PREP BASEBALL ROUNDUP : Mater Dei Shuts Down Cougars

Mike Hessman admittedly has a problem concentrating late in games, and the Mater Dei pitcher has suffered because of this shortcoming.

Hessman, however, has few other failings--just ask Capistrano Valley.

The sophomore right-hander pitched an excellent game in leading Mater Dei to a 7-1 victory over the top-ranked and previously undefeated Cougars in a South Coast League game Wednesday at Mater Dei.

No. 10 Mater Dei improved to 5-2-1, 2-0 in league play. Capistrano Valley is 6-1, 0-1.

Hessman, mixing a sharp breaking ball and moving fastball, pitched a four-hitter with six strikeouts. Hessman (3-0) lost his shutout in the top of the seventh inning when Capistrano Valley senior Levi Roquemore drove in senior Paul Day, who doubled to open the inning.

This was the second shutout Hessman has lost in the seventh inning this season. Still, Hessman has allowed only two earned runs in 21 innings for a 0.66 earned-run average.

“I don’t know why that happens,” Hessman said of his late-inning letdowns. “I guess I just eased up a little bit late in the game . . . I didn’t come out like I should have.”

Cougar Coach Bob Zamora was impressed with Hessman.

“I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more polished performance from a sophomore,” Zamora said. “It seemed like he was ahead of the count on every batter.”

Hessman outperformed UCLA-bound left-hander Pete Zamora (3-1), Bob’s son, who was forced to leave in the fourth inning because of soreness in his forearm.

Leading, 3-0, entering the sixth inning, the Monarchs scored four runs to put the game out of reach. Junior Dave Sanchez (one for three, two runs batted in) hit his second home run of the season in the third inning for the Monarchs.

In another South Coast League game:

El Toro 4, Mission Viejo 0--Brandon Hendrikx had two hits, scored once, stole two bases and struck out six in four-hit shutout for El Toro (6-4, 1-2).

In the Freeway League:

Fullerton 6, La Habra 3--Craig Freeman’s two-run double gave Fullerton (7-1, 2-0) a 6-1 lead. Ryan Golisano earned his fifth victory, striking out five in six innings and Keith Ginter struck out two in the seventh to earn his second save for the host Indians. Josh Woolf and Donny Cisneros hit home runs for La Habra (2-3, 0-2).

Sunny Hills 10, Buena Park 7--Carlos Herrera was four for five with two RBIs and three stolen bases and Scott Monson had two hits, three RBIs and three stolen bases for Sunny Hills (3-6, 1-1).

Troy 8, Sonora 4--Brian Logan had one hit and three RBIs and Rick Parmenter had three hits and two RBIs to lead Troy (7-0, 2-0).

In the Garden Grove League:

La Quinta 8, Bolsa Grande 4--C.J. Livernois and Charlie Tuggle each had two hits and two RBIs to lead La Quinta (6-2, 1-0).

Los Amigos 3, Rancho Alamitos 2--Adam Elsaesser struck out seven and allowed one earned run in seven innings, Michael Garcia had two hits and two RBIs and Miguel Dorado had three hits for Los Amigos (2-7, 1-0). Rancho Alamitos is 2-7, 1-0.

Pacifica 10, Garden Grove 0--Chad Brown had two home runs and four RBIs and Zack Allen pitched a three-hitter for Pacifica (4-5, 1-0).

Santiago 1, Kennedy 0--Robert Wiemann had a two-out single to score Christian Cortez, who had reached first on a dropped third strike, to win the game for Santiago (2-4, 1-0). Cortez also got the victory by pitching a hitless seventh inning.

In the Orange League:

Savanna 4, Magnolia 3--Joe Monzon pitched a five-hitter and Jeremy Klemp had two hits for Savanna (4-6, 1-1).

Western 3, Brea-Olinda 1--Nick Swanson had a double and a home run to lead Western (2-0 in league). Mike Brambilla had a triple for Brea-Olinda (6-2, 0-2).

In the Redlands Calvary Chapel tournament:

Southern California Christian 8, Liberty Christian 5--Keith Ridgeway had two hits and three RBIs and pitched five innings, striking out five, to earn his first victory for host Southern California Christian (6-1-1) in the consolation final. Tim St. Clair struck out four and allowed one hit in two innings of relief to earn his first save. Paul Malcom had a double and two runs scored for Liberty Christian (4-3).

In nonleague play:

Orange Lutheran 7, Montebello Cantwell 1--Ryan McGreevy, Adam Cavaness and Tom Howard combined on a four-hitter and Nick Odenath had two hits and an RBI for Orange Lutheran (2-5).