Leppard Shows His Stuff, 4-0 : High school baseball: He strikes out 14 and pitches four-hitter as Simi Valley beats Royal.

Even the plate umpire found Trevor Leppard’s performance a bit unbelievable.

Or so it seemed moments before Leppard, a senior right-hander for Simi Valley High, brought down the curtain Wednesday in a 4-0 Marmonte League victory over cross-town rival Royal.

With two out in the seventh, the man behind the mask strolled to the mound, grabbed the ball from Leppard and gave it a few rotations in his palm. After a few seconds, he returned the ball to Leppard, who responded by striking out pinch-hitter Maki Kramer.

Had Leppard been scuffing the ball?

Simi Valley Coach Mike Scyphers wandered from the dugout, but the umpire shooed him away with a smile. Catcher Kevin Nykoluk, the umpire explained, needed a moment’s rest after being struck in the groin by a bat.

The way Leppard baffled Royal, many in attendance might have wondered.

Leppard (5-1) scattered four singles and struck out 14 to move first-place Simi Valley (17-2, 7-0 in league play) two games ahead of second-place Royal (10-7, 5-2).

Leppard did not give up a hit after the second inning and appeared to grow stronger as the innings passed. He retired 11 of the final 12 batters, nine on strikeouts, including the side in the seventh.

“I really didn’t feel like I started to do well until the fourth,” said Leppard, who walked three. “I guess that’s pretty good--14 strikeouts. I can do a lot better.”

Leppard outshined Royal right-hander Keith Loitz, who went the distance, striking out eight and yielding five hits.

Loitz (3-4) held the Pioneers hitless until the fourth when Ryan Hankins doubled off the left-center-field fence with one out. After a walk to Bill Scheffels, designated hitter Jeff Michael lofted a warning-track fly ball to right field that Gene Strojek lost in the sun.

The ball dropped for a single, and Simi Valley went on to score four runs. Scott Miller drew a bases-loaded walk, Ryan Briggs added a two-run double and Aaron Whitley delivered a run-scoring single.

“Just one unlucky break,” Loitz said. “I don’t feel good that we lost, but I feel good about how we played.”

The fly ball in the sun appeared to be the game’s turning point. But Royal Coach Dan Maye conceded that with the way Leppard was pitching, the play was insignificant.

“Once he got the run, he went out and clamped down on us,” Maye said. “He’s the best pitcher we’ve seen.”