup game today at Antelope Valley.

Consequently, Worley has been forced to shuffle his staff.

On Friday, Cowan pitched 2 2/3 shutout innings to improve to 10-0. He also earned the win Tuesday in relief of Maggiora in a 6-4, eight-inning victory over Canyon.

“Right now, it’s really getting cute,” Worley said. “Bobby’s only got about an inning left. We’ll probably go with a variety pack (against Antelope Valley).”

Whatever the combination, the result is a 3 1/2-game lead over Canyon.

Saugus finished with a three-game season sweep of the Falcons. Cowan, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound right-hander, earned the win each time.

“I kind of don’t like coming in in the middle of innings,” Cowan said. “Last year, I was used to it because that’s all I did.”

Brian O’Leary’s two-run single in the second inning off junior right-hander Joe Garcia (3-5) gave Saugus a 2-0 lead.

Palmdale (10-9, 5-5) pulled even in the fourth. Luis Alcaraz scored from third when Saugus shortstop Danny Cato booted Danny Salazar’s ground ball. Chris Paxton followed with a double to drive in Salazar.