DOLE BIG WEST TOURNAMENT : Lynch, Marina Relish Title Before the Next Tough Test
Marina pitcher Justin Lynch figured he will have the weekend to celebrate Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over La Quinta.
After that, the work begins.
Lynch tossed a four-hitter at Windrow Park in Irvine, giving the Vikings their second consecutive Dole Big West Tournament championship. It was a nice tune-up for the chore ahead.
Marina (15-2) has back-to-back games against Fountain Valley next week, with the Sunset League lead at stake. The two teams are tied for first.
“This was great, but Monday we start focusing on Fountain Valley,” Lynch said. “We’ll get pumped up for that.”
Said Viking Coach Paul Renfrow: “Fountain Valley’s a great team. But we just do what we do and don’t worry about other teams.”
What Lynch (7-0) did was plenty Wednesday. He struck out 10 and gave up only one earned run.
Lynch was in serious trouble only once. The Aztecs had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth. An error by third baseman Brandon Schneider let one run in and put the tying run on second. Lynch mowed down the next two batters, then breezed through the seventh.
“My arm was a little tight at first, but when it loosened up, I felt strong,” Lynch said.
The Vikings (15-2), ranked fifth in Orange County, wore out La Quinta’s worn-out pitching staff. The Aztecs (17-3-1), ranked fourth, had used Joe Garcia and Craig Jones, their top pitchers, the previous two games.
Tom Clark started, but didn’t get past the fourth inning. Marina had 10 hits off four La Quinta pitchers. Still, the Aztecs managed to keep the game close. Marina stranded 11 runners.
“You have to credit La Quinta,” Renfrow said. “They did some battling in the middle innings.”
Marina got one in the third, but could have had a lot more. With one out, Schneider blooped a single, then stole second. After Craig Wilson was walked intentionally, Tim Humble lined a single just out of shortstop Craig Kuzmic’s reach.
Schneider hesitated on the play and only beat the throw to the plate because center fielder Charlie Tuggle bobbled the ball.
The Vikings were left with runners on second and third with one out. Clark worked out of it, getting the next two batters on weak grounders.
But Clark (2-2) didn’t last another inning. He had been effective through three, getting out of a two-on, no-out jam in the first, but the only out he recorded in the fourth came when catcher Mark Ukleja threw out Josh Roberts attempting to steal.
Clark then gave up a double to Mike Tyler, threw a wild pitch, then walked Chad Scuncio. Garcia replaced Clark and gave up a run-scoring single by David Titov.
It only got worse for the Aztecs. Garcia, who pitched 4 2/3 innings Monday, gave up back-to-back bases-loaded singles by Wilson and Tim Humble. It gave the Vikings a 4-0 lead.
In the third-place game:
Capistrano Valley 4, Troy 0--Rik Currier pitched a one-hitter, striking out 10 and walking one, and Todd Miller was two for two for Capistrano Valley (9-7).
In other consolation games:
Huntington Beach 2, Woodbridge 1--James Hart and Jason Bartusick combined on a four-hitter in the fifth-place game. The winning run was scored on a seventh-inning balk by Woodbridge’s Marty Pacino. Huntington Beach tied the score on first baseman Kevin Duck’s throwing error.
Servite 10, Irvine 1--Brian Greene hit two two-run homers and added an RBI single for Servite (10-8). Jon Goldsmith went two for four with two stolen bases for the Friars.
