Oxnard Pitcher Stands Tall in Win

He’s only a freshman but right-hander Josh Towers is quickly becoming the go-to guy for the Oxnard College baseball team.

Towers, from Hueneme High, pitched the Condors to a 2-1 victory over visiting Cuesta in a Western State Conference North Division game Thursday that deadlocked both teams in first place.

Oxnard (12-5, 5-1 in division play) pulled even with the Cougars (16-4, 5-1) as Towers mixed a solid fastball with a sharp-breaking curve, beating right-hander David Ginn.

The only division losses for both teams have come against each other. Cuesta defeated Oxnard, 8-6, in 13 innings March 2 at San Luis Obispo.

Towers (5-1) pitched a complete game, allowing five hits, striking out eight and walking one.

“If you can throw curveballs for strikes, you are going to be successful, no doubt about it,” said Pat Woods, Oxnard coach.

Actually, Ginn (3-1) also used his breaking pitches well and handcuffed the Condors through the first six innings, allowing only three hits. But he didn’t make it out of the seventh, when Oxnard touched him for the two runs.

The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Towers plunked Vinnie Hernandez with a pitch and Mike Martinez doubled down the left-field line with two out to score Hernandez.

Towers scattered three hits the rest of the way, not allowing a runner past first base. He was aided by a double play to end the third inning, and by catcher Mike Muller, who gunned down two runners attempting to steal second.

Ginn dominated the Condors early in the game, retiring 10 in a row during one stretch. But the Condors chased him in the seventh.

Scott Foli led off the inning with a single to right field. Art Bolen followed with a full-count single to right that grazed the glove of first baseman Dan Winterberg as he jumped for the ball, Foli moving to third.

Jess Olivares’ single to right scored Foli and moved Bolen to second.

Right-hander Marco Hanlon replaced Ginn and struck out Mike Muller, but designated hitter Chad Snyder lined a single to left, loading the bases. Raudel Flores scored Bolen with a fly ball to right.

Bolstered by a 2-1 lead, Towers struck out the side in the eighth.

“That was a crucial inning, coming off the runs we scored,” Towers said. “Couldn’t let them get back in the game.”