DIVISION I : Lakewood Makes the Most of Mater Dei’s Poor Defense

Sound defense and ace pitcher Adam Harris are usually enough to send Mater Dei baseball fans home happy. Unfortunately for the Monarchs, they lost half of their winning formula when they needed it most.

Mater Dei committed four errors that led to four unearned runs, which were too much for Harris to overcome in an 8-5 loss to Lakewood in the Southern Section Division I quarterfinals Friday.

The second-seeded, Moore League-champion Lancers (23-6) play Sherman Oaks Notre Dame on Tuesday in the semifinals at Blair Field in Long Beach. South Coast League-champion Mater Dei (18-9-1) is the second Orange County team to have its season ended by Lakewood. The Lancers routed Katella, 14-1, in the second round.

“We just didn’t make some plays,” Mater Dei Coach Bob Ickes said. “It was hard for our guys to get their timing down on this field because it’s a lot slower than ours. We knew we had to make some adjustments and attack the ball more.”

The Monarchs’ problems began in the second inning.

Leading, 1-0, with one out, shortstop Erik Mattern made consecutive errors that allowed two runs to score. Usually a slick fielder, Mattern made successive wild throws to first base while hurrying to field balls that seemed to slow down significantly as they rolled toward him.

Mater Dei tied the score in the fourth when Mike Waugh singled to drive in Matt Treanor. Treanor, who doubled to open the inning, provided a spark for Mater Dei, going three for four with two doubles.

But Lakewood scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-2 lead, scoring one of its runs on Mattern’s third error.

“They were putting my best pitches in play,” said Harris, who finished the season 9-2. “They’re real good hitters.”

But just when it looked as though the Lancers had things in control, they started looking foolish in the field, too.

Lakewood allowed Mater Dei to tie the score, 5-5, with three runs in the top of the fifth--on one hit. Right fielder Art Martinez and center fielder Jon Weber dropped fly balls that would have enabled the Lancers to get out of the inning unscathed.

“Our right fielder has been with us for two years, and he’s never dropped a ball before,” Lakewood Coach Spud O’Neil said. “He usually plays great defense for us.”

The miscues provided some momentary mental relief for Harris. His comfort zone, however, would leave as quickly as a booted ground ball.

Harris gave up another run in the fifth inning when first baseman Tim Wetzel couldn’t handle a sharp grounder hit by Weber.

The Monarchs’ final error helped chase Harris from the game. Mattern relieved him and gave up another run in the inning and one in the sixth.

Mater Dei made things interesting in the seventh by getting runners to second and third with two outs. But Steve Immel (8-1), who relieved starter Luke Fitzpatrick in the sixth inning, got Waugh to pop out.

“I would have really liked to go out winning my last one,” said Harris, a senior who has committed to Stanford. “But I guess most of us don’t get to do that.”

In another Division I game:

Crescenta Valley 4, El Dorado 3--Benito Flores’ double in the third inning drove in two runs for El Dorado (21-8). Crescenta Valley (19-5) responded scoring four runs in the fourth. Jesse Mitchell’s single at the top of the fourth scored the winning run for the Falcons.