O’Brien Gives Royal Something to Shout About

Never scream, yell or point fingers when closer Russell O’Brien of Royal High enters a game.

It only makes him feel stronger and more invincible.

“I love it,” he said. “It’s the greatest thing to do.”

With first place in the Marmonte League baseball race on the line and pitching in a hostile setting, O’Brien shut out Thousand Oaks over the final 1 2/3 innings to help Royal defeat the Lancers, 3-2, on Friday at Thousand Oaks.

Royal (13-3-1, 6-1 in league play) regained sole possession of first place ahead of the Lancers (13-5, 5-2).

O’Brien replaced starter Scott Rice (4-1) with one out and two runners aboard in the sixth inning. After a flyout, he struck out the Lancers’ best hitter, Billy Lockin, on a 2-and-2 called third strike.

In the seventh, after giving up a leadoff single, O’Brien got John Smith to bunt into a double play, gave up a double, and ended the game on Tracy Goebel’s soft line drive to second baseman Dan Woolever.

“I love Russell,” Rice said. “We have so many nicknames for him. He’s a different guy, wild and crazy, a typical closer. He gets his best when people are yelling at him.”

Chris Cordeiro (4-1) pitched well for the Lancers. He gave up a two-run home run to Ryan Wilson in the first and a run-scoring single to Derek O’Keefe in the second, both after errors. Royal didn’t get another hit until the seventh.

Cordeiro hit two doubles and a single.

But the Lancers failed to bunt three times and had to settle for two runs even though their leadoff man reached base in every inning except the first.

Rice didn’t have his best stuff, striking out six and walking five, but battled with men in scoring position.

“Today, I knew I had to compete whether I was on or off,” Rice said. “I couldn’t give an inch.”