Verstraeten Slams Door for Ventura : Baseball: Cougar pitcher prevents Rio Mesa heroics in Channel League showdown.

Ventura High right-hander Robert Verstraeten was understandably nervous standing on the mound Tuesday with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, nursing a two-run lead.

Adding to his anxiety was the memory of a similar situation, also at Rio Mesa High, late last season. On that day Verstraeten watched one of his teammates give up a game-winning grand slam, spoiling the Cougars’ hopes for a Channel League title.

“I was a little scared,” Verstraeten said. “I was having a little deja vu .”

It was a happier ending for Ventura this time. Rio Mesa No. 3 hitter Manuel Chavira jumped at the first pitch but was jammed. Second baseman Tim Stallings charged the softly hit ground ball, grabbed it on one hop and threw to first base, retiring Chavira and ending the Cougars’ 9-7 victory at Rio Mesa.

Ventura (12-8, 9-2 in league play) sits alone in first place, one game ahead of Rio Mesa (15-5, 8-3). The Spartans, preseason league favorites, had won 10 games in a row since losing to Ventura in the first round of league play.

“We came out here and proved something to everyone--which team is the best in the Channel League,” said Ventura catcher Monty Moritz, who had two hits including a tying home run. “Everyone kept talking about Rio Mesa this and Rio Mesa that. They had all the returning guys. Well, now it’s Ventura that’s got all the returning players.”

The Cougars are 16-4 and 10-1 on the field, but had to forfeit four victories in the middle of the season because they used Seth Casey before he became officially eligible.

Casey started on the mound Tuesday and promptly allowed three runs in the first inning. But Ventura came back to tie the score on Moritz’s solo home run leading off the third.

“That was the turning point right there,” Verstraeten said. “The home run is what did it for us.”

Rio Mesa starter Daniel Martinez gave way to left-hander Richard Soliz after the home run. Soliz had not pitched in a month because of a pinched nerve in his neck. He lasted only 1 2/3 innings and allowed six runs.

“He just wasn’t himself yet,” Rio Mesa catcher Steve Arneson said.

Coach Richard Duran removed Soliz and put Martinez back on the mound. Martinez settled down, shutting out Ventura for the final 3 1/3 innings.

Rio Mesa trailed, 9-4, in the middle of the fourth. Several times, the Spartans seemed ready to get back into the game, but mistakes cost them each time.

The Spartans loaded the bases with none out in the third, but scored only one run. The gaffe in that inning came when Marcus Yasutake failed to tag up and score on a sharply hit fly ball to right field.

In the fourth, Rio Mesa’s first two hitters reached base, but that rally was stopped by Verstraeten after only one run had scored. Verstraeten first struck out Charlie Boch looking.

Pinch-runner Tyrone Nunnery was caught stealing on a pitchout and Verstraeten got out of the inning when Chad Snyder fouled out to first.

Verstraeten (4-2) pitched the final four innings, striking out six. He gave up four hits and one earned run. He was usually ahead in the count because Rio Mesa hitters were watching fastballs zip over the heart of the plate.

“They took most first-pitch fastballs,” Verstraeten said. “I had been having control problems lately, and I don’t know if they knew that. But that was fine with me, because it helped me get ahead.”

Verstraeten’s only serious jam came in the seventh. After a one-out single, the inning was extended because shortstop Jason Watkins dropped the ball on what likely would have been the first out of a game-ending double play. Watkins, who made three errors in the game, was immediately removed by Coach Dan Smith.

Leadoff hitter Eric Flores reached base on a fielder’s choice and Arneson walked on four pitches, loading the bases with two out.

Last year, Boch hit an eighth-inning grand slam off Moritz in a similar situation, giving the Spartans a dramatic 6-5 victory. But those memories were erased after one pitch to Chavira.

The Cougars celebrated as if they had won the league championship. At least one player thinks they already have, even though three games remain on the schedule.

“We’ve got it,” Moritz said. “We’re in the driver’s seat now.”

Watkins led Ventura with four hits and three runs batted in. Shawn Wenger had three hits and scored three runs.