Showing Their Colors : Calabasas Comes Up Swinging

It didn’t take long for pitcher Matt Jackson of Calabasas High to give credit for the Coyotes’ 12-7 victory over Simi Valley in the Birmingham tournament Blue Division championship game Wednesday.

Jackson, a 6-foot, 200-pound junior, pitched the first 6 1/3 innings to improve his record to 4-0, but the right-hander credited his teammates’ hitting.

“The team won it for me,” Jackson said after giving up 10 hits, four walks and seven runs. “I’m happy to get the victory, but I didn’t pitch that well. They did it for me.”

Calabasas (10-2) had shut out Newbury Park, 4-0, on a five-hitter by Tom Lookabill in the semifinals Tuesday, but aggressive hitting and baserunning did the trick Wednesday.

The Coyotes had 12 hits and stole four bases to win their sixth consecutive game since forfeiting a victory over North Hollywood because pitcher Matt Sagoian worked more than the allowable 10 innings in a week.

“I told the players that they’re 11-1 on the field, but I’m 0-1,” Calabasas Coach Rick Nathanson said. “I’m the one who cost us that game.”

Brian Fatur, who has hit safely in 23 consecutive games dating to last season, had two hits, drove in a run and scored two others for Calabasas, which scored six runs off Simi Valley starter Alfonso Rodriguez in the bottom of the first inning.

Rodriguez (1-2) had thrown seven innings of no-hit relief in a Marmonte League victory over Newbury Park last week, but the Coyotes shelled him for nine hits and nine runs in four innings.

Fatur, whose batting average dropped to .568 with his two-for-four performance, led off the game with a single, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch.

After Marc Wilson walked, he stole second and Fatur slid home safely ahead of the relay throw from second.

Rick Stockton, who had two hits and scored twice, followed with a single to put runners at first and third. Josh Goldfield hit a sacrifice fly to score Wilson.

Stockton stole second and, after Frank Carlisi was hit by a pitch, Sagoian singled in Stockton for 3-0 Calabasas lead.

Robby Coppola followed with a two-run single and, after moving to third on a wild pitch and a passed ball, he scored on a single by Ryan Coleman.

Presented with a six-run lead, Jackson promptly gave up four runs in the second.

He walked the first three batters before giving up a triple to Todd Scherwin, who was three for four with three RBIs and two runs scored.

Designated hitter Mike O’Neal singled in Scherwin to cut Simi Valley’s deficit to 6-4, but the Pioneers (6-5) got no closer.

Calabasas scored two runs in the third to extend its lead to 8-4. After Simi Valley scored a run in the fourth on a double by Brett Scott, the Coyotes added a run in the bottom of the inning and three more in the sixth.

Brandon Voorhees hit a two-run home run with one out in the seventh to chase Jackson but Dusty England got the final two outs after giving up an infield single and a walk.

“We’ve had some quality teams in the last few years, but this team is different,” Nathanson said. “We seem to be able to win a lot of different ways. On the ’95 and ’96 teams, I knew who my No. 1 through 9 guys were, but I have more versatility with this team. I can ask a guy to bat third one game and fifth the next and he’ll say, ‘OK. Whatever it takes.’ ”