Alemany Gives Chaminade More of the Same, 11-5

Still reeling from a 17-0 road loss to Alemany on Wednesday, the Chaminade High baseball team welcomed the opportunity to face the Indians again.

And besides, they were playing on their home diamond.

Or make that rectangle --a home field disadvantage.

However, the dimensions of the field--280 feet down to left field, 240 to right and 355 to center--ultimately gave Alemany momentum when the Indians scored nine runs in the final two innings Friday to win the Mission League game, 11-5.

“In a yard like this, anyone can score runs,” Alemany Coach Jim Ozella said.

The victory moved the Indians (8-3, 6-0 in league) into sole possession of first place, one game ahead of Notre Dame and Crespi, both 4-0, who play each other today.

The Indians broke the game open in the the seventh inning when left fielder John Tucker hit his third home run of the year, a solo shot over the 40-foot right-field fence, off relief pitcher Gabe Crecion, giving Alemany a 7-5 lead.

Alemany scored four more unearned runs in the inning on three walks, a fielder’s choice, a sacrifice bunt and a hit batter--to put the game out out of reach.

The Eagles (4-8, 2-4) took an early 4-1 lead when junior center fielder Casey Cote hit a three-run homer--his second of the season--that went over the fence in left-center in the second inning.

“We were ready to return the favor,” Cote said. “We were really pumped for this game.”

Senior center fielder Ed Bushey drove in four runs with a bases-loaded walk and a three-run double in the sixth inning that gave the Indians a 6-5 lead.

“I started out slow, but that pitch was right there and I took advantage,” said Bushey, who struck out twice looking.

Before the Indians’ final uprising, Eagle starter Mike Haugh pitched five innings with four strikeouts and a walk.

Chaminade Coach Dave Desmond elected to remove Haugh in the sixth in favor of Joel Orme, which signaled the beginning of the end for the Eagles.

“I only expected (Haugh) to pitch two innings, but he did great,” Desmond said. “We’re just going through growing pains. We’re still in the process of learning how to win. We take notes from teams like that.”

Freshman southpaw Mike Pacheco (2-0) pitched 2 1/3 in relief for the victory, and Chris Tashima picked up his second save. Orme (1-2), who faced two batters in the sixth and gave up a walk and a single, took the loss.