East Keeps Thousand Oaks Going in Wrong Direction

A top-notch performance by Ethan East and his Westlake High teammates left cross-town rival Thousand Oaks on the wrong end of a 9-3 Marmonte League score Friday and in the grip of a four-game losing streak.

East pitched a seven-hitter and had three hits, including two doubles, and two runs batted in to help the Warriors to their fifth consecutive victory over the Lancers, the second in a week.

Westlake second baseman Ryan Cope had three hits, including a two-run home run in the fourth inning, and three RBIs and center fielder Joey Cuppari made six putouts, including two spectacular running catches.

The Warriors (9-7, 3-3 in league play) continued a pattern of inconsistent play after being blown out Wednesday by Royal and earlier by Agoura.

“If we played every team the way we play Thousand Oaks . . .,” Westlake Coach Chuck Berrington said. “Royal was shattering to us. We came to practice [Thursday] and said we were going to start the season over.”

Thousand Oaks (13-6-1, 4-3-1) was thrilled with its season after going undefeated in its first five league games. But the Lancers’ slide began with a loss in the final of the Scottsdale (Ariz.) tournament, followed by an 11-inning setback to Westlake last Friday and a one-run defeat Wednesday at Camarillo.

Senior third baseman Shea Johnson insisted there is no reason for the Lancers to panic.

“A couple of breaks here and there and these games would have been different,” Johnson said. “It’s not like we didn’t hit the ball well today but we hit a couple of shots right at people.”

Thousand Oaks parlayed an error, three singles and two sacrifice bunts into three runs in the first. The Lancers didn’t get multiple hits in an inning again until the seventh.

Westlake scored in the first when Cope singled home Kevin Howard from second and exploded for four runs in the third on two singles, an error and a walk, two wild pitches and a hit batter by pitcher Matt Rogers.

Westlake scored twice in the fourth and once each in the fifth and sixth.

Rogers (5-1), ace of Thousand Oaks’ staff, allowed five hits and five runs, three earned, in three innings before giving way to a succession of relievers. Rogers walked five, struck out one and threw 92 pitches, many in the dirt.

East (3-1), the Warriors’ No. 2 starter, fought through over-excitement in the first inning and settled down. Although he struck out only one, East walked only one and induced six groundouts and 13 flyouts.

“We just haven’t put our pitching and hitting together in many games,” East said.

“But when we do, no one can beat us. We’re going to keep it going from now on.”