Westlake-Royal Victimized by Bad Breaks During 5-2 Loss Against Santa Barbara

Baseball has a way kissing you on the cheek one day and slapping you in the same spot the next. And members of the Westlake-Royal American Legion team discovered so--if they didn’t already know before Tuesday.

Westlake-Royal was two days removed from a no-hit victory over Oak Park in which Westlake-Royal scored 14 runs. What a thrill.

Then came the slap: a 5-2 loss to Santa Barbara in a crucial District 16 game at Moorpark College.

Santa Barbara (3-0) scored three of its first four runs in fortunate fashion: Josh Roberts made a risky steal of third base with one out in the second inning. On the next pitch--a wild one from Westlake-Royal starter and loser Tony Dellamano--he scored.

Armando Gonzalez opened the third inning with a ground ball to shortstop, and he was called safe at first although the throw appeared to beat him. Brian Smithson hit a routine grounder that went between the legs of second baseman Kevin McClure after the base umpire momentarily obstructed McClure’s view.

Gonzalez took third and Smithson went to second as the ball rolled to right-center field. Gonzalez scored--making it 3-0--on Joe Garafalo’s ground out. Dustin Spencer followed with a bouncer that took a kangaroo hop over shortstop Joel Mellinger’s head. Smithson scored, 4-0.

Westlake-Royal (5-1) wasn’t quite as fortuitous against right-hander Scott Randall, who pitched a six-hitter for Santa Barbara, striking out six, walking one and retiring nine in a row at one point.

“That’s baseball,” said Westlake-Royal center fielder David Brown, referring to his team’s turn of fortune. “Those things are expected, because it’s baseball. (Santa Barbara) made the routine plays.”

Westlake-Royal finally scored in the seventh when Brent Egan and Brian Fernandez both singled and scored on a wild pitch and a throwing error.