Mustangs in Position for Title

Trabuco Hills has a shot to win its first South Coast League title. And the Mustangs have Eric Bowden to thank for it.

The senior right-hander stymied second-ranked Mater Dei with off-speed pitches, giving up seven hits en route to a 5-1 victory Tuesday. The win enabled the fifth-ranked Mustangs (18-5, 12-2) to pull into a tie with Mater Dei in league play. Whoever wins Thursday’s game at Trabuco Hills is the South Coast champion.

The loss was the second straight for the host Monarchs (17-6, 12-2), who lost to top-ranked Servite on Saturday. But those losses have come against two of the county’s best pitchers this season--Brian Wolfe on Saturday and Bowden on Tuesday.

Like Wolfe, Bowden (12-1)--who leads the county in victories--pitched a complete game, striking out seven and walking two. His only mistake was an 0-2 fastball over the plate that Monarch designated hitter Scott Bolcoa hammered over the right-field wall in the second inning for a home run.

“He’s been our best pitcher this year by far,” Trabuco Hills Coach Tim Ellis said. “He’s also been clutch all year. He’s the main reason we can go back home Thursday with a chance to win the league for the first time.”

“Today it felt like everything was working,” said Bowden, who has 102 strikeouts this season. “And you need a good breaking ball against Mater Dei. They’re a great team that’s dead red on the fastball.”

Mater Dei had a chance to get Bowden out of the game early when it loaded the bases with one out in the third. But Bowden struck out Josh Hansen (.469, nine home runs), and got Mike Harris (.426) to hit into a force play.

“We’ve had trouble all year [scoring] with the bases loaded,” Monarch Coach Bob Ickes said. “I kept telling the kids it would come back to haunt us. It did today.

“We have to remember that we are still tied for the league and can win it on Thursday. We can’t take [the results of] this game into Thursday’s game.

Trabuco Hills catcher Brian Murphy was the Mustangs’ other hero Tuesday. His three-run homer was the key blow in the Mustangs’ four-run fourth against Mater Dei starter Nick Lovato (9-1).

In other South Coast League games:

Mission Viejo 13, Dana Hills 7--Cal Lefebvre was three for three with a home run and two RBIs for Mission Viejo (10-13, 3-11).

San Clemente 9, Capistrano Valley 1--Jeff Goodman (7-3) struck out 12, giving up six hits and one walk for host San Clemente (15-10, 8-6), which clinched a playoff spot. Scott Cheo hit his ninth home run of the season for Capistrano Valley (9-13, 5-9).