JetHawks Crash, Get Burned by Mavericks, 16-0

When Manager Rick Burleson of the Lancaster JetHawks mercifully pulled starter Joe Mays from Saturday night’s California League semifinal playoff game at Mavericks Stadium, the right-hander angrily left the field.

He wouldn’t be the only JetHawk to leave the mound in that manner as a carousel of pitchers experienced a similar fate in High Desert’s 16-0 victory over Lancaster.

It got so bad, Burleson inserted catcher David Skeels to pitch in the eighth. Turns out, Skeels was one of the more effective pitchers for Lancaster.

Skeels gave up three hits and one run in an inning of work.

The Mavericks pushed the JetHawks to the brink of elimination by taking a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five series. High Desert has beaten Lancaster in five consecutive games and in eight of nine.

It was the worst defeat of the season for the JetHawks and reliever Brain Sweeney wasn’t around to see all of it.

After giving up a grand slam to Jason Conti in the sixth inning, Sweeney hit Jason Goligoski in the back with his next pitch. Sweeney was immediately ejected.

By then, the game was clearly in the hands of the Mavericks, 15-0.

Mike Stoner, most valuable player and rookie of the year in the California League, went four for four as the Mavericks collected 16 hits.

Stoner had a double, three singles and four runs batted in while extending his hitting streak to 21 games.

The JetHawks had only four hits and committed three errors that led to seven unearned runs.

During its two-game series at Mavericks Stadium, the JetHawks managed only nine hits and two runs.

Right-fielder Tarrick Brock had a double and a single for the JetHawks.

High Desert’s Jeff Sobkoviak, who tied for the league lead in victories with 14, pitched the first six innings, giving up two hits and striking out four.

Only one of the runs scored against Mays was earned. High Desert scored four unearned runs in the third after second baseman Jason Regan’s throwing error.

JetHawk notes

Tonight’s starters: Lancaster (Joe Victery, 5-4, 4.84 earned run average) vs. High Desert (Vladimir Nunez, 8-5, 5.17). . . . Game time is 7:15 p.m. . . .

In the other California League semifinal playoff, San Bernardino beat Rancho Cucamonga, 6-5, to tie the series, 1-1.

* BASEBALL COLUMN: Robert Fick gets a taste of the big leagues. C17